Find Your Sweet Spot

Have you ever hit a tennis or golf ball just right? Do you know that feeling when you hit it on the sweet spot? You feel a soft pop versus a clang when you hit off center. Creative framing for still and video images certainly has a sweet spot. As a journalism professor, former chief photographer and field production manager, I rely on my “bag of tricks” when I teach others to craft compelling images. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen amateur and even seasoned videographers just plop a camera down without giving camera/subject position a lot of thought.

One of my favorite “tricks” is to frame your shot while looking at your LCD and move the camera closer, further away, left and right from your subject before recording. Use the LCD like a movie directors hand-held viewfinder by moving it around to discover compelling shots and find the sweet spot. If you use this technique with every shot, you will be surprised how your video and photography will jump to a much higher level.