Classic Camera Moves

Professional videographers usually follow this one rule of thumb: when it comes to camera movement, it must be motivated. Because it looks cool, is usually not a valid reason for using tricky camera moves. Instead, you can use camera moves to change the viewer's perspective making what you shoot look bigger, smaller, or even scarier. You should use camera movement to tell your story better and to enhance the viewer's experience.

We'll break it down movement by movement so you will know how to execute each shot and why you might use it. We've also divided the column into 3 easy to follow sections:

* Mounted camera creates the move.
* Camera and operator or devices move together.
* Only the camera lens moves.


Mounted Camera Creates the Move
1 - What: Pan


How: Move the camera horizontally left or right. Ideally, you should use a tripod for a smooth effect. To be a great "panner", practice the shot several times at several speeds before you feel comfortable with it.
Why: To follow a subject or show the distance between two objects. Pan shots also work great for panoramic views such as a shot from a mountaintop to the valley below.
Rule: Always start on a still shot, began the pan, and finish on a still shot. Practice first. Look at the scene as the pan reaches the middle portion between the beginning and end of the scene. If there is nothing worth seeing, then the pan isn't worth shooting.
2 - What: Tilt


How: Moving the camera up or down without raising its position.
Why: Like panning, to follow a subject or to show the top and bottom of a stationary object. With a tilt, you can also show how high something is. For example, a slow tilt up a Giant Sequoia tree shows its grandness and enormity.

Here's a good tip. In general, when you tilt up and shoot an object or a person they look larger and thicker. The subject looks smaller and thinner when you tilt down.
Rule: Always start on a still shot, begin the tilt, and finish on a still shot. Practice first. Look at the scene as the tilt reaches the middle portion between top and bottom of the tilt. If there is nothing worth seeing, then the tilt isn't worth shooting.
3 - What: Pedestal


How: Not tilting, but physically moving the height of the camera up or down, usually on a tripod.
Why: You pedestal the camera up or down to get the proper height you prefer. If you want to get "eye to eye" with a six-foot-six basketball player, you would pedestal up. While shooting a flower or a small child, you would pedestal down to their level.
Camera and Operator or Devices Move Together
4 - What: Dolly


How: The camera is set on tracks or wheels and moved towards or back from a subject. A dolly is also a noun, describing a train track contraption used for a dolly (verb) shot or a device attached to a tripod. A wheelchair, because it has large wheels, rolls smoothly, and has a seat for a videographer, works quite well as a dolly, but you can also use a rolling cart or even a skateboard.
Why: To follow an object smoothly to get a unique perspective. In some movies directors combine the dolly and a zoom shot for a real sense of doom. To do this, the camera lens zooms into the subject at the same time as the camera physically dollies out, and the person in the shot remains the same size, but the background appears to move. It's difficult to master smoothly, but done right, the shot conveys a real sense of tension and feeling of vertigo.