[Digital camera technique] Taking a looking up shot (low-angle composition) raised the level of photography!

English

Hello! I’m Yocean.

This time, I would like to talk about the fact that just by changing the shooting angle (even with the same object), the appearance will be changed greatly.

Have you ever wondered how to shoot the object that you feel like shooting with your smartphone or camera?

When I was a complete beginner, I took a lot of completely ordinary pictures because I really didn’t know what to do. (lol)

However, I learned various shooting angles and continued my shooting activities, and then I gradually became able to take good pictures.

So, this time, I would like to introduce a method to raise your level as a photographer by using “low angle” as an example.

Beginner A
Beginner A

I took a picture with a single-lens camera, but I do not think it is powerful enough.

Beginner B
Beginner B

How do I get an Instagrammable photo?

If you have such dissatisfaction or questions, please read this article.

By changing the shooting angle a little, you can take way better photos than before.

Please take a look!

Bad examples which taken without thinking

First, I show you two photos taken without thinking as bad examples.

The first one is a photo of a historical building with cherry blossoms, where I found near Nara-park in the early spring.

Historical building (eye-level)

The building itself is wonderful, but it looks like an ordinary photo as if it was taken in my spare time, doesn’t it?

Next, the second one focuses on two sleeping deer in Nara-park.

Sleeping deer (eye-level)

The object is also perfect, but this photo (in which centered composition was simply used) looks like amateur-ish, doesn’t it?

Good examples which taken from low-angle

Then, let’s see what happens when these two photos are shot from low-angle.

The first one is the building photo I showed you above.

Please note that the photo was retouched by using Photoshop to make it more beautiful. (lol)

Historical building (low-angle)
FUJIFILM X-T20, XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS,
Focal Length 20mm, F-Number 2.8, SS 1/750, ISO-200

This photo was taken with the camera put on the ground, and I was looking up at the building through the lens.

By doing so, the whole building got captured in the photo, and that made the photo more powerful.

In addition, the cherry blossom petals that fell on the ground also got in the photo, giving us more spring-like feeling.

Next photo is of sleeping two deer.

Sleeping deer (low-angle)
FUJIFILM X-T20, XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS,
Focal Length 55mm, F-Number 4.0, SS 1/350, ISO-200

I took this photo from low-angle, holding my camera as close to the ground as possible.

If you lower down the height of the lens to the level with deer’ eyes, the people who see your photo will feel like they are close to the deer.

At that time, I was luckily able to put the cherry blossoms in full bloom behind the deer as a background.

This cherry blossom added the information that the spring day was so nice that deer dozed off without knowing.

In these photos, the subjects are exactly the same, but the impact of the viewer has changed significantly just by changing the angle.

What are the tips to improve your photos?

Actually, people who are not accustomed to shooting tend to hold their smartphone or camera at eye level when taking pictures.

In case of that, the camera is at a high position (the height of the photographer’s eyes), and the photographer will be looking down the object.

As a result, the subject will be smaller and the model’s legs will be shorter than expected.

High-angle (in a position to look down) has the effect of making the subject smaller.

Low-angle (in a position to look up) has the effect of making the subject larger.

On the other hand, professional photographers or people who are good at photography are often tilting the camera and crouching while looking through the viewfinder in order to find “the best angle for the subject“.

You might feel that people around you think you are a bit weird when you crouch down with a camera in the city, but it’s very important for the photographer “to move around and find out the best angle“.

Why don’t you take a photo of the subject that inspired you without worrying about what others think?

I’m sure you can take great pictures.

Take pictures with your legs!” means “Move around and bring out the charm of the object!” in Japan.

My best shot from low-angle

This is my best shot I took at Nara-park on that day.

Spring moment in Nara seen after the rain
FUJIFILM X-T20, XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS,
Focal Length 55mm, F-Number 4.0, SS 1/60, ISO-200

In this photo, shooting from low-angle made the puddle mirror-like and brought out the nice scene that the deer were eating new leaves.

Low-angle goes well with water such as puddles or lakes etc., so I recommend you to aim for reflection after the rain.

Summary

  • Even if the subject is the same, the appearance will be completely changed if you arrange the shooting angle.
  • High-angle causes the effect of making the appearance smaller.
  • Low-angle causes the effect of making the appearance larger.
  • Advanced photographers are always thinking about the shooting angle.
  • Low-angle is especially suitable for shooting reflection photos of puddles.

That’s all. Thanks for your reading to the end.

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