Camera angles
Camera choice is the cheapest way to change what an image means. Two words at the end of a prompt do more than another sentence of description, because distance and height carry meaning independently of the subject.
Distance controls intimacy
How close the camera sits decides the viewer's relationship to the subject.
| Shot | Shows | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme close-up | Eyes, hands | Intense, fragmentary |
| Close-up | Head and shoulders | Intimate. The default for emotion. |
| Medium | Waist up | Conversational, neutral |
| Full | Whole figure | Posture and wardrobe; observational |
| Wide | Figure in a place | Establishes setting; makes them small |
Height controls power
This is reliable enough to use as a storytelling tool.
- Low angle - The subject dominates. Pair it with Pose Studio to match the body language.
- Eye level - Neutral. The viewer is an equal.
- High angle - Vulnerability and isolation. Use it to make a character lose an argument.
Change the camera before the subject
When an image feels dull, the subject is usually fine and the camera is wrong. Camera direction belongs at the end of your prompt - The blueprint explains why, and Pose Studio lets you set pose and camera together.
Compose action on a line
The camera frames the subject; the subject still needs a direction to read.
- Good action carries one directional line from the eyes through shoulders, hips, and the active limb - Describe that flow in the prompt.
- Overhead shots isolate a figure inside architecture, sheets, rain, or a crowd - Use one as an establishing beat, then return to a close emotional panel.
- Keep the background simpler than the subject so the line stays legible.
Common questions
What phrase gives me a low angle?
'Low angle' works directly. Adding 'looking up at' reinforces it when the model resists.
Why do wide shots lose facial detail?
The face occupies fewer pixels. Generate wide shots at higher resolution, or move closer when the face matters.
Where in the prompt should camera direction go?
At the end. Models weight earlier terms more heavily, and camera works fine with less weight.
Where to go next
This guide pairs with pose and camera together, camera in sequence and where camera goes in a prompt.