Glossary of Camera Shots

A. Types of Shots B. Camera Angles C. Camera Movement D. Duration of Shots

A. Types of Shots A. Types of Shots

Long Shot A shot taken from a sufficient distance to show a landscape, a building, or a large crowd A shot taken from a sufficient distance to show a landscape, a building, or a large crowd

Medium Shot shows a character's upper-body, arms, and head shows a character's upper-body, arms, and head

Close-up Shot Shows a character's face and shoulders. It is close enough to show subtle facial expressions clearly. Shows a character's face and shoulders. It is close enough to show subtle facial expressions clearly.

Extreme Close-up Shot A shot of a small object or part of a face that fills the screen A shot of a small object or part of a face that fills the screen

B. Camera Angles

High Angle The camera looks down at what is being photographed The camera looks down at what is being photographed

Low Angle Shot The camera looks up at what is being photographed The camera looks up at what is being photographed

“Eye Level” Shot A shot that approximates human vision – a camera presents an object so that the line between camera and object is parallel to the ground A shot that approximates human vision – a camera presents an object so that the line between camera and object is parallel to the ground

C. Camera Movement

Pan The camera moves horizontally on a fixed basis The camera moves horizontally on a fixed basis

Tracking (Dolly) Shot The camera moves through space on a wheeled truck (or dolly), but stays in the same plane The camera moves through space on a wheeled truck (or dolly), but stays in the same plane

Tilt The camera points up or down from a fixed base The camera points up or down from a fixed base

Boom The camera moves up or down through space The camera moves up or down through space

Zoom This is not a camera movement, but a shift in the focal length of the camera lens to give the impression that the camera is getting closer to or farther from an object. This is not a camera movement, but a shift in the focal length of the camera lens to give the impression that the camera is getting closer to or farther from an object.

D. Duration of Shot Shots also vary in time: Subliminal -a few frames Subliminal -a few frames Quick - less than a second Quick - less than a second Average - more than a second but less than a minute Average - more than a second but less than a minute Lengthy - more than a minute Lengthy - more than a minute