A beginner in photography usually tends to shoot almost everything at eye-level. It is only natural since we tend to take pictures while standing most of the time and the camera is placed at our eye-level when we peek at its viewfinder. The resulting pictures, though, may look unexciting and familiar. This is because it is at this angle we normally view the world.
Simply changing the camera angle we can introduce a different perspective, sometimes a unique angle and a fresh view that can make a world of difference in the impact of our shots.
How to change the camera angle to the level other than eye-level can be as easy as lying low on the ground or climbing up a flight of steps. However, an unusual camera angle can imply various meanings that affect how a viewer interprets the shot. It also has a direct effect on compositional perspective.
Penang City Council Building
I chose an angle lower than eye level to shoot this majestic colonial building and tilted my camera upwards to make it look more dominant and perhaps larger. The passing motorbike was included to give a sense of scale.
My daughter Aishah while she was 2 years old
When photographing kids always shoot at their eye level. By doing that they will respond better to you because you are at their eye level instead of looking up at you.
A lotus bloom
Sometimes, when a subject is surrounded by distracting elements which cannot be physically removed from the scene, shooting it at low angle is a good trick to keep the subject in the shot while keeping those distractions out of the frame.
View from the peak of Genting Highland (about 2000m from sea level)
Shopping frenzy
I shot this at a higher level to show the pattern formed by colourful clothes on sale and the frenetic activities of shopping. I wouldn’t be able to present this scene had I shot it at eye-level.
Tea plantation in Cameron Highlands
I preferred to shoot this vast landscape of tea plantation at higher level to emphasize its vastness.
A blue bow
Fish silhouette
