Types of Camera Shots

There are several different types of camera shots in photography. All shots or series of shots will have a central subject within it. The type of shot depends primarily on the location of the subject in relation to the rest of the shot and how close the camera is to the subject.

Wide Shots

A wide shot, also called a long shot, is one where the subject is completely in the shot and has a wide amount of space on both sides. The primary objective of the most basic wide shot is to capture the entire subject, especially if the subject is a person. A very wide shot distances itself even further from the subject, usually making the subject barely visible but still centered in the environment; this type is often mistaken for a regular wide shot. An extreme wide shot is so far away from the subject that it isn't even visible and the real subject is the surroundings.

Mid Shots

A mid shot is very close to how the viewer would actually see the subject in real life. It is close enough to the subject to show more detail than a wide shot but is still a comfortable distance from it. When the subject is a person, a mid shot usually shows that person from the waist up. If the shot moves in a little closer, showing the focal point of the subject (like the person's face) while still being comfortably close, this becomes a medium close-up and the closest one can get without becoming a full close-up.

Close-ups

A close-up shot is one that puts the focal point of the subject so it takes up as much of the shot as possible while still being completely in the shot. The purpose is usually to show as much detail as possible in the focal point, like emotion on the face. An extreme close-up takes the shot even closer to get extreme detail of areas like the eyes or nose. There is usually very little use for an extreme close-up.

Cut Shots

In a series of shots, a cutaway shot is one that moves away from the current subject or action and focuses on a different subject entirely. Its primary purpose is to serve as a bridge or buffer between shots or add additional information to the series. A cut-in is similar, but it shifts the attention to another area of the subject besides the main focal point, like a person's hands.

Other Shots

A two shot has two subjects in the picture and is usually framed much like a mid shot with both subjects. An over-the-shoulder shot is the subject with another person in the shot being viewed from behind; this usually requires the subject to be framed more to the side. A point-of-view shot is meant to view something from the subject's perspective; this usually requires the subject to have something in the shot (like the hands) to indicate the shot is being viewed by the subject and not just the photographer.

References

• Media College