Three Angles That Will Bring Your Photos to Life | A Club Click Course
it’s so easy to whip out our camera and snap a photo without even moving our body. sure, when a moment is unfolding quickly, snapping a photo without moving our bodies is the best + right thing to do. however, by moving our bodies just a little bit, we can capture a photo that’s so much more pleasing to the eye. after all, now that you’ve put in the time to learn how your gear works, why not sprinkle a little creativity into your photo and bring it to life? it’s simple. the next time you find yourself reaching for your camera, try shooting with these three angles in mind! you won’t be disappointed!
get up high : shooting from above is one of my favorite things to do. not only is it flattering for your subject, but it’s also an easy way to add softness to your photos. in the first image of my youngest daughter in her crib, the leading lines are visually appealing and they bring her crib to life. this is easily achieved with a wide angle lens but don’t be afraid to grab a chair and stand on it-i’ve done my fair share of dragging our dining room chairs into my daughter’s rooms and i’m never disappointed with the results. the second image is of my youngest daughter sitting in her crib. i shot from above and chose to place my focal point on her legs. by placing my focal point on her legs, her head and upper body fall gently out of focus which creates a soft and dreamy photo.
get down low : and i mean REALLY get down low-like lay on your tummy and rest your chin + camera on the ground low! i tend to forget about this angle + i wish i wouldn’t! it adds such a fresh perspective and much like shooting from above, it can add a real soft touch to your photos. the first image was taken from my daughter’s bedroom doorway as she walked down the hallway. i was laying on the floor with her dress as my focal point. i chose to leave some of our wood floor in the foreground so that it would fall out of focus which was only an option because i was so low to the ground. it also gave me the opportunity to embrace her and my pup’s reflection which adds a bit of visual appeal. the second image was taken in my living room. i approached this photo the same as the last one-i was laying on the ground-leaving much of our living room rug in the foreground. i was trying to capture how tiny my girls were at this moment so i chose to keep the shot pretty wide so that they appeared as tiny as possible amongst our living room decor. getting down low can add a genuine lifestyle feel to your photos so don’t be afraid to lay down on the job!
get eye level with your subject : this is probably the easiest + most common angle that people shoot. and that’s totally okay! it’s natural for us to make eye contact with our subjects while we’re photographing them, so embrace your gaze and bring your camera right down (or up!) to their eye level! be mindful that this may not always be the most flattering angle (remember, shooting from above is always most flattering!) but this angle is certainly powerful! in the first image, i am kneeling to get eye level to my oldest daughter who is standing, to capture her playful glance right into my camera lens. the angle emphasizes her supple cheeks and makes it feel like she’s looking right at you–which is the whole point of this angle. the same can be said for the second image. my youngest daughter was sitting on the ground, so i was sitting on the ground and leaning forward onto my elbows to get to her eye level. again, you’ll feel as if she’s looking right at you, which means i am genuinely capturing her at eye level.
this week i challenge you to grab your camera and snap a photo the way you typically would. then, get up high, get down low, and get eye level with your subject. do you see + feel your images coming to life? experiment with the different angles and see which speaks to you the most! don’t forget to post your images to your social media using the hashtag #ClubClickPic! i can’t wait to see your images!