In this lesson: Learn how establishing a unique point of view makes your images more interesting

Exploring the effects of a low point of view will help you understand basic concepts, like framing, as well as develop an eye for more advanced compositional choices that will have a positive impact on the way your photos look and feel.

The angle of view in a photograph can have a strong psychological effect on the viewer. A low point of view can simply make a subject appear taller. A low point of view can even make a viewer feel somewhat intimidated by the subject matter in the photo. As a result, this effect is often exploited in horror and suspense movies to make the bad guy or the villain appear to be much larger than they actually are.

More simply, a low angle of view is an unexpected and fun perspective from which to create a photo. This is seen in the sample portrait of the man with his son on his shoulders – the low angle of view adds a bit of whimsy to the photo which makes it far more interesting than if the photo had been taken from a more traditional perspective.

Some of the possible benefits of shooting from a low point of view are:

• A dramatic visual impact
• Allows for including interesting skies or backgrounds
• Can make a subject appear taller or even more slender. Look at how tall and thin the trees in the sample image appear to be. They likely would appear wider and shorter had the photo been taken from a more traditional point of view.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of shooting from down low is that it helps you avoid shooting from eye-level. Most of our photos are taken from a standing position, which results in a view that merely replicates what we normally see. Though this can result in a gorgeous photo, changing to a very low perspective automatically makes the image more interesting – even if it is of a familiar subject – because it’s an angle of view we seldom see. In the portrait of the man, the low angle makes him appear more imposing and powerful, and it also allowed the photographer to highlight the architectural features of the building in the background.

Challenge Activity

Photograph a subject from a low point of view to add impact to the image. If possible, investigate how using various focal lengths affect the mood of the image.

Step 1: Arrange a photo shoot with a model or other subject that will allow you to shoot from a low angle.

Step 2: Mount your camera a height of 3 feet or less, angling the camera lens to capture as much of the full length of the subject as possible.

Step 3: Take several exposures, varying the height of the camera from on the ground up to three feet, noting the changes in the effect on the subject’s perceived height as you vary the height of the camera.

Step 4: If possible, change the focal length of your lens and note how the effect of shooting from down low is enhanced or subdued. Typically wide-angle and fisheye lenses are most effective for shooting from down low, though longer focal lengths offer you additional compositional flexibility.