I enjoyed watching the choreography of David Cameron welcoming Nick Clegg to 10 Downing Street for the first time today.

  1. Cameron is hiding inside the door rather than on the step so he isn’t seen as waiting. But he opens the door instantly so that Clegg isn’t seen waiting either.
  2. Cameron stands left-side facing the cameras.  This means his hand is visible to the camera, and creates the perception that his hand is on top, and therefore dominant. This is always the power position in any photo opportunity.
  3. Clegg counters with a left arm to Cameron’s elbow.
  4. Cameron instantly counter-counters with a left arm to Clegg’s elbow.
  5. Clegg’s arm is a little late up, leaving the impression that this was an impromptu wave from Cameron that wasn’t in the script.
  6. Cameron pats Clegg on the back to guide him into No. 10.
  7. But Clegg counters with a slow step and then places his hand on Cameron’s back to guide him into his own home.
  8. Cameron breaks and goes for the final hand-on-the-back guide before the door closes.

It’s interesting to compare the front facing camera work in the video above, with the side-on camera in this next video: