Camera angles
The camera looks up at the subject, making them appear larger, more powerful, or intimidating.
Low angle
Captures the subject's entire body, head to toe, within the frame. Often used to show movement or physical actions.
Full shot
The frame is divided into nine equal parts, and important elements are placed along these lines or intersections, creating balance and visual interest.
Rule of thirds
Both the foreground and background are in sharp focus, allowing the viewer to see all elements in the frame clearly and creating a sense of realism.
Deep focus
Bright, bold colors that create energy, excitement, or draw attention to key elements.
Vibrant
The camera looks down on the subject, making them appear smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable.
High angle
Focuses on an extremely small detail, such as an eye, hand, or object, to highlight its importance or evoke a heightened emotional response.
Extreme close-up
Use of visual elements in a scene to border a subject, further drawing the focus to them. The first frame is the literal shape and border of the entire image. The second frame is then created within the image, hence the term.
Frame within the frame
Only a small part of the image is in focus, usually the subject, drawing attention to them and isolating them from the background.
Shallow focus
Colors like blue, green, and purple that create a calm, serene, or cold atmosphere, often used to convey detachment, sadness, or tranquility.
Cool color palette
The camera is tilted at an angle to create a sense of unease, tension, or disorientation for the viewer.
Dutch angle
Frames the subject from a considerable distance, showing their full body within a larger environment. Often used to display action or create scale between the subject and their surroundings.
Wide shot
Elements are unbalanced, often creating tension, unease, or a dynamic visual interest.
Asymmetrical composition
The composition might convey simplicity or emptiness. Opposite of dense.
Sparse density
Colors like red, orange, and yellow that create a sense of warmth, comfort, or intensity, often used to convey emotions like passion or anger.
Warm color palette
The camera is placed at ground level, looking up, often emphasizing scale or making the viewer feel small compared to the subject.
Worms eye
Frames the subject from the knees up, providing a balance between the subject’s physical presence and the background.
Medium full shot/Cowboy shot
The elements in the frame are balanced and mirror each other, often creating a sense of harmony, order, or perfection.
Symmetrical composition
The secondary areas of focus that guide the viewer’s eye after the dominant contrast, creating a visual hierarchy within the frame.
Subsidiary contrast
A single color dominates the palette, with variations in its shades, tints, and tones.
Monochromatic
The camera looks directly down at the subject from above, often used to create a sense of detachment, fate, or control.
God's eye/Bird's eye
Frames the subject tightly, just above the eyebrows and below the chin, focusing entirely on facial expressions to heighten emotional intensity.
Choker shot
Lines within the frame that guide the viewer’s eye to a particular point, often used to direct attention to the subject or create depth.
Leading lines
Space around the subject, often used to create a sense of isolation, loneliness, or focus on the subject.
Negative space
Three colors evenly spaced on the color wheel (e.g., red, yellow, and blue).
Triadic