Setting up the tripod
1. Extend the legs as necessary. Make sure all legs are tightened sufficiently. Check the bubble level to
ensure the tripod is straight, adjust the appropriate legs to level.
2. Remove the mounting plate and attach it to the bottom of the camera, making sure it is tight.
3. Once the plate is mounted to the camera, attach it to the head of the tripod, and engage the lock. Make
sure the lock is secure before letting go of the camera.
Camera moves
Tilt
: vertical camcorder pivot;“tilt up” or “tilt
down.”
Pan
: horizontal camera pivot from a stationary
position; “pan left” or “pan right.”
Dolly:
camera & tripod movement toward or
away from a subject; “dolly in or “dolly out.”
Dollying results in a more dramatic change in
perspective than zooming.
Truck
: horizontal camera & tripod movement
alongside a subject; “truck left” or “truck right.”
Pedestal (or boom):
vertical camera & tripod
move; “pedestal up” or “pedestal down”.
Zoom:
changing the focal length of the lens from
wide angle to telephoto or vice versa, to enlarge
or shrink the subjects and show more or less
space around them in the frame. “Zoom in” (close
up) or “zoom out” (wide shot). A telephoto lens
flattens the image and minimizes depth; a wide
angle lens exaggerates depth.
Normally, the camera should be placed at eye
level with the subject. When the camera is placed at a low angle, the subject is made to appear superior,
since you’re looking up at them; a high angle makes the subject appear inferior or weak since you’re look-
ing down on them.
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