Camera Shots

A close-up shot is a type of camera shot used in film and television that adds emotion to a scene. It tightly frames an actor's face, making their reaction the main focus in the frame.

An extreme close-up shot frames a subject very closely, often so much so that the outer portions of the subject are cut off by the edges of the frame. On an actor, this is commonly used to show specific portions of the body, like the face or hip, but it can go closer to show only an actor's mouth, or even a single eye.

A medium shot, or waist shot is captured at a medium distance from the subject. It is used for dialogue scenes, but also depict body language and more of the setting. Often, it will frame multiple subjects as well as a portion of the background and space in general.

A long shot is a camera shot that shows the entire subject from head to toe and places that subject in relation to their surroundings. The long shot is also called a “wide shot” or “full shot” and it’s used to show the relationship between characters and their environment.

An extreme long shot is a long shot that covers a wider area. It is also known as an extreme wide shot. The shot frames the subject from a distance and focuses on its surroundings, it’s not always necessary to see the character.

An establishing shot is a shot that sets up the context for the scene ahead, designed to inform the audience where the action will be taking place. It shows the relationship between people and objects, and establishes the scene’s geography.it is also used to set a particular tone and mood for what the audience is about to see.