Directing the Camera: Creating Cinematic Scenes
You've learned how to define your subject, action, and style. Now it's time to put on the director's hat. By using the language of cinematography in your prompts, you can control how the "camera" captures your scene, transforming a simple clip into a dynamic, emotionally resonant shot.
Part 1: Camera Shots - Framing Your Subject
A camera shot determines how much of your subject and their surroundings are visible. This is the most fundamental tool for focusing the audience's attention.
Extreme Close-Up
Focuses on a single detail, like an eye or a hand. Creates intimacy or tension.
An astronaut in a helmet, extreme close-up on their eye reflecting a distant galaxy.
Close-Up
Frames a character's face. Ideal for showing emotion.
A young woman laughing, close-up shot, tears of joy in her eyes.
Medium Shot
Shows a character from the waist up. Good for conversations and showing body language.
Two detectives talking in a dimly lit office, medium shot.
Cowboy Shot
A variation of the medium shot, framing from the mid-thigh up. It feels powerful and confident.
A gunslinger in the desert, cowboy shot, hand hovering over his holster.
Full Shot / Wide Shot
Shows the entire subject from head to toe, along with some of the environment. Establishes a scene.
A ballerina practicing in a grand studio, full shot, surrounded by mirrors.
Part 2: Camera Angles - Changing Perspective
The angle of the camera has a powerful psychological effect on the viewer.
Eye-Level Shot
The most neutral angle, as if the viewer is standing there. This is the default if you don't specify an angle.
Low-Angle Shot
The camera looks up at the subject, making them appear powerful, heroic, or intimidating.
A superhero landing on a rooftop, dramatic low-angle shot.
High-Angle Shot
The camera looks down on the subject, making them seem small, vulnerable, or overwhelmed.
A lone hiker in a vast, snowy landscape, high-angle shot.
Dutch Angle / Canted Angle
The camera is tilted on its side, creating a sense of unease, tension, or disorientation.
A character running through a chaotic street protest, Dutch angle.
Part 3: Camera Movement - Adding Dynamism
Static shots are fine, but camera movement brings your scene to life.
Pan / Panning Shot
The camera moves horizontally from a fixed point. Used to follow a character or reveal a landscape.
A lioness stalking her prey, slow panning shot across the savanna.
Tilt / Tilting Shot
The camera moves vertically from a fixed point. Often used to reveal something tall, like a skyscraper or a giant monster.
Tilting shot up the full height of the Eiffel Tower.
Dolly Shot / Tracking Shot
The camera physically moves along a track, often following a character. Creates a smooth, immersive feeling.
A couple walking through a park in autumn, dolly shot following them from the side.
Drone Shot / Aerial Shot
A shot from high above, as if from a drone or helicopter. Perfect for establishing shots of cities or landscapes.
Drone shot flying over a dense jungle canopy towards a hidden waterfall.
Ready for Advanced Techniques?
You now have the vocabulary of a director. Next, we'll explore advanced concepts like prompt weighting and negative prompts to gain even more control.
Continue to: Advanced Prompting Techniques →