It’s all about viewpoint

One trick to make your images more interesting is to avoid shooting them from the “Uncle Fred” 5.5-feet-above-the-ground position.

I demonstrated this the other day to a group of students during a “Composition” class I taught at Henrys School of Imaging in Mississauga.

First, here’s an “Uncle Fred” snap:

Ouch. Brrrr…. bad composition, people in the middle, legs cut off: lots of room for improvement.

So let’s get on a chair:

Note how I also tilted the picture. Why? Well… mainly “to get it all in”. Never be afraid to do this: it helps you compose, but it can also often lead to better pictures, more interesting, more dynamic – and of course you can simplify, this way (get rid of stuff you do not want).

Another viewpoint, finally. This one is also much more interesting than just “from 5.5 ft above the ground”: in this case we get down low. A very different effect:

That one could benefit from a slight repositioning, but I shall explain tomorrow why I shot it the way I shot it.In any case – much better, no?

The first thing I do when I am to shoot a standard event (someone handing over a cheque, say, or cutting a ribbon) is to find a good viewpoint. Uncle Fred’s is not necessarily the one you want.

Your exercise for today: shoot a creative shot (of anything you like) from right-by-the-ground level.

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