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Feb 2021

Here I am again with the next 30 essential list.
Some of you know Wally Wood´s 22 panels that always work.
I´m putting together a list with shots that can be used in comics, storyboards, panels etc
I´m not sure if I will put bird´s view, worm eye view etc in it.

So far I have:
1 straight on
2 extreme wide
3 extreme close
4 up shot
5 downshot
6 dutch angle
7 medium shot
8 close up

What shots do you use a lot in your comics?

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    Feb '21
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    Feb '21
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I've been really trying to improve the depth of my shots in my recent work. I always felt like my old comics felt a bit "flat", and It's still something I'm working on.

Like a lot of manga influenced artists, I use more close-ups than you'd commonly see in a more western-style comic, but I feel like I use fewer than you see in a lot of modern long scroll comics. I'm not a fan of how many of them feel like a reel of close-ups of single characters standing in the middle of panels; I try to make sure that when characters are conversing, there's always at least one panel per page where you see both the people in the conversation.

I'd say the panels I use most often would be:

Slightly elevated wide shot to establish one or more characters in a scene.
One or two characters chest-up for conversation.
Face close up, usually for a dramatic response or reaction to something.
Low shot, often full-body when somebody is doing a powerful action.
Flat shot, straight on for comedy.

The latest chapter of my comic has been challenging in layout terms because the first part of it has featured characters following other characters and commenting on what they're doing from a distance, so I had to think a lot about showing that spatial relationship. The great thing about drawing comics is how they force you to do compositions you'd rarely think to do in a standalone illustration!

This is maybe a subcategory of shots, but I really like working in panel break shots where a figure or object extends beyond the panel border. It can be really good for conveying dramatic motion or giving a sense of something being big/menacing as it looms beyond the panel boundary.

Yay, love your essentials list.

Over the shoulder is another one you could add...which is a shot I use a lot.

Other types of shots are
- Establishing shot
- B Roll Shot

168
There are also different types of medium shots.

The shots I use the most for my comic are medium long shot, mid shot and medium closeup. I have been trying to push myself to do more closeups and long shots.

:grinning: This may be my another favorite topic! I used to be very keen on photography that I've developed photographer eyes (i think i am) I don't realy have a definite favorite type of shots,(maybe character close ups :slight_smile:) as they all work on different situations.


FOR LENS LENGTH:

Facial close ups, one of my favorite things to draw.

I want to do more of these like of non-facial close ups, to give immersion.

Extreme Close Ups. I use it very rarely.

Bust shots for action detail. This really brings out the characters.

I like the engaging medium shots. I don't use them enough!!

Same as long shots, only have few.

Very long shots for characters in the background immersion.

I like those long 'establish shots' to show case the environment for it's like using
also I love and done quite a number of above-eye-level shots (that's for camera angles)

I use typical wide angle shots (like a 28~35mm lens) for a lot of my shots.
I'm not sure i would use extreme wide/fish-eye effect. It becomes too gimmicky for my story.

It's really cool to use "long telephoto lens" shot to shoot character close up (compress the subject and background) i like to use it more when there's a chance. this panel is the attempt.


FOR CAMERA ANGLES:

A low angle shots. I use them occasionally. I have never use very-low angle yet.

Top-down angle (bird's eye view) shots are mostly used on establishing the surroundings. (i rarely would use it other than normal angle)

I like the characters shot from the side. I would like to use it more often.

Super-rarely used first-version view with hand gesture. I use it for comedic purpose.

Excuse me for the long post! :weary:

Since my story is just at the beginning parts,/the actual story have just begun the shots I've used so far for my panels are:

  • Establishing shot
  • High Angle shot
  • Overhead shot
  • Low Angle shot
  • Medium Closeup
  • Mid shot
  • Closeup shot
  • Eye Level shot
  • Dutch tilt
  • Depth of Field shot
  • Over the shoulder shot

I noticed I tend to use high angle shots and play around between with closeup shots and Mid shot but my favorites are Depth of feild shot , Eye level shot and establishing shot since these shots tends to establish the ambiance or mood, convey emotions and focus ^^

It´s really visible in your panels that you know exactly what you are doing with the camera angles,
this looks top professional and just the shots are already entertaining before even looking what´s
going on in the panels. Really impressing.
I love long answers

Thank you! I have a tendency to pose a structural post if the topic really strikes my fancy. :blush: