Just as soon as I think I understand After Effects I try doing something new and go back to feeling like I have no idea what I am doing. The latest part of After Effects that humbled me was using cameras. A lot of people who I have talked to have told me that cameras in After Effects are tricky when you first get started but once you understand how they work they open up a lot of doors for your work.

I was hoping that there were some excellent tutorials out there that could teach me more about this and sure enough, I found some great tutorials.

The first one that I found was made by a Mahalo, a website that teaches pretty much everything. Their video goes over the very basics of how the camera works. It was great because it showed me how to move around with the camera and also use the four camera tools. If you haven’t used the camera tool before this would be the best one to start with because it is quick (four minutes) and right to the point.

The next one that I found was by one of my favorite After Effects tutorial teachers – EC Abrams. This one is a bit longer (10 minutes) but like everything EC Abrams does, it goes into enough depth to teach you what you need to know so that you can create something by yourself with the skills you have learned.

The next one that I found was by Dan Stevers. It is the longest one (24 minutes) out of all them, but unlike the other two that show you how to use the camera tool with text he shows you how to use the camera tool with other assets. In this case it is trees but the principals could apply to anything else that you are using.

The 3D Camera – After Effects Tutorial from DanStevers.com on Vimeo.

The final one that I helped me out was one of Mikey’s After Effects Quick Tips. It is definitely the shortest of the tutorials taking less than two minutes to watch. In it he shows you how you can easily navigate with your camera and look that the movement pattern that you have created.

Those are the tutorials I found that have simplified using cameras in After Effects but I am sure that there are some more out there. Let me know if you know of any or if you have any tips in the comment thread below.