Whether you’re a budding filmmaker, a business who wishes to employ video marketing for search engine optimization to grow your brand or just an enthusiast, you might know that camera angles and shots are not confined to a single setup. Most video content, from short clips to a full-length features, will definitely be composed of various angles to make a film more visually appealing.
If you just threw in random shots without defining your purpose, your film can become jarring and your audiences may be disoriented. So here we will break down several types of camera angles and shots that you can choose from when creating your shot list, and if you have been watching films before, you can definitely recognize them.
Why opt for different camera angles
It is more advantageous to you to identify the different angles in photography and cinematography rather than just stitching together what angles or shots look cool. The best photo angle for your content is not limited to framing your subject, but to choosing what helps move the narrative forward, which is the main reason why different camera angles and shots exist. Putting together random shots can make your film appear lousy and uninspiring. Of course, it is not limited to creative or fictional films, but applies to video marketing as well.
Moreover, having well-intentioned angles can also highlight themes and create more impact. It can also help elicit emotions from your audiences, that’s why you have to understand what the different angles in photography and cinematography can accomplish.
10 most common camera angles in photography and film
So before starting your principal photography, the script is not the only thing that a film production crew has to prepare, but also your shot list, which is basically planning out the shots you intend to use. Here we show you the most common different camera angles and shots and a bit of a background for each. Many of them you might recognize, even if you’re just a newbie to filmmaking.
- Wide shot
Imagine a wide-angle lens covering a wide field of view. What it usually does is establish a setting, like the time or location of a scene. It can also serve as a master shot that transitions to another scene. If not only an environment and a subject are present, the full height of the person is included in the frame.
In terms of the story, a wide view or shot can show the character’s relation to his or her surroundings. A picturesque view of the city to a tourist in many movies, or the vast waters of the ocean to a clownfish in Finding Nemo, can be examples of a wide view.
- Dutch angle
A shot that is common (but not exclusive) in horror genres, a dutch angle is when a camera is tilted at an angle from the horizontal axis. This shot intends to create tension or emphasizes the unease of a character It demonstrates to audiences that something may be unsettling. Of course, you should never overdo it as this can become nauseating.
- Tigh shot or close up
In many dramas or the emotional climax of the film, a close-up is one of the different angles in photography of film that can help further sell the emotions of a character in reaction to what is happening in a story. It highlights the facial expression of the actors to emphasize the powerful emotions in a story. In this type of shot angle, the subject is framed usually just above the shoulder and the facial features are more prominent. Finding the best photo angle for the actor can be quite an important decision to really push the most appropriate close-up shot that is most effective for a scene.
- Extreme close up/Insert shot
While a wide view uses a wide angle lens, here you could use a macro lens, as this type of shot is focused on the details. Mainly for the props or the important details of an object, an insert shot is an extreme version of a close-up that which the background covers a smaller area or none at all in a frame. While insert shots can present the best photo angle in a scene, they are usually appearing for a quick few seconds mostly to aid in storytelling. But in creating a montage, several close-up shots make a difference. Think of a shot when a camera focuses on hair raising in the arms, or an extreme close-up of the eye.
- POV shot
It means the point of view of a character or the angle at which the character is literally looking at. In this, you are trying to get your viewers to immerse in the perspective of the character and see through their own lens. It’s most common in psychological thriller films when a film does not want us to have an omniscient point of view and wants us to feel the anxiety of the character, say when hiding from a killer.
- Eye-level shot
Among the different angles in photography, this is perhaps the most naturalistic, as it mirrors how we view the world in real life. The lens of the camera is angled at the same eye level as the actor, and it can show neutrality in a scene. You would usually find them in live news or in instances when characters break the fourth wall. A POV shot can also be a form of an eye-level shot.
- Long shot
If you want your audience to be more present in the scene, you can opt for a long shot. This angle follows a single action in different points (a panning from point A to point B), or various actions in a long, uninterrupted scene. What this means is that it is one continuous shot, like in the opening number in the film La La Land, or the one-shot takes in the critically acclaimed war film 1917. (Take note that these can be stitches of different takes and transitions hidden in post-production through the magic of video editing.)
- Over the shoulder shots
Of the various camera angles and shots in film photography, perhaps you would use mostly shoulder level (or over the shoulder level) shots. The camera is angled just below eye level, but above or in line with the shoulder. Use this when you show two characters are conversing, but always keep in mind the 180-degree rule which means camera angles shouldn’t cross the imaginary line between the characters lest the viewers can get confused or caught off guard.
- Low angle shots
This can be a powerful and effective angle to highlight the power or the dominance of a subject. This is the best photo angle if you want to showcase a heroic deed or the victory of a character. On the opposite when used as a POV, it shows the view of someone who is defeated or lost. In this shot, the angle is positioned lower than the eyeline of the subject, even below the shoulders to create more impact.
- High angle shots
The opposite of low angle, the camera is positioned over the eye level of the subject, usually to demonstrate the intimidation or vulnerability of a character. It can appear as if the subject is beaten, as the camera is looking down from above, and can be paired with a high angle shot to contrast the position of two characters facing each other.
An extreme view of the high angle shot is a bird’s eye view or an overhead shot, which can also be used as an establishing shot or a master shot. While a wide view is horizontal, an overhead shot can show an aerial perspective, definitely the best photo angle for your film (that you can also double as a compelling thumbnail).
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Producing video content is a creative process, but there is also a technical side to it. You can use this list as a guide on what the best angles are depending on your purpose.
Yes, we want to use the best photo angle or camera position to avoid making our content dull. However, it is also important to understand that different angles in photography and cinematography can achieve different purposes. From a wide-angle view to a closeup, they can mean something to the viewers, and that task is up to us, filmmakers, and video content creators.
