Fine Art Photography

BIRD'S EYE/WORM'S EYE VIEWS

You'll be pleasantly surprised at how a change in camera angle can enhance and add impact to your photographs. A bird's eye view or a worm’s eye view can give you a perspective not obtainable in any other way.

Finding a rise or hilltop from which to shoot that serene farmland pastoral will reward you with a picture you just can't get by photographing head-on. All the intimacies of the scene will come together like no other angle will give you.

Even try shooting the next family gathering from atop a stool or chair to produce an exciting aspect you can’t get by standing on the floor.

Carmello Spano was able to locate a high vantage point in order to capture this dramatic bird's eye view of this castle in §icily. By placing the castle low in the composition, Carmello was able to add the distant mountains.

As in all good photography, compose carefully by placing the elements in the scene in the strongest position of the viewfinder. Expose properly and the shot is yours.

Bird's eye photographs can be just as effective. It may require climbing up something to get the right angle, but so what?...just do it!

Picture an old barn, for example, surrounded by a field of tall Queens Ann Lace. Standing in the field will produce just an ordinary shot. But kneeling down in the field to effectively "raise" the Queens Ann Lace into the sky will reward you with an extraordinary photograph. Or consider shooting through that rustic old fence rather than over it for more impact-filled results.

As always, close attention must be paid to depth-of-field. For maximum results, everything should be sharp and in focus from front to back. Often a small aperture will give you the results you want.

For unusual portraits of some of your friends, try photographing them from the ground looking up.

The important thing is to experiment, use your imagination and have fun. Low and especially high camera angles are not just for the birds!