How can you use cinematography to improve your visual storytelling?

2 Choose your shots

One of the most important aspects of cinematography is choosing the right shots for each scene. A shot is a single continuous image captured by the camera, and it can vary in size, angle, and movement. The size of the shot determines how much of the scene or the character is visible, and it can affect the level of intimacy, detail, and context. For example, a close-up shot can show the emotions and expressions of a character, while a wide shot can show the environment and the relationship between the characters. The angle of the shot determines the perspective and the point of view of the camera, and it can affect the power, mood, and tone of the scene. For example, a low-angle shot can make a character look dominant, strong, or heroic, while a high-angle shot can make a character look vulnerable, weak, or inferior. The movement of the shot determines how the camera follows or interacts with the action, and it can affect the pace, energy, and direction of the scene. For example, a static shot can create a sense of stability, calmness, or isolation, while a moving shot can create a sense of dynamism, excitement, or involvement.

3 Control your lighting

Another key element of cinematography is lighting, which is the use of natural or artificial light sources to illuminate the scene and the characters. Lighting can have a significant impact on the mood, atmosphere, and style of your visual storytelling, as well as the quality and clarity of your images. Lighting can be divided into three main categories: key light, fill light, and backlight. The key light is the main source of light that highlights the subject and creates shadows. The fill light is the secondary source of light that fills in the shadows and softens the contrast. The backlight is the light that comes from behind the subject and creates a rim or a halo effect. By adjusting the intensity, color, and direction of these lights, you can create different lighting schemes that suit your genre and theme. For example, you can use a three-point lighting scheme to create a balanced and realistic look, a low-key lighting scheme to create a dark and dramatic look, or a high-key lighting scheme to create a bright and cheerful look.

4 Master your composition

Composition is the arrangement of elements within the frame of the shot, such as the subject, the background, the props, and the lines. Composition can help you guide the eye of the viewer, emphasize the focal point, create balance and harmony, and convey meaning and symbolism. One of the most common and effective ways to improve your composition is to use the rule of thirds, which is a grid that divides the frame into nine equal parts. By placing your subject or other important elements along the lines or at the intersections of the grid, you can create a more dynamic and interesting shot. Another way to improve your composition is to use leading lines, which are lines that draw the attention of the viewer to the subject or the direction of the action. For example, you can use roads, fences, or buildings to create leading lines. You can also use other compositional techniques, such as symmetry, asymmetry, depth, framing, and negative space, to enhance your visual storytelling.

5 Experiment with your camera

The last tip to improve your visual storytelling with cinematography is to experiment with your camera settings and techniques. Your camera is a powerful tool that can help you create different effects and styles for your film or video project. By changing your camera settings, such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and focus, you can control the exposure, color, and sharpness of your images. For example, you can use a large aperture to create a shallow depth of field, which blurs the background and isolates the subject. You can also use a slow shutter speed to create motion blur, which shows movement and speed. By changing your camera techniques, such as zooming, panning, tilting, tracking, dolly, crane, and handheld, you can create different types of shots that vary in size, angle, and movement. For example, you can use a zoom shot to change the focal length of the lens and create a sense of distance or closeness. You can also use a handheld shot to create a sense of realism or instability.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?