The role of camera position in photography
An important, and often overlooked, part of photography is camera placement. Once you have identified your subject, determined the light is right, etc. where do you take the shot from? For many, this will be at their eye level. But is this where you should normally be shooting from?
The height that you place the camera at can have a huge impact on your photo. The 3 photos below are all of the same scene taken with the same settings. The only difference is the height of the camera. The first was taken at eye level, the middle taken from a kneeling position and the third shot with the camera only a few inches off the ground.
You can see how the relationship between the plant in the foreground and the bluffs in the background changes as the camera position is lowered. In the photo on the far right, the distance between foreground and background is compressed and the lake in the center is largely hidden. The plant in the foreground is larger and more prominent with the lower camera position. So which camera placement is correct? Well that depends on the photograph you where trying to create. You shouldn't always shoot with the camera inches from the ground...just like you shouldn't always shoot with the camera at eye level. Next time you go out to take some photos and you notice yourself shooting from eye level stop and ask if that is really what you wanted to do and if that will give you the photo you are after. Always shooting from eye level is an easy habit to get into.
Another habit that can trap you with camera placement is always shooting at the height your tripod is set at. It is easy to walk up to a scene set your tripod up and just start shooting. Find your optimal camera position first, then put your camera on the tripod, that way you don't let the tripod dictate your shooting position.
Another thing to consider with regards to camera position is shooting in the horizontal or vertical orientation. It can be easy to get in the habit of always shooting with the camera in the horizontal position, but again this may not be the best. Some subjects just work better with a vertical camera position, things like trees for example may work better with a vertical shot rather than a horizontal shot. Changing the camera orientation can give a photo a completely different feeling.
The next time you are out taking some photos, pay attention to where you are placing the camera and if you are always shooting with the camera in the horizontal camera position. Try experimenting shooting with the camera at different heights and with the camera held both horizontal and vertical.
The height that you place the camera at can have a huge impact on your photo. The 3 photos below are all of the same scene taken with the same settings. The only difference is the height of the camera. The first was taken at eye level, the middle taken from a kneeling position and the third shot with the camera only a few inches off the ground.
You can see how the relationship between the plant in the foreground and the bluffs in the background changes as the camera position is lowered. In the photo on the far right, the distance between foreground and background is compressed and the lake in the center is largely hidden. The plant in the foreground is larger and more prominent with the lower camera position. So which camera placement is correct? Well that depends on the photograph you where trying to create. You shouldn't always shoot with the camera inches from the ground...just like you shouldn't always shoot with the camera at eye level. Next time you go out to take some photos and you notice yourself shooting from eye level stop and ask if that is really what you wanted to do and if that will give you the photo you are after. Always shooting from eye level is an easy habit to get into.
Another habit that can trap you with camera placement is always shooting at the height your tripod is set at. It is easy to walk up to a scene set your tripod up and just start shooting. Find your optimal camera position first, then put your camera on the tripod, that way you don't let the tripod dictate your shooting position.
Another thing to consider with regards to camera position is shooting in the horizontal or vertical orientation. It can be easy to get in the habit of always shooting with the camera in the horizontal position, but again this may not be the best. Some subjects just work better with a vertical camera position, things like trees for example may work better with a vertical shot rather than a horizontal shot. Changing the camera orientation can give a photo a completely different feeling.
The next time you are out taking some photos, pay attention to where you are placing the camera and if you are always shooting with the camera in the horizontal camera position. Try experimenting shooting with the camera at different heights and with the camera held both horizontal and vertical.
Labels: camera orientation, camera placement, photography, techniques, tips
posted by Scott at
6:15 PM
3 Comments:
Great idea Scott. I thought about including a few little tips and techniques in my blog but I just never follow through and hardly write enough on my blog as it is. I look forward to reading more and best of luck.
Thanks Matt! I've been planning on doing this for ages, but just now getting around to it, like you said it is hard enough to up posting photos to my blog, but I'm going to try and stick with it...hopefully it will do somebody some good!
One thought is what Ed Cooley mentioned about his blog and have guest contributors from time to time.
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