Irritated by Zapruder's framing/focusing

[Hugo Habicht]

Hi, I was always irritated why Zapruder didn't (try to) keep the presidential limousine in the center of the picture all the time since this was what he wanted to film. After around frame 230, it seems almost as if the background was much more of interest than the limousine in the foreground - the limo is "diving down" almost out of the picture. At around frame 280 the picture shows 10% car and 90% background... Only after around 330 he is focusing on the limousine again. Does this only irritate me, and has there be any explanation for this?

[Steve Barber]

Hi, I was always irritated why Zapruder didn't (try to) keep the presidential limousine in the center of the picture all the time since this was what he wanted to film. After around frame 230, it seems almost as if the background was much more of interest than the limousine in the foreground - the limo is "diving down" almost out of the picture. At around frame 280 the picture shows 10% car and 90% background... Only after around 330 he is focusing on the limousine again. Does this only irritate me, and has there be any explanation for this?

Mr. Zapruder suffered with vertigo, not to mention that it may not have been easy for him to track the linousine as it came toward him and then passed in front of him.  His secretary. Marilyn Sitzman, was behind him to steady him as best she could, but with her left hand on her hip, and no one knows where she was holding onto him, if she was, he may have somewhat lost his balance(?) and tracked to high for that few seconds. In the Orville Nix film, after the fatal shot was fired, Zapruder can be seen bending his knees a bit as if to hunch down a bit after he witnessed the damage to the president's head and as he did so, he regained the limousine in full frame.  This is just my opinion, mind you.

[Jerry Organ]

Zapruder's uneven framing should count as proof he had no foreknowledge of the assassination. Well, to normal people anyway.

[Richard Smith]

I doubt he knew that he was taking an historic film. If anyone should be criticized for their cinematography skills that day, it is Dorman.  She was perfectly situated but got a lot of great shots of the bushes.

[Charles Collins]

I think that Zapruder did better than the vast majority of people would do under the same circumstances!  🤔

[Steve Barber]

I think that Zapruder did better than the vast majority of people would do under the same circumstances!  🤔

  I wholeheartedly agree. I think most people, upon seeing someone's head open up like he saw it, would have stopped filming the moment after that happened from shock.  He held it together until the car was out of sight, which is remarkable.