PLAY WITH PERSPECTIVE

Understand how changing your shooting height and depth of field can impact the perspective

Perspective is a huge part of composition that is often overlooked. It’s all to do with what you include in the frame, the spacing between objects or your foreground and background, and also the distance of the camera to the floor. Many of the pictures we take are shot at head height, but simply crouching down or reaching up can change your perspective massively. Many digital cameras now employ articulating LCD screens, making it much easier to compose at these awkward angles, and it’s a simple and quick way of giving your shots a completely different look. A simple change of shooting height can also make your subject look more or less dominant by introducing a high or low angle, which alters the mood of the shot.

Including something substantial in the foreground is often described as adding foreground interest. It’s a great way of anchoring your image and providing some depth between the front and back areas of your shot. If you do choose to include some foreground interest, it’s worth experimenting with how close you get to it to make it larger or smaller in the frame. Many photographers opt to get really close to their foreground interest and use a super-wide-angle lens to change the perspective. You may actually find it easier to compose your landscapes in the portrait orientation when including foreground interest, as this will enable your foreground to take up all of the lower third of your image.

Simply crouching down or reaching up can change your perspective

massively