Taking location pictures

Location pictures, upload sizes and quality

Location pictures are generally taken between a 32-50mm lens for exteriors and a 10-12mm lens for interiors. This helps DOPs to compare different locations more accurately. Film location shots are generally taken much wider than a beauty shot. This allows crew to see where they can build unit camps and video village, parking possibilities etc. Keep to the same lens, if you need it wider, walk backwards.
Don't take pictures that sell a location like real estate pictures. The director and DOP will add the beauty for the clients particular requirement. Location shots are not taken to be chocolate box pictures, they are taken to accurately describe what's there for the director and DOP.

As location pictures are taken to describe a film location 16:9 is best aspect ratio, for location shots, avoid portrait pictures at all costs. A film and video camera opperator will never turn his camera on its side. (The exception to this rule is if film and stills are being shot at the same time with a vertical/horizontal L bracket plate) P.S. The later is not economically effective in my opinion. Far faster to have both cameras shoot simultaneously even if the same DOP is shooting both disciplines.

Artemis Pro is a paid phone app, and it embeds the lens size into the shot. This gives both the DOP and director really valuable information.


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