Shot Types

Canted Shot

This is an example of canted angle shot, also known as a dutch angle or dutch tilt. It is taken by tilting the camera to one side before taking the picture. This is usually a high angle shot or a low angle shot. It is often used to show uneasiness, disorientation, madness or tension in the subject of the shot. This shot is often combined with dramatic lighting to create a overall bigger effect.

High Angle Shot

This a high angle shot. The high angle shot is simply taken by locating the camera above eye line, making the camera look down on the subject. This can also make the subject seem more feeble or small even just within the setting. These shots are often used to make the subject look vulnerable or inferior. High angle shots are usually used to portray levels of power or authority. 

XLS (Extreme Long Shot)

In extreme long shots, the object often takes up a small amount of space on the screen compared to the surroundings or settings. The screen is filled mostly by the surroundings. These shots are often used to set the scene, to give a  an idea of whats going on before anything major happens. This shot is used a lot in westerns, or other action films, where the character is far from civilisation, and this shot gives a view of this instance.

Long Shot

The long shot usually shows the subject (often a person) in perspective to their surroundings. It is suggested that long shots are usually the same distance as the stage to the front row in a theatre. These are often used to set the scene  at the start of 
a film or scene.

Medium Long Shot

Half way between a long shot and medium shot. This usually shows the body from waist or knees up. This is normally used to show facial expressions in context with body language

Medium Shot

A medium shot is a shot taken from medium distance. It can be difficult to distinguish a medium shot from a long shot, same as with a medium shot to a close up. As the difference between them is sometimes very small. In some references, a medium shot is a full body shot. In others is a shot from wait or knees up. It is usually used to show facial expressions in context with body language.

Medium Close Up 

 A  taken of normally one or two people usually taken of the chest and head, halfway between a close up and a long shot. This shot is often used to show intimacy, coming together or solidarity. Also if there is a series of two and one shots, this could be used to show complicity between the people and possibly the third in another shot.

Close Up

Close ups tightly frame the subject, or a specific part of the subject without paying much attention to the surroundings. A face is normally focus of a close up. They are used to show and add a dramatic feel to specific details, such as facial expressions. Close ups are often zoomed into out out of as a way of getting in/out of them.

Extreme Close Up

Extreme close up is the closest you will get to the subject. It gets right in front of the subject and as a result is the most specific and detailed shot. It is too close in to show full facial expressions so there is usually a reason for getting this close. An example of this is in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" where it zooms right on on the eyes to show little beads of sweat. You would not have been  able to see this detail in any other shot. 

Low Angle Shot

The low angle shot is a low angle camera shot taken from anywhere below the eye line looking up. This shot is used to show that your looking up at a superior person of power or authority.

Eye Level

This shot is taken by placing the camera at the eye level of the subject. This can be done from many different rotated angles simultaneously, and is often done this way. This can be used to give different viewpoints and show different emotions of the subject, which can be done by the cameraman in various different ways.

Worms Eye View

This is the opposite a birds eye view. A shot from below as if from the floor as if the viewer is a worm looking up on the subject. This shot is often used to give a third perspective, when there is a vanishing point put on the top, left and right.

Birds Eye View

Birds eye view is a elevated view from above looking directly down on the subject, making them appear short and squat. THis can be used to show the whole set and surroundings, or to emphasise the smallness or insignificance of the subject. This is also useful for showing action, so is often used for fight scenes or battle scenes.