Project 0: Becoming Friends with Your Camera

Overview

This project explores how camera position and focal length change perspective.

Part 1: The Wrong Way vs. the Right Way

Moving the camera back and zooming in makes my face look flatter and more natural. This happens because the close camera exaggerates the features nearest to it, while the farther camera reduces those differences.

Close portrait taken near the camera — Close to the camera.

Portrait taken from farther away with zoom — Farther away and zoomed in.

Part 2: Architectural Perspective Compression

Moving back and zooming in compresses the building, making its depth look less dramatic. Since I changed my position, the front and back of the building appear closer together in the zoomed photo.

Wider view of the same brick building taken from nearby — Closer without zoom.

Tighter view of a brick building taken with zoom — Farther away and zoomed in.

Part 3: The Dolly Zoom

I moved the camera backward while zooming in to keep the subject nearly the same size.

Boomerang dolly zoom centered on a small framed character — 7 stills, played forward and backward.