A crucial concept in photography — shot size

Why are shot sizes so important? Because they can:

1. Convey the shooting environment — allowing viewers to understand the scene at a glance.
2. Render atmosphere — transmitting emotions and a sense of storytelling through the frame.
3. Depict details — highlighting key elements to give photos narrative quality.

So, what shot sizes does a complete set of photos require? Let's find out together!

Detailed Explanation of the Six Shot Sizes:

1. Long Shot (The start of grand narration)

The frame focuses on a vast scene, with characters or the main subject taking up a relatively small space. The key is to create an atmosphere.

Suitable scenarios: The beginning of a video, transitions, or magnificent landscape photos.

2. Full Shot (Dialogue between characters and the environment)

It shows the full body of a character or a complete scene, with the character occupying a large proportion in the frame, and their actions and postures fully presented.

Suitable scenarios: Highlighting the relationship between characters and the environment, such as travel check-ins, activity records, etc.

3. Medium Shot (Balancing story and details)

It captures the part above the character's knees or a part of the scene, which can highlight the main subject while retaining some environmental information.

Suitable scenarios: Interactive scenes, street photography, etc., making the frame more layered.

4. Medium Close-Up (Amplifier of emotions)

Medium close-up mainly shoots the part above the character's chest or a part of an object, capturing expressions and demeanor delicately to enhance emotional resonance.

Suitable scenarios: Character close-ups, product details, making viewers feel more immersed.

5. Close-Up (The power of details)

It shoots local details of characters or still objects, such as eyes, hands, food textures, etc., bringing a strong visual impact to viewers.

Suitable scenarios: Emphasizing key details, such as product texture, emotional moments, etc.

6. Empty Shot (Wordless expression)

There are no people in the frame, only scenery. Although it seems "empty", it can actually clarify the ideological content, narrate the storyline, etc.

Suitable scenarios: Transitions, emotional foreshadowing, or as the beginning or end of a story.

Practical skills:

When shooting, you might as well try combining these 6 shot sizes:

Long shot sets the tone → Full shot shows the relationship → Medium shot tells the story → Medium close-up/Close-up captures details → Empty shot leaves aftertaste.

Photos taken in this way will have a stronger sense of cinema and storytelling.

Related Tags： Photography experience