Camera techniques - Camera Movements

Camera movements can create brilliant visuals and effective communication. A moving shot can look more real and interesting to the viewers. Various equipment like track and trolley, dollies, rigs, jibs, cranes, drones, etc., are used in this process.

1.      Tilting

Tilting is a vertical camera movement in which the camera points up or down from a stationary position. Tilting the camera up can show the height of the subject; whereas tilting down can show the depth of a subject. Tilting up can also resembles emotions or situations like rising interest, expectation, hope and tilting down show disappointment, sadness etc. A variation of the tilt is the pedestal shot, in which the whole camera moves up or down.

2.     Panning

Panning is a horizontal camera movement in which the camera moves left and right about a central axis. This is a rotating movement, where the camera is mounted on a tripod. Panning can film a panorama view of the location. Panning should be smooth and jerk less for a perfect shot.

3.     Trucking

Trucking refers to side-to-side camera movement with respect to the action. In a trucking shot the camera move along or parallel to the subject, creating a feel that the background is moving while the subject stays stationary.

4.     Tracking

Tracking shot is defined as movement parallel to the action, at a constant distance. In this kind of shot, camera travels along the movement and actions of the subject or scene. The tracking shots use physical tracks, or hand-held walking shots, Steadicam shots, etc.

5.     Dollying

Moving the camera towards or away from the subject is dollying shot. A dolly is a cart which travels along tracks. The camera is mounted on the dolly and records the shot as it moves. Dolly shots have a number of applications and can provide very dramatic footage. Dollying creates an in and out movement. This type of shots can create varied emotions in the viewers. Dollies are operated by a dolly grip.

6.     Zooming

Zooming shot does not require the camera to move at all. Zooming means getting the subject moving closer to or further away from the action, using a zooming lens. Zoom in and zoom out are the effects created using a zooming lens. Zoom in is getting the subject closer to the camera while zoom out is moving away from the subject. It creates a great amount of creativity to the videographer. Zooming is just changing the focal length of the camera lens. As the distance from the subject varies, it also changes the entire portion of the frame, including the background.