Dakota_Chapter5

    One big idea that stuck out to me from this chapter is how lens choice really shapes the story more than we usually think. The author says, “choosing the right lens will either communicate your message or confuse it,” and that makes so much sense to me. It’s about way more that the technical stuff, like wide-angle lenses stretching space or telephoto lenses compressing it, but about what and how they affect how the audience feels. From my experience, a wide shot with a wide-angle lens can feel tense or off, but a close-up with a telephoto lens can feel way more flattering and intimate. It’s easy to just think about lighting, blocking, or dialogue, but truly the lens itself is saying something to the audience, whether we realize it or not. Reading this makes me want to actually pay attention to how movies I watch are framed and start experimenting more with lens choices in my own stuff, not just to get the shot but to push the story.

https://youtu.be/5nkq7APrX50?si=DJDPCB8r-Ebaff6E

    I chose this video because I want to get better at using cameras to make our church livestream stronger. The way the lens works changes how people see what’s happening, and that really matters when folks are watching from home. I want to figure out how to use the right shots and angles so the livestream feels more connected and less distracting, keeping the focus on worship and the preaching.