How to Film Surf for Social Media Shorts

Social media shorts are vertical (9:16). While you'll likely film horizontal, knowing your footage will be cropped changes how you frame shots.

The Crop Reality

When horizontal footage becomes vertical, you lose the sides. This means:

• Keep the surfer centered in frame, not off to the sides
• Don't rely on wide compositions - they'll get cropped
• Vertical elements (the surfer standing, spray going up) work well

4K Gives You Options

Filming in 4K means you have plenty of resolution to crop. Even after converting to vertical, you maintain sharp, high-quality footage.

Some angles work better than others for vertical content:

POV (Point of View)

• Mouth mount or chest mount
• Naturally fills vertical frame well
• Immersive barrel and turn footage
• Viewers feel like they're surfing

From the Water

• Water housing or waterproof phone case
• Dramatic low angles
• Spray and action fill the frame
• Harder to execute but striking results

From the Beach

• Tripod or handheld from shore
• Keep surfer centered, not too wide
• Works well with telephoto/zoom
• Easiest to execute consistently

Drone

• Overhead and follow shots
• Shows wave shape beautifully
• Unique perspective that stands out
• Keep altitude lower for better framing

Shorts are short. Platform sweet spots:

• TikTok: 15-30 seconds performs best
• Instagram Reels: 15-30 seconds for discovery
• YouTube Shorts: Under 60 seconds required

One Wave Per Clip

For AI processing, single waves work best. But if you're filming intentionally for shorts:

• Capture complete waves (takeoff through end)
• Don't cut away mid-ride
• The AI will trim - you just need the action

Avoid Dead Time

AI removes paddling and waiting, but less dead time means faster processing and more usable clips per session.

If you're filming multiple people (surf school, friends, competitions):

Distinctive Gear Helps

• Different colored rashguards or wetsuits
• Unique board shapes or colors
• Makes sorting footage easier

Announce Who's Up

If using a GoPro with audio, saying "that's Jake" or "Maria's wave" helps when reviewing footage later.

Separate Sessions If Possible

When using Surf Buddy Shorts, uploading separate files per surfer gives cleaner results than one massive file with everyone mixed together.

Not all conditions are equal for short-form content:

Best Lighting

• Golden hour: Early morning and late afternoon create beautiful colors
• Overcast: Even lighting, no harsh shadows
• Avoid midday: Harsh shadows and blown-out highlights

Wave Conditions

• Clean waves: Show technique better
• Offshore wind: Creates spray that looks great on camera
• Barrel days: If you can get one, it's instant content gold

What to Avoid

• Shooting directly into the sun (lens flare, silhouettes)
• Very choppy/messy conditions (hard to see the surfing)
• Low light without proper camera settings (grainy footage)