F.I.S.H. (to compose a shot)

[rgbwatcher]

F.I.S.H.

Rules to constantly remember for composing good camera images:

F. – Focus. Zoom all the way in to the desired subject, rotate the focus ring to get the clearest focus, then zoom out to the desired angle.

I. – Iris. Use the iris wheel or ring to iris to the desired light level, keeping in mind what or who the subject is – the background or periphery can be a bit hot or a bit dark.

S. – Sideroom. Also known as “Noseroom,” this is a subjective reference to how much room is needed on the sides of the subject. If a person is moving or facing one side of the screen, the camera operator should give that side a bit more room than the other side (more room on the side of the face that the nose is facing – “nose”room – get it?).

H. – Headroom. Another subjective measurement, the amount of room on top of the subject varies depending upon what the subject is, how close the camera is to the subject, and how far in the camera is zoomed. The general rule is the closer the camera, or the farther zoomed in, the less headroom is needed. An extreme close up can actually cut the very top of the subject off a little.

Now you know how to F.I.S.H. for a good camera image.

-Kevin

[Eric Adler]

Nice, I like the acronyms, and always remember: when you "go fishing" (a term some directors use to tell you to just grab a good looking cover shot), you need to FISH a lot and FISH fast