Table of Contents
The art of photography is the art of capturing the moment. Whether a photographer is looking taking pictures for an assignment or for personal leisure, the picture still has to tell a story.
In this respect, photography can be divided into two aspects. Is the photograph a picture? Or is it merely a snapshot?
The differences are huge. Simply put, a snapshot is a photograph taken with no consideration of where the camera is in relation to the subject. A picture is different, the picture has a purpose. Its purpose is to be seen by an audience and in doing so, compel that audience to pass judgement on the picture.
Taking Pictures Using a High or Low Point of View
The easiest and most used way to achieve viewpoints in photography is by using height. By taking advantage of high and low angles, photographers can drastically affect the picture’s ultimate effect.
Shoot low. Shooting from a low angle emphasizes the power of the subject. It forces the eyes to look up at a subject taller than the point of view, giving the subject the impression of superiority or authority. Moving up to the subject is a simple trick to achieve a low angle, although sometimes this can mean laying chest-down on the ground; whatever works.
Looking Down at the Subject
Shoot high. Shooting from a position of high angle can make a subject seem powerless or anonymous. Often this technique is used to take pictures of urban areas, especially crowds or places with large but essential backgrounds. This method can also be applied to keep the sky out of the picture, which will especially affect exposure in daylight.
Additionally, shooting from a high angle gives the point of view a survey of the subject’s background. Remember how it’s easier to shoot a low angle close to the subject? The same is true for high angle shots, a closer distance improves the picture’s effect.
Often height problems can be solved by dragging a small stool to stand on, allowing the photographer to position a high angle anywhere around the subject. Sometimes this can mean climbing onto a nearby building to give the camera a little extra height.
Vertical vs Horizontal Framing
One of the most common mistakes of beginning photographers is the way the camera is held. Most amateur photographers shoot pictures from a horizontal angle; that is, they hold the camera with the shutter button facing up.
Filling the Frame
Photographing a subject with a vertical frame gives the photographer a better chance to play with the picture’s point of view. Although digital editing has taken a lot of the necessity out of framing, the quality of the raw image should still always be considered first.
By filling the frame of the photograph, the photographer uses all his available space to capture as much detail as possible. This ensures the detail is there in the first shot, without any additional editing, enlarging or sharpening. Often this can be as simple as zooming into the subject or by moving closer.
Why Shoot Vertical?
Shooting the picture vertically provides better framing for the picture and reduces the need for cropping later on. The key is focus. A vertical frame gives better focus on the central subject. Although everyone’s idea of what exactly focus means is different, the key most beginning photographers should remember is: living things.
That’s right. The focus should be alive; preferably a human but animals and plants are acceptable. Most living things in nature are small enough to observe without turning the head. In practical situations, that would mean only shooting in vertical at all times, unless for some reason the subject requires a horizontal frame to fit inside the picture.
Where a horizontal picture would feel constrained or unfocused, a vertical image provides an ample view of the sky, the earth, the subject and nothing more. It is about visual impact. A tall, bold image is simply more powerful than a short, squatty image and if a horizontal shot can be substituted with a vertical shot, by all means, it should.
Why Shoot Horizontal?
Exceptions would be landscapes, group or team photos or inanimate objects such as buildings. For example: a picture of the Great Wall of China would be better taken in horizontal for obvious reasons.
Conclusion
Experiment. Without experimenting with photography, it is considerably more difficult to identify the difference between a snapshot and a picture. Try to find a interesting point of view to suit who or what the subject is. Choose a point of view that tells a story and makes the observer look for more information in the picture. As they say, a picture is worth a 1000 words.
Although usually reserved for inanimate objects, the choice of shooting in horizontal is ultimately up to the user. Consider what a wider picture adds to the subject. Does a horizontal shot add more to the picture? Does it add too much and make the image lose focus? Is the subject’s background a vast landscape, or is it a tall tree?
However: when in doubt, shoot vertical first.