Different angles to improve your photos

We’ve all heard the expression, “look at it from a different angle.” This phrase is generally uttered by someone who is trying to get you to see the bright side of a situation you aren’t particularly excited about. However, it is great advice to keep in mind when shooting photos.

Have you ever noticed that professional photographs are rarely taken from the standing eye-level position? That’s because the pros know that

using different angles when shooting photos greatly enhance their composition and creative elements.

Even the plainest of subjects can appear much more interesting if the photograph is taken from a unique angle. With a few simple adjustments, you can turn your photos into your own creative masterpieces. Try some of these approaches:

Take a knee.

Dropping to one knee and shooting slightly upward at your subject can add a unique perspective to your photo. It can also help to eliminate unwanted clutter in the background of the shot, like a crowd of people at a tourist attraction. Dropping to a knee and shooting upward also brings out a beautiful sky in an outdoor shot, which enhances the appearance of your subject.

Or, try this one:

lay on your back and shoot straight up.

It doesn’t have to be a circle of people standing above you, although that is usually a very fun group shot. No matter what the subject is, you will be amazed at how this simple action will spice up your shot.

Along the same lines, get the camera above the subject and shoot downward.

This can also help to eliminate an unattractive background, and provide a flash of artistic flair to the shot. Just don’t break any rules or put yourself in danger by climbing things you aren’t supposed to climb!

Changing the angle of your shot can also improve the performance of your subject, especially children.

Seeing you move around into funny positions to take a picture will usually cause a wonderful smiling reaction, and really bring out their emotion – much more so than shooting straight at them and saying “1, 2, 3…cheese!”

Another thing to try is

tilting your camera left, right, forward, or backward, so that the horizon appears diagonally, instead of horizontally.

This adds depth to your photo’s composition, and your audience will be intrigued with how you show something they see all the time – the ground – at an angle they rarely see it from.

With some simple angle adjustments, even the most normal subject can make for a captivating photograph. The world is much more beautiful and interesting when seen from different angles!