when using a camera professional or compact, most people simply hold it at eye level, look at the scene through the viewfinder or LCD, and shoot. However, varying the camera height to get high- angle and low-angle viewpoints not only adds visual variety to your pictures, it can also help create depth in your shots.

In particular, a low-angle shooting position can prove a useful way to create a more dynamic, three-dimensional image. With tall buildings, the viewpoint is usually imposed upon you, and the tilted camera creates parallel lines that converge upward, creating a feeling of depth through linear perspective. But with shorter subjects, such as people, the same approach can be used to give them a stronger physical presence—simply kneel or lie down on the ground, or use a camera with a flip-out LCD and hold it down low, to get the necessary angle.

A high viewpoint, on the other hand, gives a bird’s-eye view of the world—both literally and metaphorically, you get a feeling of looking down on the subject. 

 


LOOKING FOR HEIGHT
Whatever you are photographing, it is always worth trying to find a vantage point that will let you shoot the subject from above. Look for balconies, benches, and bridges you can stand on to gain height. This often allows you to find less cluttered backgrounds 

 

 


UP IN THE AIR
An aircraft provides the ultimate in high-level viewpoints—giving an almost two- dimensional view of the world below.  

 


Selective viewpoint

To depict something in a photograph you may choose to have a specific focal point in the composition. 


High viewpoint 


Low viewpoint

Shooting directly upward produces an extreme viewpoint, which conveys the immense size of whatever you are photographing