A theme of alternative perspectives jumped out at me in the Grad’s group this week… specifically there were lots of gorgeous images where they gave big consideration to their angles and shot either looking up or looking down, instead of at eye level.

A rookie mistake when first getting into photography is to shoot everything at your own standing height, regardless of whether the angle works for the subject. But take a moment to consider what you want to highlight about your subject, and be more purposeful about the way you frame the shot. The result can be a much more powerful image that stops the viewer in their scrolling for a proper look!

Alongisde our featured Grad images today, we’re sharing some tips so you’ll know what to ask yourself when you’re trying to decide the best angle to shoot from.

Congrats to our featured Grads! Check it out and grab the tips…

 

What a beautiful way to convey connection and vulnerability. Any other angle would have made it hard to capture that little hand resting on mum, and that face, peaceful and safe as she sleeps.

Related: Lifestyle Newborn Photography

 

This angle was the perfect way to showcase her play, and the detail on the mat adds a sense of fun and whimsy to the shot.

Related: When to Shoot From Above

If you make a point of taking notice of food photography and the angles used, you’ll find most are shot directly above and down, or from a 45 degree angle such as this one. It’s the best way to show off the detail and marbling in that steak.

Related: Food Photography Beginners Guide

 

This top down shot doesn’t just show off the glorious detail of all this fresh produce, but there’s so much depth as a result. What’s more, what a fantastic composition in terms of colour as this angle makes a hero of all the different colours. If it was shot straight on, the focus on the veg behind the tomatoes would fall away and be less of a feature.

 

No other angle could highlight those little hands gripping the teddy, the teddy’s face and baby’s face all in one shot like this frame has achieved.

Related: Photography Tips for a Dark House

 

Getting down low and shooting up is a great way to frame out any elements in the environment that might create a distraction from the main subject, especially when capturing  architectural details. Oh and sidenote: shooting reflections through windows, doors, puddles etc, is a great way to add depth and a more interesting frame.

This post below contains loads of tips around how to capture architecture for visually powerful imagery.

Related: Travel & Landscape Photography Guide

 

This angle gave Kristen the opportunity to create a stunning bokeh backdrop. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s also a great way to frame out any clutter that might have been in the surroundings, and this is especially often the case at playgrounds.

Related: Blurred Backgrounds with a Kit Lens

 

This one is a no brainer (well it is to us at CLG!)… Kirsty wanted to highlight his home schooling activity, and by shooting down directly on his work, we can clearly see what he’s doing. The fact it’s a faceless portrait conveys his concentration on his work.

Related: Tips for Capturing Everyday Moments

 

This angle is working in lots of ways – its allowed her to use the sky as backdrop which not only looks amazing, but it frames out the inevitable surrounding clutter that comes with playground photos. It conveys a sense of fun, and the tops of the trees shows us he’s up high.

Related: How to Take Great Photos of Your Kids at the Playground

 

Similarly, this shot uses the same compositional concept but the other way around… the water and pool floor works as a clean backdrop.

Related:
12 Fun Summer Photo Ideas for Kids
7 Ways to Capture Your Kids Outdoors

Elevate yourself from a second floor location for a bird’s eye view and a much more powerful composition than you’d get at ground level.

 

Just like the image above, shooting at this angle allowed these photographers to use the sky for a clean backdrop and that ensures their subject shines as the obvious focal point.

 

What’s the hero of the scene here at the Bondi Sea Baths? It’s open to interpretation… you could highlight the architecture, the swimmers and their shadows, the waves crashing against the wall. But in this instance, Sally chose to showcase the colour, and this was the most effective way to do it.

 

A different kind of angle for a maternity shot, and a gorgeous way to showcase that bump.

Related: Maternity Session Posing Tips & Prompts

 

This angle was the perfect decision to capture that very cute curl. The bubbles convey the fun being had in this daily ritual.

Related: Bubble Photos

 

I mean, that face, on the cusp between sleep and waking. There was no other angle that would have captured it as perfectly as this one did.

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