How to Use Perspective in Photography For More Powerful Images

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In broad terms, perspective refers to the point of view of a subject. Perspective in photography is the sense of spatial relationships within an image and how this relates to what is actually in the scene.

Perspective in photography involves transforming the natural 3-D world around us into a 2-D medium, the photographic image. The spatial relationships, or more correctly, the implied spatial relationships, of a scene can be altered by a photographer using gear and techniques.

Altering the perspective in photography images can be radical, such as with what is called forced perspective photography. Or the manipulation of a perspective can be quite subtle, making the viewer see things in the image in a natural but guided way.

Join Photography Talk as we take you through tips and techniques on best using perspective in photography. We’ll include some perspective photography examples along with the information, plus some photography gear solutions that enable taking advantage of these ideas.

Perspective in Photography - Learning to See
Camera Gear to Control Perspective in Photography
Perspective in Photography - Creating Depth
Perspective in Photography - From the Top
Perspective in Photography - Focus Manipulation
Perspective in Photography - How to Use Lenses
Perspective in Photography - Exposure Tricks
Final Thoughts: Perspective in Photography
Recommended Photography Gear

Perspective in Photography - Learning to See

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Yes, this sounds like a cliche, but learning to see the world with a photographic image in mind is an important milestone in photographic growth in general.

You know that old saying, can’t see the forest for the trees? In photographing the world, we need to see both the forest AND the trees, plus how they relate to each other. We can look at a scene and notice what is interesting enough to be captured and displayed as art.

But this involves more than merely seeing what’s there in the scene. We also see HOW we can take what’s there and use our photographic techniques and tools to create the art we see in our mind as a real image. It doesn’t matter whether the final viewing arrangement is electronic or a physical print.

Sometimes, learning to see photographically means that we realize there isn’t a good enough picture within that scene before us. What is sometimes required is to move around. Perhaps climbing that small ridge gives a better view, or maybe even walking down just a bit more in that scenic turnout.

For some people, this all seems to come naturally; for others, it may mean some practice needs to be done. Once you have that down, learning to see where the photograph is inside a real-life view, you can confidently master many other photography techniques, including mastering perspective in photography.

Camera Gear to Control Perspective in Photography

Besides mastering techniques and skills, using certain types of camera gear helps us control perspective in photography. The camera, certain focal length ranges of lenses, some specialty filters, and a good sturdy mount for the camera setup can all boost us towards effectively controlling photographic perspective.

You could use any camera, from an old Kodak Instamatic to an iPhone 14. Still, digital mirrorless and DSLR-style interchangeable lens cameras that can override automation will provide the most control.

Lenses that allow you to adjust the settings, aperture, and focusing distance are helpful. Certain specialty filters, such as split field close-up filters, can help create some extremely forced perspective photography effects.

A few useful photography tools are a tripod with a horizontally adjusted center column and a low profile, go-anywhere camera mount. The Vanguard Ultra Pro 2+ tripod with Alta PH-32 Pan Head is a versatile choice for a tripod. It’s heavy-duty, has carbon fiber legs, and the center column can be adjusted horizontally and vertically.

Octopad camera mount is a favorite tool here at Photography Talk. Octopad is a small weighted disk with a ball head on top that can be placed on various surfaces. What makes it so special and handy for controlling perspective in photography is its non-slip pad underneath that lets you put it on virtually any surface, including surfaces angled up to 45 degrees.

We want a tripod like that and a camera mount like the Octopad to put our camera in precisely the position we need it to be in. They also hold the rig steady for possible longer shutter speeds for certain techniques.

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Perspective in Photography - Creating Depth

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One simple method of controlling perspective in photography is to create depth. A valuable skill is the proper use of foreground interest. This method uses composition and depth of field to capture foreground elements while the main subject is also clearly discernible.

This technique controls the perspective in photography by putting the person viewing the image in the image. The foreground element is a placeholder for the person, so their perspective becomes that of the foreground object, leading the viewer into the rest of the scene.

Leading Lines is another composition tool that can create depth of perspective in photography. The very name of this method describes that you are leading the viewer into the image or a part of the image. Leading lines automatically create depth by guiding or propelling a viewer through the photograph. They go from somewhere to somewhere mentally as they view the 2-D photograph of the 3-D scene.

