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■ The time dimension. Unlike still photography, with motion pictures there’s a lot
more emphasis on using a series of images to build on each other to tell a story.
Static shots where the camera is mounted on a tripod and everything is shot from
the same distance are a recipe for dull videos. Watch a television program sometime
and notice how often camera shots change distances and directions. Viewers are
used to this variety and have come to expect it. Professional video productions are
often done with multiple cameras shooting from different angles and positions. But
many professional productions are shot with just one camera and careful planning,
and you can do just fine with your camera.
Within those compositional restraints, you still have a great deal of flexibility. It only
takes a second or two for an establishing shot to impart the necessary information. For
example, many of the scenes for a video documenting a model being photographed in
a Rock and Roll music setting might be close-ups and talking heads, but an establish-
ing shot showing the studio where the video was captured helps set the scene.
Provide variety too. Change camera angles and perspectives often and never leave a static
scene on the screen for a long period of time. (You can record a static scene for a rea-
sonably long period and then edit in other shots that cut away and back to the longer
scene with close-ups that show each person talking.)
When editing, keep transitions basic! I can’t stress this one enough. Watch a television
program or movie. The action “jumps” from one scene or person to the next. Fancy
transitions that involve exotic “wipes,” dissolves, or cross fades take too long for the aver-
age viewer and make your video ponderous.
Here’s a look at the different types of commonly used compositional tools:
■ Establishing shot. Much like it sounds, this type of composition, as shown in
Figure 6.14, establishes the scene and tells the viewer where the action is taking
place. Let’s say you’re shooting a video of your offspring’s move to college; the estab-
lishing shot could be a wide shot of the campus with a sign welcoming you to the
school in the foreground. Another example would be for a child’s birthday party;
the establishing shot could be the front of the house decorated with birthday signs
and streamers or a shot of the dining room table decked out with party favors and
a candle-covered birthday cake. Or, in Figure 6.14, I wanted to show the studio
where the video was shot.
■ Medium shot. This shot is composed from about waist to head room (some space
above the subject’s head). It’s useful for providing variety from a series of close-ups
and also makes for a useful first look at a speaker. (See Figure 6.15.)
David Busch’s Nikon D7000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography172