This Video Explains The Basics Of Low Angle Photo Composition

Your camera’s angle can completely change the look of your photo. When you shoot subjects from a low angle, they tend to look larger and more powerful. In this video, photographer Ted Forbes explains how it works.

As Forbes explains, it’s all about the horizon line. When you draw, you can illustrate dimension by creating horizon lines with vanishing points, like if you were to draw the side of a building. With low angle composition, it’s important to pay attention to these horizon lines. Forbes puts it this way:

When you shoot photographs at low angles, the horizon line drops to the bottom of image, forcing the subject to fill the image in a more dramatic way. Most commonly, this is used to communicate a sense of awe or even authority. Historical and religious subjects, for instance, can take on a sense of power and importance. They are perceived as larger than they are. When we use this point of view, size is emphasised as well. aving people in your image near the bottom not only gives them emphasis without using size but also gives you a point of reference for scale.

Forbes explains the technique in detail, making it easy to figure out how to implement it best. He has even more tips for shooting this way, so be sure to check out the video in full.

PHOTOGRAPHY USING LOW ANGLES [The Art of Photography (YouTube) via PetaPixel]