Building a digital newsroom - Bonnie Bucqueroux

If you have already studied composition for still photography, the good news is that the same basics apply to video. If not, here's a crash course:

Rule of thirds – Your eyes are stalks of your brain that open directly onto the world, and understanding the rule of thirds will help you produce video images that the human brain craves. Novices often put the action or the subject in the center of the frame, but our brains actually prefer images that are a bit off-kilter. If we divide images equally into three horizontal and three vertical pieces, the rule of thirds tells us to make sure that the subject of our image should fall close to where the lines intersect.


Overlaying the grid that demonstrates the Rule of Thirds, you can see that the majority of the visual interest occurs near the intersections of the yellow lines at the upper right and lower left.

Depth of field – Depth of field (DOF) refers to the depth of the area in focus in your shot. There are many times you want as much depth of field as possible, so that your subject stays in focus no matter where they go. There can also be times when you want the background a bit out of focus, so that your main subject stands out and the background recedes. Consumer-level camcords often have a "portrait" setting that narrows the DOF, blurring the background. Anything that reduces the amount of light coming into the camcorder decreases the depth of field. Depth of field narrows in low-light situations and when you use filters. Increasing or decreasing the shutter speed will affect DOF, as well opening up or narrowing the iris.


The image on the left benefits from great depth of field, which allows all of the gravestones to be in focus. Narrowing the DOF in the image on the right results in the foreground image being in focus while the gravestones behind are blurred. This forces the eye to pay more attention to the foreground image.

Point of view (POV) – You can also alter the tone of your video by changing your point of view, the position of the camcorder on a vertical axis. Most video is shot with the at eye level. Shooting up at a subject can add to a feeling of power, while shooting down on someone can diminish it.


Eye level in the case of Jake the Dog means bending down to his level. Shooting from above somewhat the impact of Jake's immense size. Shooting the preacher from below enhances his authority and impact.

Avoid distracting backgrounds – It’s a bad idea to find out after you get back to the newsroom that there’s a coat rack growing out of the subject’s ear in each shot.

Enhancing visual interest -- News video benefits from a straightfoward approach, free of the tricks that moviemakers use. But there are some tips and techniques worth noting.

Take advantage of natural frames – Good composition means looking for the doorway, the arch or the keyhole that provides a fresh view of your subject. Giving the eye something close and something far away in the same frame provides context. The tree below helps us grasp the scale of scale of the scene, while adding a bit of grandeur.

Add a lens – Most still photographers soon find using only the “normal” lens on a camera too restricting. Straight video has its charm, but adding a wide-angle lens (expensive) or adapter (cheaper) is a great way to add interest, if your camcorder allows you to do so. You can also add a telephoto lens, but a wide angle is usually the first priority. (A wide angle allows you to show more, not less.)

Look for reflections and shadows – Take advantage of ponds, mirrors and windows, or even the chrome on a car or the fisheye security mirror in the convenience store.

Don't miss the peak emotion or action – As a confirmed word person, I found it difficult to make the transition to visual journalism. Perhaps my biggest frustration was dependence on the equipment. With a print interview, if your subject offers up a juicy quote after you have put your notebook away, you can write it down later. But if your subject gives you the best soundbite after the camcorder is turned off, you are flat out of luck. It takes time to become comfortable with the camcorder to the point that it becomes part of you, but the goal is to be ready to shoot at a moment's notice. (Make sure to keep a supply of charged batteries and tapes available at all times.)

Shooting and Editing Video for the Web

Part One: Exploring news ways to tell stories online

Online video on a budget

Part One: The camera

Bonnie Bucqueroux teaches digital jouralism at Michigan State University's School of Journalism and is a self-described Web geek.