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Composition
> Zooming
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Yikes! in this example of poor
photography, the shooter zooms in
and out a lot--following the eye's
natural desire to jump around.
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Here's
the rule: Never zoom. I am not kidding here. Pushing
that zoom button while
you are recording is like waving a huge banner that
says "Amateur!!!." Surprised? Most people
are. You probably love zoom buttons.
One
caveat. It's OK to use your zoom to FIND a good shot.
Just don't zoom WHILE you are recording. A little skeptical
of this advice? Watch prime-time TV tonight and count
the zooms. You will find none. Hunt-and-peck zooming
will give an audience motion sickness.
But
how do I show my viewers something new, you ask? The
answer is to stop the camera; find the new shot; then
start recording again. That's how professionals use
their zoom.
The
thing of it is, zooming is a very natural thing to do.
That's why you have to work extra hard to force yourself
to stop. Your eyes naturally dart around the environment--never
halting on anything for more than a second or two. To
understand this, pay attention to your viewing patterns
right now. Are you staring transfixed at a given point--or
do your eyes dart around--gathering up dozens of images
each minute and assembling a whole in your mind. It's
the latter.
And
most camcorder users operate their camera AS IF IT WAS
THEIR EYE!! They dart all over the scene as their eyes
do--and the result is a visual mess. What works for
your eyes does NOT work for a camcorder.
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