Videomaker has an article on “Natural Wipes”…that is, the use of natural scene elements by a shooter or editor to organically transition between shots and scenes.

…there are few tools more effective and powerful than a little thing called a “natural wipe.” Generally wipes are post-production effects, and most often signify a transition from one scene to the next, usually suggesting a change in time or location. However, we’re going to look at creating the wipes on location, using subjects or elements that move across the camera frame, commonly called “wipers.” The two natural wipe types that we’ll cover in this issue are:
* Wipes as Scene Transitions
* Wipes as Visual Effects

The article goes on to explain common wipe examples, and how a well-placed natural wipe can make simple special effects simpler and cheaper to achieve.

One example this article brings to my mind is the use of wipes as scene transitions in the popular show Desperate Housewives. Watch for it next time, they have used that transition technique consistently from the very beginning of the series.

(Via DVGuru)