Explanation of different shot

types

Medium Close UpA medium close up shot is where you are able to see the person from their shoulder to their head. You would use this shot when you want to see the persons facial expressions but also the background and the area they’re in. This shot is a common shot used for a magazine’s main front cover image as the music artists face is the main attraction to the magazine. This is because if people see an artist they know bold and large on the cover because the image is clear, then this would persuade them more to buy the magazine because they like the artist.

Close Up

A close up shot is a camera shot where you are only able to see the persons head and no other part of their body. This shot is usually used when in a magazine where there is a paragraph from the editor. The shot will show a certain feature or a part of the subject takes up the frame. The purpose of this shot is so that the reader is able to get a close up view of the subject.

Long ShotA long shot is where you are able to see the person from head to toe. From this shot you are also able to see the persons location whether they’re inside or outside. You are able to see their body language and the entire object. This would be used to show some relation that the subject has to their surroundings.

Establishing Shot

An establishing shot is used to show the surroundings of the subject/object and set the scene so the audience know what area they subject is in. This shot shows the relationship between its important figures and objects. An establishing shot would be used to create a certain atmosphere with the subject and give the audience a certain feeling.

Extreme Close UpAn extreme close up is when the shot is so small/tight that you are only able to focus on the detail of the subject e.g. Close up of a subject’s eye so you are able to see detail and the colours and creases in high definition

TrackingTracking is a shot where the camera follows a subject within the frame e.g. A moving character or vehicle. The camera may be moved when using a dolly which is where the camera is on a wheeled platform that is pushed on rails when the picture is being taken.

PanningPanning is used during photography and it refers to the rotation of a still camera in a horizontal plane. It results in a motion which is very similar to someone shaking their head from side to side or waving your hand from left to the right.

Ambient LightingAmbient Lighting is a media term that refers to natural light that isn’t sourced by the photographer but is sourced by the sun/moon etc. This type of lighting generally excludes using a flash from the camera but this can also be classed as available light.