Camera Shot Types





Long Shot

Long shots are used to depict an entire object/person from the top to the bottom. They're not as long as wide shots- also known as establishing shots- but they are most commonly used as a way to introduce a new character/object of importance.

Example:

Omar Sharif approaching the camera on camel in David Lean's Lawrence Of Arabia (1962).



Close Up

Close-ups are used to frame a character's entire face in a shot- usually used to show a character's emotions and especially important to cinematic storytelling.

Example:


Falconetti's face in The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (1928).

Medium Shot

Medium shots- as the name suggests- are shots in-between a long shot and a close-up. Medium shots utilise the most common framing in movies. 

Example:


Most John Ford movies feature this- I.E, The Searchers.


Arc Shot

Arc shots are shots where the camera revolves around the subject.

Example:


The 'first dance' scene in De Palma's Carrie (1976).

Establishing shot/Wide shot

Establishing shots- also known as Wide shots- are used to establish locations and scenes as the name suggests. This usually comes after an aerial shot.

Example:


The first glimpse of the prison in The Shawshank Redemption (1994).

Two shot

A two-shot is a medium shot that depicts two characters in one frame. This is usually used to establish links between characters without having them directly facing each other.

Example:


Donnie Smith (William H. Macy) and Thurston Howell (Henry Gibson) discuss love in Magnolia (1999).




Aerial shot

Aerial shots are exterior shots filmed from the air. Usually used alongside a wide shot to establish a setting.

Example:


The opening of The Sound Of Music (1965).




Point of view shot

A point-of-view shot (or POV shot) is a shot filmed from a character's perspective, so the audience sees exactly what the character is seeing. This technique is commonly used in horror cinema, particularly slashers, to show the killer's perspective.

Example:



The opening of Halloween (1978) told from the point of view of the child Michael Myers (Will Sandin).

Over the shoulder shot

An over-the-shoulder shot is a shot filmed from just behind a character's shoulder, usually during a conversation. Much like the two-shot, it's used to show a connection between two characters- only this time they're facing each other.

Example:


The opening of The Godfather (1972).

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