Camera Angles and Movements

     When setting up a shot and shooting something the camera operator or DP always has to be aware of what is in the shot and how the shot will be perceived. Using different camera angles and camera movements will have a wide range of psychological affects on the audience. First lets compare the difference between a zoom in and a dolly.

Zoom:
     Zooming in on a camera is the act of changing the focal length of the camera lens during a shot. Going from a wide shot to a close up of a character creates a dramatic feel. The zoom makes the object in the shot appear to grow in size and look as if it is coming towards the audience. Another affect the zoom has is that it will simply crop out other objects and people in the shoots. With a zoom in shot the positions of objects and people also do not change relative to the movement. These two effects, objects getting cut from the frame, and objects positions not changing relative to the camera "movement", create a very artificial feel.

Dolly:

     A dolly in or out is similar to a zoom in or out in the sense that by the end of the shot the subject will be closer or farther from the screen. However the action behind dollying the and zooming the camera are different and create a different feel for the audience. Where the zoom shot adjusts the lens to change the focal length a dolly shot physically moves the camera. This is a much more dynamic shot for the viewer because it is the actual feel of what it is naturally like for peoples vision. The dolly gives the audience the feeling of moving toward the subject instead of the subject moving to the audience. The objects in a dolly shot don't feel as though they are getting cropped out of frame, but rather that the viewer is moving past them. A dolly shot also creates a better feeling of having dimension on the z-axis as background objects do not just appear to get larger with the foreground, but rather move in perspective to the subject.

Video Comparing Zoom In and Dolly In

Some Camera Angles:

     Shooting Upward/Downward At Subject:

          A very basic trick that is used in movies and television is angling the camera upward or downward to make the audience perceive a character one way or another. Shooting from a low angle and looking upward at the character makes the character appear to be larger than life and seem very powerful and dominate.

Low Angle Shot

          And obviously a high angle shot where the camera is pointed down at the subject does the opposite by making the subject appear week and insignificant.

High Angle Shot

     Dutch Shot:

            This is a type of shot in which the camera is tilted to one side and makes it look diagonal. This shot displays an uneasy feeling and high tension of the subject in the shot.  

Dutch Angle