If the camera is zoomed in on the subject, she could move out of the frame with as little as one step to the side. Even if she doesn t move, the camera could lose her if it pans just a couple of degrees. With the camera zoomed out, the subject has more room to move in the frame before leaving it, and the camera has more latitude for movement without losing her. It s also easier on the viewer. Some people can get queasy if the camera moves too much, and zooming in accentuates this sensation very much.
Wide angle is best, so combine zooming in and movement with caution.
In-Camera Editing Thinking About Continuity or, Making Sense Out of What You Shoot If you can t edit your footage, it becomes important to think carefully about how long each shot should run. Most non-professionals tend to shoot too much for too long. Short and sweet is best, but it takes some planning. Twenty minutes to summarize such a party is probably plenty. There will be certain moments, though, that you just won t want to miss the arrival and departure of the guests, a bit of general revelry or game playing, the opening of gifts but most important is the birthday cake with its candles.