The vast majority of images captured by people are taken from the eye level of someone who is standing. So a really easy way to make your images stand out from other images is to change your viewpoint.
When I arrive at a scene, I am always looking for new and different viewpoints that will give my images a fresh look. I look upwards to find places where I can go and look down that will give me a bird’s eye view. Like a bird flying up above and looking down on the scene.
Sometimes it isn’t possible to find a high vantage point but there may be a chair or a tree or something that will give you just a little higher viewpoint that will help you to look down on the world.
An additional benefit of looking up and around for places to capture images from is that you may see other possible photos to capture. Maybe there are people looking out of windows or other interesting things that can make for great images.
Changing your perspective to a higher viewpoint can open up a world of possible images and views. When you arrive somewhere, don’t forget to take the time to slow down and look around. If you find a subject, see if you can capture an image of that subject from an unusual perspective.
Workshop: Perspective
Go out and concentrate on capturing images from different perspectives. Look for places where you can adopt a bird’s eye view perspective to capture images. You don’t have to find a subject first and then look for a higher perspective – you can always find a place to capture bird’s eye view images and then look for a subject. A telephoto lens is extremely useful to pick out details from your bird’s eye view. Be patient and don’t rush.
Cameras with variable adjustable screens on the back that can angle away from the back of the camera are very useful when you want to capture an image from above your head because you can hold the camera up and angle the screen down for you to accurately compose.
What you need:
A mobile device like your phone or an iPad works really well.
If you have a camera with interchangeable lenses, try using a wide angle lens for wider views and a telephoto lens for zooming in on the details.
Remember:
Look for places where you can go to capture images from a higher perspective.
Cameras with variable angle adjustable screens on the back can be useful to help you compose and capture images from different perspectives.
