How To Frame A Shot In Cinematography

Framing is one of the most important parts of cinematography, especially when it comes to still life photography or shots with no moving objects. As you can probably guess, framing means choosing your lens, distance, and environment to make the frame look nice and natural.

It also means not using too much light in the frame to avoid over-lighting or “blinding” the subject. When shooting close up photos, like for instance taking pictures of flowers, there are hard and soft edges that create an interesting effect.

This article will go into more detail about how professional framers take time to prepare their tools and what types of lighting they use to achieve different looks. But first, let us talk about some basic rules of good framing!

General tips

Start by asking yourself why you want to frame this object or person. Is it because you love the way it naturally sets off other decorations? Or do you just want to admire its beauty? Then, depending on whether you have access to the item or person, find a way to include it in your current project or schedule.

If possible, try to match the rhythm of the setting to get better photographs. For example, if the setting has nature around it, then use natural background shades and textures. If the space is clean, use white or very neutral colors.

Choose your location

When it comes down to it, there are two main reasons that people frame a shot. For storytelling purposes, one of them is establishing a new setting or perspective. This can be done by using different camera angles, distances, and/or levels.

The other reason framing happens is for artistic effect. Framing in close up gives an intimate feel while framing far away creates a sense of vastness.

There are many ways to learn how to frame a photo. By practicing and studying others’ work, you will soon find yourself doing it instinctively.

Think about the time of day

When it comes down to it, most people don’t frame their shots during daylight hours because they want something with rich colors. Or maybe they just wanted to show off how well their camera works!

Instead, use early morning or late night as your shooting times so that there is no interference from bright sunlight or dark shadows. This way you can achieve more interesting effects such as silhouettes, heavy contrast, and warm shades.

Furthermore, at these times of the day, there are less moving objects in the background, which removes some blur caused by movement.

Don’t forget about overcast days either, as some light will still bounce back for an atmospheric effect.

Consider the weather

As mentioned before, your setting is one of the most important parts of your photograph or film! If you take your photo in the middle of winter, outside temperatures will influence what you can include in your frame.

If the temperature calls for rain, there’s an excellent chance that some beautiful drizzle will occur. You may even get lucky and pick up some interesting patterns created by the droplets.

Alternatively, if it looks like snow might come down at any moment, then probably best to pack away the camera until spring!

You don’t want to be shooting during thunderstorms as lightning always makes for dramatic pictures. Plus, strong winds are also very frustrating so we wouldn’t recommend taking too many chances with them either.

Make sure your equipment is properly charged and in good working order

As mentioned before, cinematographers usually have several pieces of gear that they use frequently. These are referred to as first-aid tools or safety nets you can bring into most any filming situation.

Having these tools ready will help you achieve the best possible look for your film. Before we talk about what types of gears you should pack, let’s take a closer look at how to prepare them for transport.

First, make sure everything is plugged into power! Most cameras have an external source (power bank) that needs to be full enough to operate completely normally.

Next, turn off all automatic features such as ISO, white balance, etc. This way, you can focus more on artistic expression with the settings later.

Once again, make sure nothing is wrapped up or put away! Leaving these items out could cause malfunctioning or even damage to the piece.

Pick your perfect lighting

A good starting place for framing a shot is by using natural light. You can use windows or outdoor lights as sources of light, but be careful not to overdo it!

Using direct sunlight will usually result in ugly, over-exposed photos. The same goes for leaving the shutter open too long; you get very blurry pictures that are hard to make sense of.

By using natural light, we’re limiting ourselves on what kind of effects we can create. We have to work with what Mother Nature gives us!

Thrift stores and online sites offer many cheap light source bulbs such as flashlights, reading lamps, and computer fluorescents. By experimenting with different color temperatures and distances, beautiful silhouettes and interesting shadows can be created.

Create a mood

A good frame can create a sense of emotion, but it takes more than that. It is an expression or portrayal of something. An example would be when someone does not have enough money for food and purchases a hamburger instead.

That burger may look nice, but aside from being expensive, there was no real intention to eat it. The same goes for some shots you will see in cinema. They might look cool and pretty, but they lack anything significant.

A good frame usually starts with establishing a tone or environment. This can be done through using lights, colors, textures, and other features. For instance, if the setting calls for mystery, then use all shades of gray and darkness. If it requires excitement, use bright flashes and strong contrasts.

After this has been done, the next thing to do is find a level surface upon which to place the subject.

Use the rule of thirds

When framing a shot, you should consider using either the vertical or horizontal line of the frame as your dividing element. Depending on the content of the scene, one side of the frame can be more dramatic than the other.

By splitting up the frame in this way, it becomes clear that there is an imbalance. The longer length of the vertical or horizontal lines creates tension by adding emphasis to part of the picture.

This concept applies when filming stills as well as moving pictures. If the subject looks good from all angles, then use some of those angles for interesting camera shots.

The rule of thirds was first mentioned in a book called “Photographic Composition” back in 1948. It says that we should not place important elements along a vertical or horizontal line unless they are directly related to each other.

For example, if a person wanted to tell you about their life, they would probably look directly into the lens. A better option is having them face another object or the edge of the frame.

Using the rule of thirds will ensure that your photograph does not feel too staged. Even though it may take a little extra time, asking yourself whether these guidelines apply can help make natural looking images.

Tell a story

As mentioned earlier, telling a story with your shots is an integral part of cinematography. Your audience wants to feel like they are watching a movie!

As you begin filming, think about what kind of stories you would want to tell. A romantic tale? An adventure? A thriller?

Many professional film makers have fun experimenting with different genres to see which ones work best for their style.

The great thing about storytelling in cinema is that it does not require much dialogue. The mood can be picked up by the tone of the scene as well as the action.

When shooting a still or moving shot, try finding a way to include some element of narrative in the picture. Add something such as windows, foliage, other actors, etc.

This will add depth to the image and help tell the story.