Watching some old porn videos, I saw some camera angles I haven't seen much of in modern porn. The girl is being fucked in missionary style. She has high heels on. She has her legs up in the air and spread wide. The camera angle is shot from directly behind the guy's back, from a distance, so you see those legs spead wide. I don't see this camera angle in porn anymore. During missionary, you'll often see the girl lying on the couch, legs lying flat, and the camera will shoot the scene from the side at a high angle. I realise that this has the advantage of seeing the girl's face, but I'd like to see at least a few shots from behind the guy's back.
Today's porn places a high priority on showing the girl's face, and on showing genitalia close-ups. The position you described offers a very good view of penetration. So, the cameraman must zoom in on the penetration. I have viewed movies where girl is in pretzel position (feet locked behind her head). This is a very erotic and even "circus act" position which will be excellent to shoot from a distance, for viewer to see and appreciate this most awesome and rare position. But unfortunately the pretzel position is another one which is irresistible for cameraman to zoom in on genitalia close-up. I have to believe that this automatic zooming practice is some type of mandatory rules agreed to by all cameramen and directors---It happens too frequently to be an accident, and I don't believe such a high degree of cluelessness is naturally occurring. Another point is that old porns were "properly" done, with professional lighting and multiple cameras and professional cameramen and such. So, they could have a camera dedicated to full-view and another camera dedicated to close-ups and end up with multiple views/angles of the same scene, and mix it all together in editing. Today's gonzo style has a single camera guy who has to shoot, fuck, talk, and direct, leaving no brainpower to think about camera angles and making long-distance shots impossible.
Not impossible, I do it all the time in my movies. Sometimes I do use 2 camera's, but when I am up against the clock, I use just 1 camera, and I am most certainly thinking about good camera angles. My style has been described as a feature/gonzo hybrid. I would tend to agree with that. I try to achieve a variety of properly composed shots within a scene, and think establishing shots (what you call long distance) are essential to a scene. Shooting a good scene is like a chess match with the performers. You have to think ahead, be quick on your feet, and have plenty of planning before you roll. A properly produced scene has a purposefull flow and pace. The goal is to have the various shots seamlessly flow into the next shot. Camera work should be invisible if it is done correctly.
Informative reply, Tommy Kaye! You are definitely in the minority, from my experience and observations. How did you learn your craft? Do you have formal training in photography/cinematography/etc.?
Thanks Malte and Ninja1! Yes, I did graduate from a television production school and took photography courses. But honestly, real world experience was the best teacher for me. Trial and error and learning from my screw ups put me on the right path. Also being an editor has really helped. Shooting the material and than working with it in the editing room really makes you a better director/cinematographer. You learn first hand what your mistakes were. I also love to read and learn new things on a regular basis. I am a geek and a techie at heart. I rarely watch television and prefer to read about film production or learn a new software program etc. There are so many exciting things to do with this business! So little time!
I noticed that Pat Myne Occasionally uses that style of shooting in his Movies. He used It a fair bit at Metro/Fuxsion . Its an old school way of shooting but Its still Good.
that sounds like the way they used to fill the screen during the Ford administration, so many camera guys today will probably stay away from it out of their need to feel modern. Also, there's a high priority on chaos now. They get what they get and they're content with that kind of reduced planning.
