Shooting from Above or Below

for any camera
One of the common problems with photography of children and pets is that people don't get down on the floor to take them — they shoot downwards and get a very "uninvolved" photo. If you get down on eye level you can get much more engaging images.

dog from ground level

This sequence focuses on how even small changes in angle of view can make a big difference — compare panels 3 and 4 — one is shot from about 3 inches higher than the other, but the change in the way Nicole's face is rendered is very big.

Bottom Line: The angle of the camera to the subject matters, so think about getting on the ground or getting up high.

105mm, f16, studio flash
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Left
Right

Nicole, shot from way below. This angle tends to make people and even some objects look heroic.

This low angle is still somewhat heroic, but now she seems a bit less godly than in panel 1.

Shot from slightly lower than normal — notice that you can see Nicole's chin.

Shot from just about eye height — which seems like the most obvious starting point for a portrait.

Looking slightly down at Nicole: her eyes are much less wide-looking from above, so she seems a bit colder.

Moving higher, her eyes are less visible, her ching is getting smaller.

Higher still, less visible eyes, forehead looming larger than chin.

This is really much higher than anyone would normally use for a photo of a person — you would need a good reason to shoot from up here, like the picture is really about hair, or a about a hat.

Nicole, shot from way below. This angle tends to make people and even some objects look heroic.

This low angle is still somewhat heroic, but now she seems a bit less godly than in panel 1.

Shot from slightly lower than normal — notice that you can see Nicole's chin.

Shot from just about eye height — which seems like the most obvious starting point for a portrait.

Looking slightly down at Nicole: her eyes are much less wide-looking from above, so she seems a bit colder.

Moving higher, her eyes are less visible, her ching is getting smaller.

Higher still, less visible eyes, forehead looming larger than chin.

This is really much higher than anyone would normally use for a photo of a person — you would need a good reason to shoot from up here, like the picture is really about hair, or a about a hat.