Camera Terms: Three Quarter 3/4

Three quarter (3/4) shot is a composition created from positioning the camera off of center to favor one side of a subject.  This is a very common setup because of its natural feel.  Used in almost every conversational situation, it reflects how we typically see the world.  Not in frontal, not in profile but comfortably with a sense of space.  Think you need to use a frontal or profile? I doubt it.  In fact if a whole movie (Alien 1979) can feature a spaceship full of characters that pick up a 'passenger' with "a wonderful defense mechanism" that will (spoilers) eventually kill all of them except one...and a cat, and show them all in 3/4 then yes, you too, can use 3/4 shots liberally.

Sheesh, 3/4s for everyone!! Including the freakin' cat...

 ...AND THE ALIEN...

 Then use this shot to get realism and don't rely on the frontal or profile to get your point across. Perhaps practice your drawing skills so they are something more than mediocre?

Gosh, snarky!

Welp, now that I've Alien-ated you (pun, see?), thanks for stopping by.