Camera

 Moving Image

• Using a tripod gives you stability. 
• Using a hand held camera gives you more flexibility, unnearves the audience , makes it look odd and unique

Camera Terminology

• Pull Focus- Describes a shot where one thing is on focus and then the lens is changed so that something else either in the foreground or background, stops being blurry and becomes in focus. Used to draw attention to a key element of the narrative and to show its sudden importance. 
• Canted Angle- A shot which is tilted to one side. This is often used to create a feeling of distortion. (Also known as a dutch Angle)Aerial shot (or crane)- A view from directly overhead to afford a clear view- sometimes used to emphasise the spectacle. A crane shot is usually necessary to achieve this (sometimes called a birds eye view).
• Close Up (and variations)- Close ups, including extreme, bid and medium close ups, are used to draw the viewer closer and to involve them in whats happening; they also observe reactions and emotions, such as happiness, elation or tension. These shots are often used to privileged the protagonist over the other characters and position the audience with him or her. 
• Crab shot- A type of shot which involves the camera being placed in a confined space e.g. A shot taken from inside a cupboard as the subject opens the door.
• Crane shot ( or Aerial)- A type of shot in which a camera is positioned on a specially designed crane, which can be raised and lowered at will. A crane shot is a high angle shot but the versatility of the equipment allows the director the start the shot from a high angle and then swoop down towards the subject at a ground level. 
• Deep Focus- A camera technique that allows objects both near and far from the camera to be in focus at the same time. 
• Establishing shot- The shot (usually wide or long), often used at the beginning of a programme or film or a new section within the film or programme, to establish the relationships between the characters and the location, also allowing the audience to see the whole view and get a better understanding of where the character is and how they might be feeling. 
• Hand-held shot- A shot filmed with the camera being held by the camera man and not being supported by a tripod, This makes the shots seem quite shaky and can make the audience more immersed into the action. for example, the moments when a figure of authority, walks round a house with a gun making sure there is no one around. The camera follows them. 
• High Angle- To provide a view from above the subjects, often making the subjects look vulnerable, isolated and or powerless.
• Low  Angle- A shot where the camera approaches the subjects from below eye level. Low angles can emphasise the size of the object being filmed, while giving it a sense of being powerful and in control of the situation. If this shot turns out to be a Point of view shot, it could make the character we are seeing through,seem small and weak. 
• Point-of-View Shot (POV or subjective filming)- A camera shot taken from the position of the subjects, used to enhance a sense of realism and the audience involvement in the action. 
• Long Shot- A distance shot where the camera is a long way from the subjects being filmed. A long shot can be effective as an establishing shot that sets the scene for the action. 
• Loose Frame- Describes a shot where there is a lot of room around an object or person. Usually used to show them as being isolated and alone or unimportant. 
• Pan- A camera action that involves gently moving the camera 180 degrees across the subject matter in a horizontal plane. 
• Rule or Thirds- Describes a technique used to make a shot look unique, rather than having the person or object central, they are placed on the left or right, perhaps showing whats happening behind them.

As we can see from this picture, The horizon is lined up with the lower third allowing for the mountains to be in the middle section and the sky in the last. Also within this photo is the tree that has been put in the right two thirds and pr=purposefully not in the centre. in order to show the mountains and the dry terrain. 

• Shallow Focus- Describes a shot where an object near the front is in focus, and everything behind is out of focus (blurry). Often used to make that key element stand out and show its importance.  

• Soft Focus- In images, the use of a special lens or filter to create a hazy light around the subject. Soft focus shots are associated with the romantic or sentamental treatment of subject matter. 

• Tight Frame- Describes a shot that is composed with the person or object given very little space around them. Often used to make them seem more important, or trapped. 
• Tilt Shot- A camera movement that involves moving the camera vertically up and down from a fixed position. 
• Tracking Shot-A camera shot in which the camera moves along rails to follow the subject. When rails are replaced by a moving platform on wheels, the shot is called a dolly shot.
• Wide Shot- This can be used as an establishing shot of a set location or to show a large crowd of people. They can also emphasise the isolation of a single figure. 
• Zoom/Reverse Zoom-The adjustment of the camera lens to allow the operator progressively to move in close off or to pull away from the object. 
• 180 degree rule- Where, during a scene featuring two people or more, we can imagine a line joining those people together. Adhering to the 180 degree rule would mean you would always ensure your camera was on one side of that line and the camera would never be crossed to the other side. Sticking to the 180 degree rule allows the viewer to feel comfortable, helps us understand the positioning of the characters and makes it feel like reality.