The Short Answer
Film yourself cooking with two angles: a front shot at eye level that follows you between stove and counter, and an overhead shot of the board. Light from the front, a clip-on mic, and gesture control keep greasy hands off the phone.
Sunday, 10:15 a.m., a small apartment kitchen in Quezon City. Adobo, take three. The phone leans against the toyo bottle, you turn to stir the pot, and now the video is mostly your elbow. You reach over to fix it with oily fingers, smudge the lens, and the garlic in the pan goes from golden to bitter. Sayang.
Cooking is one of the hardest things to film alone because you move constantly, your hands are busy, and the kitchen is hot, steamy and loud. The fix is a simple two-angle setup. For the front angle, a face-tracking holder such as the Hohem GO turns with you as you move between stations. This post is part of our guide to filming yourself alone.
Angle 1: The Front Shot That Follows You
This is the "you talking to the viewer" angle. Put the phone at eye height, about 1.5 to 2 m away, across the counter. With a tracking holder, you can move from chopping board to stove and the frame stays on you.
- Gesture, not touch. The Hohem GO starts tracking with an "OK" hand sign and pauses with an open palm. No greasy screen taps.
- Keep it out of the steam. Place the phone to the side of the stove, not above it. Steam fogs lenses and heat is bad for batteries.
- Vertical for Reels and TikTok. Decide before you start; you cannot crop a horizontal clip to vertical without losing your hands.
Angle 2: The Overhead Shot of the Food
Overhead shots show what your hands are doing: knife work, plating, sauce going in. You need a stand that reaches over the counter without the base sitting in your workspace.
- A tall stand like the GXCT LS11 (extends up to 96 cm) can hold a phone above a chopping board.
- Check the camera sees the full board and your hands but not your head.
- Film the overhead shot on a second phone, or do it as a separate pass for each step.
Light and Sound in a Real Kitchen
Most Filipino kitchens have one ceiling light and a window somewhere awkward. Two rules:
- Light in front of you. If the window is behind you, you become a silhouette and face tracking struggles. Turn around or add a small LED panel.
- Mic on your collar. Exhaust fans, sizzling oil and the neighbor's videoke all reach a phone two meters away. A clip-on wireless mic like the Hohem MIC-01 stays 20 cm from your mouth.
Pick Your Kitchen Setup
| Setup | What it shows | Cost from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone on a stand | Front view, fixed | ₱1,424 | One-pan recipes, no walking |
| Hohem GO tracking holder | Front view that follows you | ₱1,424 | Moving between stove and counter |
| Tall stand overhead | Hands and food from above | ₱1,424 | Prep, plating, baking |
| GO + overhead stand | Both angles | ₱2,848 | Full recipe videos |
Prices as listed on vmidirectph.com in October 2026. Add a mic for any setup.
A Workflow That Saves Your Ulam
- Prep all ingredients first (mise en place). Film the prep overhead.
- Start the front camera and leave it running through the whole cook.
- Talk to the front camera; let the overhead capture the details.
- Finish with a plated hero shot by the window.
Kitchen Filming Mistakes to Avoid
- Filming under the range hood light only. It throws harsh shadows straight down. Add soft light from the front.
- Putting the phone where you splash. Oil and sauce on the lens make everything look hazy. Keep a microfiber cloth nearby and wipe before each take.
- Talking while the exhaust fan is on high. Turn it down for talking segments, then back up while things sizzle.
- Cutting the hero shot. Viewers want the final dish. Save 30 seconds of light and patience for plating.
- Not pressing record on the overhead phone. Glance at both screens before you start the stove. It happens to everyone once.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I film myself cooking with one phone?
Film the full cook from the front, then film close-ups and overhead shots as separate takes. Edit them together.
What is the best angle for cooking videos?
Use both: eye-level front for talking, overhead for hands and food. Overhead alone loses your personality; front alone hides the technique.
Will steam damage my phone or gimbal?
Keep both to the side of the stove, not above it. Steam fogs lenses and heat drains batteries. Most gimbals list a working range up to about 45°C.
More in this series: AI tracking for live selling and fixing gimbal noise in your audio.
Questions? Contact our team. VMI Direct is an authorized Hohem distributor in the Philippines.
Written by Johannes Yu, VMI Direct. Specs from Hohem's and GXCT's published product specifications.
