To zoom or not is a choice
To zoom or not is a choice
We've all seen zooms. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.
All you have to remember is NEVER zoom... without a reason.
There is a basic set of photography (or in everyone on this forums case) videography RULES that everyone who shoots video NEEDS to know and apply and zooming is fundamentally an irritating thing to view if it's not in context of a reason.
I'll give you a couple reasons to zoom.
Zoom to focus. Also called pre-focusing. This way IF you actually have a reason to zoom then the subject will stay in focus throughout the length of the zoom.
Zoom for a question and answer. Example: the viewer see's a white simi-circular shape filling the frame, what is it? It looks familiar but they just can't place it. Slowly zoom out , after a few seconds the object becomes recognizable. The viewer concludes, " holy crap, it's a toilet!
Zoom to bring attention to detail. Example: A long shot (LS) of a yard, Slowly zoom into an ants nest right in front of the porch. In one shot you've shown the house and the exact location of the nasty ants nest. Not the only way to show this but neverless an acceptable reason to use a zoom.
Zoom to follow the action. Example: Your shooting your friends kids soccer game for fun. His son gets the ball, and runs right past you heading downfield. Zooming to follow the kid as he moves farther away to maintain coverage and similar composition as when he past right in front of you.
You'll see zooms in TV shows too. Usually the shakey camera stuff ment to feel like reality TV where someone is actually capturing the action by accident like a documentary. It's a technique that breaks many basic film/videography rules. But it's done for a REASON, for a specific effect. To make the audience feel a certain way.
All the rules are there for a reason and a base to start on. But if you have a REASON to break the rules, then... well...rules are meant to be broken, right?
To zoom or not is a choice
We've all seen zooms. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.
All you have to remember is NEVER zoom... without a reason.
There is a basic set of photography (or in everyone on this forums case) videography RULES that everyone who shoots video NEEDS to know and apply and zooming is fundamentally an irritating thing to view if it's not in context of a reason.
I'll give you a couple reasons to zoom.
Zoom to focus. Also called pre-focusing. This way IF you actually have a reason to zoom then the subject will stay in focus throughout the length of the zoom.
Zoom for a question and answer. Example: the viewer see's a white simi-circular shape filling the frame, what is it? It looks familiar but they just can't place it. Slowly zoom out , after a few seconds the object becomes recognizable. The viewer concludes, " holy crap, it's a toilet!
Zoom to bring attention to detail. Example: A long shot (LS) of a yard, Slowly zoom into an ants nest right in front of the porch. In one shot you've shown the house and the exact location of the nasty ants nest. Not the only way to show this but neverless an acceptable reason to use a zoom.
Zoom to follow the action. Example: Your shooting your friends kids soccer game for fun. His son gets the ball, and runs right past you heading downfield. Zooming to follow the kid as he moves farther away to maintain coverage and similar composition as when he past right in front of you.
You'll see zooms in TV shows too. Usually the shakey camera stuff ment to feel like reality TV where someone is actually capturing the action by accident like a documentary. It's a technique that breaks many basic film/videography rules. But it's done for a REASON, for a specific effect. To make the audience feel a certain way.
All the rules are there for a reason and a base to start on. But if you have a REASON to break the rules, then... well...rules are meant to be broken, right?