^{Photo by JacobH via iStock}

You can use your tripod or Octopad to place the camera exactly where it needs to be and have it hold the camera still so you can use a smaller lens aperture for the increased depth of field needed for this perspective technique. Hyperfocal distance is a good technique to know for this style. You can go low, right down to the ground, to create depth with a versatile tripod or the Octopad.

If the foreground and background are too far apart for the combination of lens focal length, aperture, and hyperfocal distance to handle, a split field close-up filter might be the answer. A filter holder system and a camera mount are preferred to place the demarcation line in the close-up filter exactly where you need it.

Perspective in Photography - From the Top

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Capturing an image from above the subject is a form of forced perspective photography since, for most scenes, we don’t naturally view the world around us that way. Shooting from above is an essential technique used in food photography and other advertising photography. You may hear it called flat lay photography in those settings.

The perspective of shooting from the top is a form of forced perspective photography because it arranges the 3-D word into a 2-D setting before you even trigger the shutter release. It’s also a good method for capturing close-up views of nature and wildlife.

Lighting can be tricky at times, but using that tripod with a horizontally extending center column allows us to hold a reflector or a portable LED panel light to provide sufficient illumination of the subject. Using certain lighting techniques can also create extra depth in the subject, another way to control perspective in photography.

Perspective in Photography - Focus Manipulation

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Focus manipulation for controlling perspective in photography means knowing how to adjust the depth of field. Depth of field can be a versatile tool for all photography styles, so it’s a good idea to learn what it is and how to use it.

When we view a scene with our naked eye, our eye automatically changes focus instantaneously for most of us. But we know that when we’re looking at something very close, our eyes refocus to see the distant object we glance at. We don’t actually see everything in focus all at once. Our eye-brain connection works that swiftly.

Photographically, a 2-D picture can have a deep depth of field with virtually everything in focus or a minimal depth of field with only the subject in sharp focus, a technique known as selective focus.

Deep depth of field looks wild in some photographs; partly, we know in our minds that a photo usually has some things in sharp focus and other things at different levels of blurriness. So, using our deep depth of field techniques to capture almost every part of a scene in sharp focus is an example of forced perspective photography.

Likewise, with shallow depth of field or limited focus, also known as selective focus. This selective focus technique forces a perspective in that the subject is all by itself in focus in the final image. In real-time naked-eye viewing, our eyes would rapidly refocus continuously, so seeing this type of image in a 2-D photograph is a forced perspective.

Perspective in Photography - How to Use Lenses

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Our lens choice can radically alter the final printed or viewed perspective in photography. The Nifty Fifty in Full Frame format, or whatever focal length corresponds to that in any other format you're using, is described as having a “normal” perspective photographically. This basically means that the spatial relationships captured by this lens correspond fairly closely to our naked eye viewing perspective.

Wider focal lengths and longer lenses both alter that apparent spatial relationship. The more wide angle or the more telephoto we go, these lenses either stretch or compress the relationships of foreground to background subjects.

An ultra-wide angle lens seems to scratch everything out, especially if we employ the deep depth of field technique and add foreground interest. Conversely, very long telephoto lenses seem to stack up or compress everything from near to far. Both effects are effective for controlling perspective in photography.

Perspective in Photography - Exposure Tricks

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Just as you can use focal length and depth of field tricks to adjust perspective in photography, there are exposure variations that can also work.

For instance, high-key photography can create an airy feel, opening up apparent perspective. A low-key photograph often has the opposite effect, making the photography space seem closer, hemmed in.

A great tool for photographers to use for manipulating exposure is the Zone System. Mastering this method allows you to adjust the different parts of exposure and contrast in a controlled way, thus letting you either emphasize or minimize different parts of the scene, controlling the apparent perspective in the final 2-D image.

A thorough understanding of the Exposure Triangle is vital to being able to master any exposure technique, regardless of what style of photography you’re doing. HDR photography is another exposure technique that can alter apparent perspectives in an image by showing the entire dynamic range of a scene in one image. A good light meter will help you find specific settings that allow total control over exposure.

Final Thoughts: Perspective in Photography

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The world is 3-D, and photographic images are 2-D. But we can adjust any part of the photographic process, from focal length choice, exposure values, and composition techniques, plus many other aspects of photography in order to change what perspective that 2-D image shows a viewer.

As you read through this primer on perspective in photography, follow the links to our informative articles covering the referenced ideas and techniques. Be sure to check out the various videos, too. Controlling perspective in photography can be simple yet can have a profound effect on the final images.