Edward Weston, the influential American photographer, once said:
“Good composition is only the strongest way of seeing the subject.”
However, when dealing with multiple aspect ratios, the composition can become complex. In order to have quality video, you need to think about composition as much as a Hollywood director might, but to have an engaging video you need to be hyper aware of the aspect ratio that you are working with. Without considering aspect ratio (the video size) you cannot maximize the potential of your video.
There are numerous theories about how to create the ideal image. There’s the rule of thirds: imagine a 3×3 grid over your image and place the face of your subject at one of the intersections of the lines. There’s the Golden Ratio: famously featured in Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” it involves dividing a rectangle into different sized squares in a harmonious manner. When composing your image using the Golden Ratio as a guide you should use the dimentions 1:1.618.
However, there is an element lacking from these theories: style. What images best align with your brand? To make engaging video your style needs to be present in the composition. Studies have shown that video/image-based ads are significantly more engaging to consumers. Below, we’ve compiled the most popular cinematic shots that you can use to compose beautiful video for social media.
Close Up
A close up is perhaps the most important shot in cinema and features only the face fully in the frame. From a social media perspective, a close up is often used for testimonials or AMA’s. The only information consumer’s need is coming from the subject.
Medium Shot
A medium shot is the most common frame in films. It shows more than a close up, but less than a long shot. From a social media perspective, this is good for interviews. A medium shot helps you understand the context and relationships of content.
Long Shot
A long shot or wide shot can show an entire character, or it can be used to include the environment. On social media, this is used to create an engaging video about an environment or a larger group of people.
Alignments
Within these shots, you can place the focus of your shot on the Left, Right, or Centre of your frame. Left and right shots are different, so may draw consumers’ eyes. A centre shot makes you feel that the subject is looking directly at you – best used with a close up.
In order to compose beautiful video, you must consider the composition of your content in relation to the video size (aspect ratio). Whether you achieve this through professional video editing or apps, such as a YouTube video editor, it must be at the forefront of your mind when it comes to content creation.
To see our advice on which aspect ratio works best with each platform click here!
