Shots & framing
Close-up: definition and examples
What is Close-up?
A close-up is a shot that fills most of the frame with a single subject, typically framing a person from the shoulders to the top of the head. The tight framing emphasizes facial expressions and fine detail, making it useful for emotional moments or product details that a wider shot would lose.
When you'd use it
- 1When a product detail, texture, or label needs to fill the frame to read clearly on mobile.
- 2When a speaker's facial expression carries the emotional weight of the moment.
- 3When a wider shot is losing the fine detail the viewer needs to follow along.
- 4When cutting away from a medium shot to land emphasis on a reaction or reveal.
Example
A skincare creator shooting a before-and-after switches from a medium shot during the setup to an extreme close-up on the skin texture for the reveal. The tight frame makes a difference that a wider shot would lose entirely at phone resolution.
Use cases
- 1Framing a founder's face tightly during the most direct or emotional line of a testimonial.
- 2Showing a product ingredient list or logo filling the full frame before cutting wide.
- 3Cutting to a close-up of hands completing a step in a tutorial sequence.
FAQ
What is the difference between a close-up and a medium shot?
A close-up frames from roughly the shoulders or chin to the top of the head, filling the frame with the face. A medium shot pulls back to the waist, showing body language and more of the environment. Use a close-up when expression or detail is the point; use a medium shot when posture and gesture also carry meaning.
Make on-brand short-form video from the footage you already have.