Basic Cinematography Tips for Beginners

Before you begin to consider taking cinematography courses or photography courses, and just to give you an idea about the whole cinematography business, you need to be aware of certain basics of visual arts. For example, you ought to be familiar with the action as written in the script and you should have a preconceived idea of what you wish to do with that action on screen. If you are new to this, have a look at some of your favorite films to see how the photography director handles the action and apply what you have learned to your script.

Here are a few tips for you to get started on your best shots:

Shooting from Above or Aerial Shots.

Shooting from heights can give you the best shots for action. Aerial views are often exciting as it shifts our perspective to the one that makes us wonder on our own abilities. It's an angle through which none of us can see under normal circumstances, unless we are on a plane or a tree or something.

Without overdoing it, get at least one good aerial action shot in your film. Get up high onto a balcony, the roof of your house, a ladder, or a tree. From these vantage points, you may be able to get some good high shots.

Getting Shots from Underneath.

Shots from below can also be exciting. Of course you've wondered about how they get those shots of places that are not easily accessible. The trick is that you do not physically have to get down to the location to get a low level shot. You can have your camera do it for you by placing it in the area you intend to take the shot of an action in.

For example, if the action is supposed to take place under a table, then fix the camera to the underneath part of the table and let it do all the work thereafter. A similar technique could be applied to taking a shot of action under a vehicle.

Experiment with Camera Levels

You don't have to pursue a full length cinematography course in filmmaking to know that there are no rules in production that demand the camera at any particular level. Keeping your camera lens at the same level throughout your film can make it boring for the viewers, if not amateurish for the critics.

Keep changing your camera levels to add a hint of suspense and mystery to the drama, as real life cannot be viewed fully from just one angle.