Camera Angles and Shot Types (CAST)

CAST – refers to Camera Angles and Shot Types

Camera Angles

Refers to height of the camera in relation to the subject.

There are two meanings or messages to all photos. The open message and the hidden or emotional meaning or message. For example:

· Open message for a car is transportation

· Hidden or emotional message is freedom and convenience. Does anyone know why?

Of the two messages, the hidden is most important. Advertisers, marketers, politicians always use the hidden message or meaning to appeal to our emotions to persuade us to buy things or vote for them. As we move through the course, we will learn more about hidden or emotional messages.

High Angle – HA

Example

AKA: parents point of view or birds eye view

Camera is looking down at the subject

Emotional meaning is camera is the boss

Eye Level – EL

Example

Camera is at eye level

Emotional meaning is everybody is equal

Low Angle – LA

Example

AKA: kids eye view or snake’s eye view

Camera is looking up at the subject

Emotional meaning is camera is inferior or small and weak.


One thing to keep in mind is that the camera level does not have to be large or extreme. Even a few inches or centimetres can make a large difference. In fact, most photos of people we see are just a few inches above or below eye level and the emotional meaning can be subtle.

Shot Types

Refers to distance from the camera to the subject.

Extreme close up – ECU

Example

camera s extremely close – ECU

Camera is very close to the subject and shows only a small portion of the image such as the eyes, a piece of jewelry such as an ear ring, a tattoo, a bug or an insect.

Emotional meaning is subject is very important

Close up – CU

Example

Camera is a little farther away

Example is a head and shoulders portrait

Medium shot – MS

Example

A photo taken of a person from the waist up.

Long shot – LS

Example

Shows the total body from head to toe

Extreme long shot

Example

Shows the entire body and the setting the person is in

In video this is called an Establishing Shot

  1. Emotional or hidden meaning for shot types is that as the camera moves away, the subject becomes less important

And the opposite as the camera moves closer, the subject gets more important.

Your Assignment

C and B Level

  1. Take between 5 and 10 photos for each camera angle and shot type listed above. There are eight type of shot listed, so you could end up with 50 or 60 or more photos.

  2. Pick your best 2 photos for each camera angle and shot type to hand in.

  3. Create a 5 column table. Here is what you put in each column.

  • Column 1 - write the name of the shot.

  • Column 2 - paste an Internet example.

  • Columns 3 and 4 - paste the best examples of photos that you have taken.

  • Column 5 is where you write the hidden or emotional message.

  • Pick only two photos form the ones you have taken and do a quick edit, (cropping, lighten or darken them) and paste them into a second table as in my sample document.

  1. Hand in both your edited and unedited photos.