The Friday Roundup – Composition, Framing and the Great Outdoors

Composition, Framing and the 180 Rule

Composition in video borrows a great many of it’s lessons from the world of photography.

After all video is just a sequence of still images taken one after another so that makes a lot of sense really.

Another aspect of video that does not apply to the world of photography is that of framing. In other words where the camera is positioned in relation to the subject or subjects.

In a still shoot you can wander all over the place because the result is one or more individual images.

In video things get a little tricky because at least in some way your shooting position and set up has to mimic what a person sees in real life.

If not, then the viewer can become distracted or made to feel uncomfortable because of changing viewpoints or perspectives that are unnatural to them.

Video Tutorial: Composition, Framing, and the 180° Rule

Ah the Great Outdoors!

Like many “How to” videos available in the internet this one is aimed at a more technically advanced level than that of the average home video maker.

However it’s always a good idea to watch as many of them as possible to learn some of the tricks of the trade so to speak.

Whenever I watch them I tend to ignore a lot of the technical jargon and also the stuff that involved expensive or professional equipment.

What I do watch out for is the reason why things are being done the way they are being done or even how they are being done.

What I have found over the years is that I have begun to automatically include these tidbits of information in my own shooting.

The result is that not only have I improved the quality of the shots I get but also I have greatly cut down on the amount of time and effort I need to put into editing to get a decent project out.

Shooting Outdoors

Incredible Newsreel Footage

This has nothing to do with making your own videos but the sheer entertainment value is enormous! DO NOT click the link if you have something to do or are supposed to be working!

Pathé News Just Released 85,000 Newsreels And They’re Amazing

Lance Carr

Lance is a fully qualified video editing tragic and renowned techno-struggler. He has put in the hard yards working out all manner of things technical... so you don't have to!