We’ve all heard the expression, “look at it from a

different angle.” This phrase is generally uttered

by someone who is trying to get you to see the

bright side of a situation you aren’t particularly

excited about. However, it is great advice to keep in

mind when shooting photos.

 

 

 

Have you ever noticed that professional photographs are

rarely taken from the standing eye-level position? That’s

because the pros know that using different angles when

shooting photos greatly enhance their composition

and creative elements. Even the plainest of subjects can

appear much more interesting if the photograph is taken

from a unique angle. With a few simple adjustments, you

can turn your photos into your own creative masterpieces.

Try some of these approaches:

 

Take a knee. Dropping to one knee and shooting

slightly upward at your subject can add a unique

perspective to your photo. It can also help to

eliminate unwanted clutter in the background of the

shot, like a crowd of people at a tourist attraction.

Dropping to a knee and shooting upward also

brings out a beautiful sky in an outdoor shot, which

enhances the appearance of your subject.

 

 

 

Or, try this one: lay on your back and shoot straight up.

It doesn’t have to be a circle of people standing above you,

although that is usually a very fun group shot. No matter

what the subject is, you will be amazed at how this simple

action will spice up your shot.

 

Along the same lines, get the camera above the

subject and shoot downward. This can also help

to eliminate an unattractive background, and

provide a flash of artistic flair to the shot. Just don’t

break any rules or put yourself in danger by

climbing things you aren’t supposed to climb!

 

 

 

Changing the angle of your shot can also improve the

performance of your subject, especially children.

Seeing you move around into funny positions to take a

picture will usually cause a wonderful smiling reaction, and

really bring out their emotion – much more so than shooting

straight at them and saying “1, 2, 3…cheese!”

 

Another thing to try is tilting your camera left,

right, forward, or backward, so that the horizon

appears diagonally, instead of horizontally. This

adds depth to your photo’s composition, and your

audience will be intrigued with how you show

something they see all the time – the ground – at an

angle they rarely see it from.

 

 

 

With some simple angle adjustments, even the most

normal subject can make for a captivating photograph. The

world is much more beautiful and interesting when seen

from different angles!