Cory Parris Photography

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Improving your photography | Changing your Point of View

A lot of photographs are just plain boring, but they don’t have to be!

The easiest thing to do is to take a snapshot rather than trying to make an image interesting. When I’m on vacation, I am sometimes guilty of this as well. Taking more interesting photographs takes more effort than taking boring photographs. However, it doesn’t have to be a LOT more effort!

When you walk around and talk with your friends, you are most often standing and so are they. So you see them from eye level. You are used to seeing people from eye level as is everyone else, so it makes for a photograph that is less interesting by shooting from a normal standing position. When you are shooting architecture, landscapes and any other image you might want, most of the time you see if from a standing position.

You can easily add interest by a simple change your point of view. Simply by kneeling down and looking up, or by standing on a nearby chair (or just holding your camera over your head) you are creating an image from at different view than what is “normal” for us to see everyday. Also look for things like balconies and stairs to shoot from.

Below are some images that are from different angles than the normal standing position, which make the images more interesting.

Point of view - improving photographic composition

In this image, the bride, Bethany, is shot from above.

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The bride and groom from just above table level (the Meal’s eye view, haha).

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Here I am laying on the ground and shooting up at the bride and groom.

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In this final example, the bride and groom were on a landing on the stairs. I was standing normally from the ground floor level.