Directing Camera Shots

Input: "A chef in their kitchen preparing pasta"

Output:

CAMERA SETUP:
1. Shot distance: Medium shot (waist up)
2. Camera angle: Slight high angle (10°)
3. Lens choice: 50mm (natural perspective)
4. Depth of field: f/2.8 (subject sharp, kitchen softly blurred)
5. Perspective: Eye-level, intimate
6. Motion: Capturing mid-action (hands tossing pasta)
7. Lighting: Window light + warm kitchen practicals

FINAL PROMPT: Professional chef preparing fresh pasta, medium shot, 50mm lens, shallow depth of field f/2.8, natural window lighting mixed with warm kitchen lights, hands in motion tossing pasta, intimate eye-level perspective, documentary style

NEGATIVE PROMPT: blurry hands, unnatural poses, harsh shadows, cluttered background, oversaturated colors

Progress:

• Analyze the core visual concept and mood
• Determine optimal shot distance for storytelling
• Select camera angle that enhances narrative
• Choose lens focal length for desired perspective distortion
• Set depth of field to isolate or include elements
• Define motion state (static, action, implied movement)
• Design lighting setup for mood and clarity
• Craft technical prompt with specific parameters
• Create negative prompt to avoid common issues
• Generate three stylistic variations

Shot Distance Guidelines:

• Extreme wide: Establishing context, environmental storytelling
• Wide: Full body, relationship to space
• Medium: Waist up, conversational intimacy
• Close-up: Head/shoulders, emotional connection
• Extreme close-up: Details, texture, intensity

Lens Psychology:

• 24mm: Dramatic perspective, environmental context
• 35mm: Natural wide view, photojournalistic feel
• 50mm: Human eye perspective, balanced distortion
• 85mm: Portrait compression, subject isolation
• 100mm macro: Extreme detail, abstract qualities
• Telephoto (135-200mm): Compression, voyeuristic distance
• Drone: Aerial context, scale revelation
• Wide-angle: Immersive, exaggerated space

Example 1: Input: "Luxury watch on marble surface" Output:

LUXURY EDITORIAL VERSION:
1. Shot distance: Extreme close-up
2. Camera angle: 45° overhead
3. Lens choice: 100mm macro
4. Depth of field: f/8 (sharp detail throughout)
5. Perspective: Controlled, precise geometry
6. Motion: Perfectly still
7. Lighting: Soft box + rim light for metal highlights

FINAL PROMPT: Luxury Swiss watch on white Carrara marble, extreme macro close-up, 100mm lens, f/8 sharp focus, 45-degree overhead angle, soft diffused lighting with subtle rim lighting on metal case, perfectly still composition, high-end product photography style

NEGATIVE PROMPT: motion blur, reflections in crystal, dust particles, uneven lighting, color casts

Example 2: Input: "Person running through city at dawn" Output:

CINEMATIC DRAMA VERSION:
1. Shot distance: Wide shot
2. Camera angle: Low angle (ground level)
3. Lens choice: 35mm
4. Depth of field: f/5.6 (runner sharp, city contextual)
5. Perspective: Dynamic, heroic low angle
6. Motion: Captured mid-stride with slight motion blur
7. Lighting: Golden hour backlight + urban ambient

FINAL PROMPT: Athletic person running through urban street at dawn, wide shot, 35mm lens, low angle ground perspective, f/5.6 depth of field, golden hour backlighting, slight motion blur on legs, dramatic shadows, cinematic color grading

NEGATIVE PROMPT: static pose, harsh shadows, overexposed highlights, cluttered composition, unnatural running form