Shot Types

The Bird's-Eye view shot can be used to make the viewer see everything from overhead, like the title suggests, a birds eye view. This can make the viewer seem superior, almost godlike, with everything you can see seeming insignificant. However, it can also be used to make a person stand out very clearly if used well, for example, if a crowd of people are moving to the left, whereas one person moves to the right. The problem with the shot is that it is incredibly hard to use, as it is hard to get high above a person without a crane, especially if away from an urban area.

The close up shot can be used to box in a character, making it easier to study their expressions. The shot is often used to show what the character is thinking, through the use of narration, diegetic speech, or expressions. The shot is also used to show who the main characters are in a film, the close up on their face showing importance. For these reasons, the close up is often used with another type of shot to insinuate something, for example, when it is used in "Reservoir Dogs" with a slow zoom to box in the character and make him seem boxed in, creating a claustrophobic effect.

The mid shot is roughly waist up, showing the entire person, although this can vary. Used to show the body language of a person, as the face is not clear enough from this distance.

The long shot is mainly used to show the whole person, or set of people. Seeing as it is not used to show expression in the same way others might, it is a very neutral shot, leaving the scene to be uninterrupted by camera angles. It is mainly used to show the people or things in the beginning of a scene, so the watcher knows who is involved, before moving in a bit closer to study the characters.

The extreme long shot is mainly used to either view an entire area, much like the Birds eye view, or to show a person from far away, often in order to make them a mystery, as it hides their key features from the viewer.

The high and low angle shots are primarily used to make a character seem more or less important. As the high angle shots make the body of the person in the frame seem smaller, and therefore insignificant, it is used to make either the character seem weaker and intimidated. It also works in a similar way to the high angle shot, making the viewer seem godlike. It is not just the viewer that is made to seem superior though, as it is often used in first person, looking down at a person. This is best shown in this clip from an episode in "Scrubs"

From this, you can clearly see how Carla has the upper hand on the delivery man due him looking far shorter than her.
This extract also shows how the opposite of the high angle shot can be used, the low angle shot. Being lower down is generally accepted to have a negative effect, something which works on a number of things, from social hierarchy to ratings. It works on the same principle as the high angle shot, but has the negative effect, making things seem intimidating. This is because it puts more emphasis on the lower things of the object or person, for example, making somebody's shoes seem bigger, whereas the face, the part to communicate to, is far smaller, and far further away.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomkail/sets/72157607470200618/
This link contains several images we took which show some of the different shot distances and techniques.