Content requirements
Everything you need to know to capture photos and video for Nova. Read it once. Use it as a checklist at the gym.
3 photos per exercise
Each photo must show the whole body and the equipment used. Anyone should understand the exercise just by looking at the three photos. No text needed.
How to shoot the photos
Use your phone
You don't need a camera or a photographer. A modern phone is more than good enough. Use the rear camera (not the selfie camera). Ask someone to hold it or use a tripod.
Format
Photos are displayed in three different formats in the app. Shoot in portrait with a bit of headroom, so we can crop into all three formats without losing anything.
16:9 · 3:4 · 1:1Lighting
Good light is the most important thing. Train under ceiling lights or near windows, not in dark corners. If your gym has weak lighting, find a spot near a window or under bright ceiling lights. Muscles, grip and position need to be clearly visible.
Distance and angle
The whole body must be visible: from head to foot with a little space around it. Keep the camera at hip height, not above or below. Straight on or from the side. Pick the angle that shows the exercise best.
Background
Keep the background tidy. No people walking by, no clutter, no towels on the floor. Find a quiet corner in the gym or train when it's less busy.
Clothing
Training clothes that show body position without being distracting. Think regular workout wear: a t-shirt and shorts/tights work perfectly. Not too loose (hides technique), not too tight/revealing (wrong focus). Avoid gear where a large logo dominates the frame.
✓ Do this
- Good lighting: face and body clearly visible
- Tidy background with no distractions
- Whole body in the frame with space around it
- Portrait orientation: space around the body for cropping
- Camera at hip height
- Regular workout clothes: t-shirt and shorts/tights
- Same angle across all 3 photos
- Neutral background
✗ Avoid this
- Dark, grainy or blurry photos
- Cluttered background with people or gear
- Only the upper body in the frame
- Landscape orientation
- Selfie camera or mirror shots
- Loose oversized hoodies or just a sports bra/singlet
- A different angle on every photo
- Filters or heavy editing
Video (bonus)
A short clip of the exercise in motion
Film one complete rep at a slow, controlled pace. No music, no talking, no editing. Just a clean execution of the movement. The same rules as the photos apply: portrait orientation, good lighting, whole body visible, tidy background.
10–15 sec · Portrait · No audio/musicDelivery
Google Drive
You'll get a shared Google Drive folder. Create one subfolder per exercise, named after the exercise. Drop the photos and any video into the right folder.
Checklist: take it to the gym
⬜ Before you start
⬜ Per exercise
⏰ Deadline: 4 weeks after signing
Most people finish in 1–2 sessions. Don't wait until the final week.
Stuck on something? Ask in the Founders chat in Nova.
Better to ask one time too many than to reshoot the photos.