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Different Types of Camera Angles and Shots with Examples

Check out this video for various types of cinematography camera angles and movement techniques.

There are lots of great examples of shots you can use in your videos and films:


The Basics of Camera Angles

Every independent film maker needs to know the basics of camera angles and shots, and for those that are unaware of these basics we have developed a short guide to camera angles and how to use them.

Main Type Of Shots

Long Shots: Long shots are primarily used to show your subject in its entirety. If your subject is an actor then a full body shot will provide an air of distance and make your audience feel like an outside observer.

Medium: Medium shots are from the shoulders up and can be used to convey dialogue.

Close Up: Close ups tighten in on your subject if it is an actor, you would tighten in on their head and face.

Extreme Close Up: Extreme close ups zoom in very tightly on your subject and take up the entire frame of your camera.

Low angle: The low angle is placed at the feet of your subject looking up. It denotes power making your subject seem stronger or better than the object it is observing.

Bird’s Eye View Shot: This shot is perfect for showing the emotion of your character or viewing the scene from above in a god like way.

Dutch Angle: The Dutch angle is slightly off kilter and makes the scene seem uneasy and stressful.

How to move Your Camera

Now that you know the basics of camera angles you can now learn how to move your camera. For example, panning your camera from left to right communicates movement with your audience and sets up the scene. Tilting your camera up or down denotes movement and lets the audience decide for themselves what is happening in a scene. How you stand or what you use to shoot with also has a direct impact on the shot. The dolly shot is very popular and it uses a dolly to zoom in or out on your subject depending on the emotion you want your audience to feel. The crane shot also uses some added assistance by placing the camera on a crane and raising and lowering it according to the desires of the cameraman.

Why use these angles?

Different angles produce different emotions and psychology for your audience. Depending on how you move the camera, you can denote a dialogue structure, drama, suspense, or horror. Once you understand the psychology of film you can then produce movies that move your audience.

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