A closeup is a photograph or film shot taken from very near to the subject, showing details that would be hard to see from farther away. In a movie, a closeup might fill the screen with an actor's face so you can see every expression, tear, or smile. A nature photographer might take a closeup of a butterfly's wing to reveal intricate patterns invisible to the naked eye.

Directors use closeups to help audiences notice important details or feel what a character is feeling. When a detective examines a clue, the camera might switch to a closeup so viewers can see exactly what caught the detective's attention. Closeups create intimacy, bringing viewers right up next to the action instead of watching from a distance.

The technique works in still photography too. A closeup of a flower shows the delicate structure of its petals and the tiny insects crawling inside. Sports photographers capture closeups of athletes' determined faces during crucial moments.

People sometimes say they want to see something close up (two words) when they mean they want to examine it carefully. If you've only seen the Grand Canyon in pictures, you might say you can't wait to see it close up, meaning in person, right there at the edge.