10 Top Ways To Use Different Angles In Your Photography

Words by Emma Kay.

There's more to taking photos than standing or crouching. Here's ten ways to change your view...

1. Sit down

Be it on the floor, or on a seat, sitting immediately gives you a lower perspective and therefore new photo opportunities. Trees and people for example, can tower over you when sat down for that overbearing feel. Often photographing young children looks more natural from a seated position too, as you're at their level rather than shooting down on them.

2. Climb up high

Head for the nearest tower or hill to get a stunning view of a town or landscape below you. Capturing the rolling landscape around you in a panorama can also look stunning.

3. Go out to sea

Take your camera (be careful if it's not waterproof!) and walk out into the sea, turning round to face the beach. If you don't fancy getting wet, just walk towards the water and stand at the edge, shooting up the beach rather than out to sea as most people do. You could also get on a boat of some sort and see what spectacular pictures of the coast you can get while out there. An organised boat trip will also give you a fantastic opportunity to capture some amazing wildlife photos while you're at it, too.

Photo by David Clapp - www.davidclapp.co.uk

4. Go underwater

If you have the right equipment, shooting underwater is well worth a try. You don't even have to go diving, you could simply buy an underwater camera and have a go in a pool or at the beach in shallower water. This is a fun one for kids to have a go at, too.

5. Take a stepladder with you

It might sound silly but if you're trying to take photos at a busy event where there's a big crowd, you'll be able to shoot above them. It will help you avoid getting people's heads in shots and give you a great opportunity to get a general overview of the scene. A step/ladder will also get you closer to items that are slightly too high for you to shoot from the ground and offer a slightly alternative angle to everyday objects that are shot straight on generally.

6. Hold your camera up high

This may sound the same as taking a step ladder along with you but it will, again, give you a different perspective of the scene. We like Samsung's EX1 for this, as it has a fully rotational touch screen, that's great for seeing what you're shooting.

Photo by David Clapp - www.davidclapp.co.uk

7. Go wide

Why settle for a standard 4 x 6 shot when you can shoot a panorama? With built in panorama modes, such as the one available on the Samsung NX11, it's now easier than ever to take these wider shots. All you have to do is select the Panorama Mode and sweep your camera in the direction you want to create your panorama. The camera then stitches the images together so you have a sweeping shot of the scene you're shooting.

8. Lie down

Again, this can get you some funny looks but it's worth it as you'll get an ant's eye view that can give surprisingly good photographic results. Use a small aperture to maximise depth of field and keep an eye on your exposure if you're including the sky in your shot. This position is also great for macro and close up shots of insects and plants, and any other small items on the ground.

9. Use reflections

Reflections can be great tools for changing perspective. As well as the obvious choices such as landscapes reflected in mirror-like lakes, look for puddles you can reflect people with brollys in, new buildings made of glass which can reflect slightly older structures and more abstract shots when the winds blowing so the water's surface isn't still.

10. Shoot from under/below things

This involves positioning your camera so it's low to the ground but facing up towards the sky. This can produce some great images of flowers, for example, as it make it look like they're leaning over your lens and provides a unique opportunity to get a lot of sky in the picture too.

Find out more about Samsung's products by clicking these links: Samsung NX11 Digital Camera Samsung NX11 Review On ePHOTOzine Samsung 18-55mm NX Standard Zoom Lens Samsung NX Accessories Samsung NX Lenses Samsung NX Cameras