Tips to capturing photographs and video
Still Photography
The Rule of Thirds
Many times in photography, people make the mistake of placing the
subject of their photograph in the center of the frame. When capturing
a photograph, however, it is important to remember the rule of thirds.
Imagine the photo as a grid, separated into equal thirds by two vertical
lines and two horizontal lines, splitting the screen into 9 separate
squares. The rule of thirds states that the subject of the photo should
lie on a vertical line and/ or at the intersecting points of a vertical and
horizontal line. The rule places the subject of the photo off center. This
rule applies because the human eyes are off center and more focus is
given to the right and left sides of a photograph and not in the direct
center.
INCORRECT
CORRECT
Backgrounds
Try to use plain backgrounds behind your subjects. Too many visuals in
the background will take away focus from the subject of your photo.
Mergers
In photography, mergers occur when the subject blends together too
closely with another object. For example, if someone is standing in
front of a tree or a pole, often times it will look as though the object is
sticking out of your subjects head. Because we see in 3 dimensions, it is
hard to notice mergers when taking the photo. Be aware of mergers
and adjust your positioning before you snap your photo to avoid them.
Still Photography Vocabulary Terms
Foreground
Images in the front of a photograph. For example, in the image shown
below, the table would be considered in the foreground of the picture.
However, the table is not our main subject, sometimes the main subject
can be placed in either the foreground or the background to create
more depth.
Background
Images in the back of a photograph. A background image can still be
the subject of your photo, however make sure to frame and focus it
properly to indicate it is the subject. In the picture below, our subject is
laying on one the vertical lines in the rule of third and is framed by the
diagonal line of the escalator. The viewer's eye goes diagonally up to
the head of the statue, indicating that the statue is the subject of the
image.
The rule of thirds also applies to video…
Video
When it comes to video, LESS IS MORE. So shoot sparingly. Remember,
we are only accepting 90 second videos. Don’t push the record button
until you’re content with what you see in the viewfinder. Keep your
camera movements as minimal as possible … not a lot of panning
around or zooming the camera in and out.
Video Vocabulary Terms
A-Roll
The video footage that is the main story line. Most often times A-roll
refers to interviews
B-roll
The video footage that goes above the A-roll to cause diversity in the
shots. It is important to shoot an ample amount of b-roll. People want
to see what is going on.
Shot Compositions for Photography and Video
• Extreme Close-up (ECU) – An extremely close view of an object as
if it is being magnified by the camera. For example, a picture of
just half of a keyboard would be considered on extreme-close up
of a desk or computer.
• Close-up – A close-up is slightly farther away than an ECU. It
shows very little background and focuses on a single image. If
there is background, then it is often blurry. For example, an entire
keyboard would be considered a close-up of a desk or computer.
• Medium shot – A medium shot highlights and frames a specific
object or person. Medium shots are used for interviews. A full
computer with mouse, monitor, keyboard and tower would be
considered a medium shot of a desk.
• Wide shot – Wide shots are used to establish place and setting of
a scene. It shows a large part of the background. For example, a
wide shot of a desk would show the entire cubicle with the desk.
• Extreme wide shot – An extreme wide shot is an even bigger shot,
again used to establish setting and place. For example, an
extreme wide shot of a desk would show the entire office or an
entire row of cubicles, but would have the specific desk as the
main focus.
*** Remember to keep in mind the rule of thirds whenever you are
using different shot compositions. In wide and extreme wide shots,
your subject of the photograph should still be along a vertical axis ***
Angles
• Bird's eye view – The camera is directly above the object as if a
bird is flying over the object and took a picture of what it saw.
This is often used to demonstrate something being mixed in a
container etc.
• High angle – The camera is above the object pointing down.
Similar to a bird's eye view but the angle is less extreme. A high
angle is often interpreted as "looking down" on a person or to
make a person look comparatively weak.
• Eye Level – The camera is positioned directly in front of the object
as if the camera is at eye level with the object. This is the most
common angle. Interviews should always be shot at eye level,
however, b-roll footage can incorporate multiple angles and shot
compositions.
• Low Angle - The camera is below the object pointed upward. This
angle is often used to make a person look like they are in power,
as if the audience "looks up" to this person.
• Canted Angle – A canted angle is a strange angle where the
camera is skewed or tilted. This angle is often used when a
camera person wants to make the audience feel disoriented.
***While shooting photography or video, incorporating a variety of
angles and shot compositions creates a more dynamic result. Have fun
and experiment with different angles and shots. The outcome of your
product will be much more visually interesting and professional. ***