Cinematography refers to the art of motion picture photography and includes camera shots, angles, and movements that help tell a visual story. The cinematographer, also known as the director of photography, is responsible for creative decisions around camera techniques. Different types of shots like close-ups, long shots, and point-of-view shots can convey different meanings depending on the context. Camera movements such as pans, zooms, tracks, tilts and handheld shots also impact the audience's experience. Together, camera techniques are an essential part of visual storytelling in films, videos, and other moving images.

1. Cinematography

2. Cinematography
 The term cinematography originally came from the
meaning ‘The Art of Motion Picture Photography’ and
was essentially used in reference to films. However,
cinematography is used to describe all moving
image work on film, video and digital media.
 In order to be able to understand short films as a
concept it was important to understand
cinematography and what it is about.
Cinematography includes aspects of: camera shots,
camera angles and camera movements. The
cinematographer is also known as the ‘Director of
Photography (DP)’ aka ‘lighting cameraman’ and
they are responsible for creative decisions around
camera shots and angles.

3. Camera shots and angles
 The camera shot will alter according to the context of
the shot, it is important to get this right as different
types of shots can have different meanings. When
deciding the most appropriate camera shot it is
crucial to consider what else is happening before
deciding what they want the shot to mean and how
they want the audience to feel. For example, the
closer you are to the character the more you feel
emotional towards them regardless of it being
positive or negative.

4. Types of Camera shots:
Close up: Head and shoulders are in the
frame, the directors want to focus our attention
on their facial expression.
Extreme Close up: Small details, often used
for artistic effect and can give the audience a
sense of discomfort.
Long shot: Shows the whole character,
drawing attention to costume and body
language.

5. Types of camera shots:
Extreme wide shot: The view is so far
from the subject that the character isn’t
visible. (Often used as an establishing
shot)
Point of view: When the audience see
exactly what the character is seeing.
Mid shot: The view is from the characters
waist with partial view of the background,
normally used to focus on the dialogue
between two characters.

6. Types of camera shots
Birds eye view: When the camera looks
down on settings of characters from high
about, people tend to look insignificant.
Low angle shot: The camera is placed
below the character looking up, normally to
make the character seem large and more
powerful.
High angle shot: The camera is placed
above the character looking down,
normally used to make the character look
vulnerable.

7. Types of camera shots:
Over the shoulder shot: Looking from
behind a character at the subject,
normally to show the subject more
clearly and to see their reaction
Two shot: A shot with two people which
is used to show the relationship they
have with each other.

8. Camera Movement
Cameras are rarely motionless and if they are it’s
because something in the frame was moving or the
moment requires stillness to create impact.

9. Types of Camera Movement:
 Steadi-cam: This is where the camera is at a stand still and is
mounted on a harness attached to the DP so the movement is
smooth.
 Handheld: The camera shots are a bit shaky and the shots are
unclear as the camera in held without support. This is normally
used to build tension and most commonly used in horror and
action films.
 Pan: This type of movement scans the scene horizontally (left
to right/right to left)
 Zoom: The camera is fixed and a zoom lens is used to move
closely or move further a way, this is normally used to get
expressions from the characters.
 Tracking: This is when the camera is placed alongside the
movement of the scene, this is normally used to portray a
movement.
 Tilt: A movement which scans a scene vertically (up and
down/down and up)