Adopt Different Perspectives
The design of digital cameras has changed the way we take pictures.
Traditionally, when one mentioned a modern photographer, the image one would conjure up would be that of a person walking around, with the camera pressed to his face, eyes looking through the viewfinder and clicking away.
These days, it is more common to find the man-in-the-street holding the camera at arms’ length, peering into the small liquid crystal display before clicking the shutter. Unfortunately, holding the camera at arms’ length is a less stable way to do so. One should therefore be conscious of this limitation if he was to avoid the problem of camera-shake and blurred images.
The LCD screen however, enables the photographer to utilize a variety of new angles that may be hard to achieve traditionally, especially the camera models that come with a “flip-and-twist” preview LCD screen. Want an unusually high angle shot? No problem. Hold the camera overhead, look through the LCD and shoot!
Want to know how the street or alley looks like from a cat’s or dog’s point of view? Place the camera on the floor, compose your shot through the LCD and shoot away.
Utilizing my Canon Powershot G3’s twist-out-and-flip LCD display screen, I was able to compose this low angle shot of palm leaves against the backdrop of the Esplanade Theatre with relative ease (instead of having to adopt weird postures / positions and craning my neck to look through the viewfinder!).
Even if you don’t have a camera that has a versatile, adjustable LCD screen, it pays no harm to explore new camera angles and vantage points from which to take pictures, as long as these perspectives serve a purpose in enhancing the impact of your shot.
A change in perspective can commonly yield refreshing looks at a subject that most people might find quite ordinary, such as this spiral staircase located at Bugis Village, Singapore. And adopting such angles is quite simple these days with digital cameras and their adjustable liquid crystal display screens!
A personal favourite angle of mine for candid shots is from a high vantage point. Not only does a higher angle give an unusual view, the background composition tends to be cleaner with less distracting elements. Best of all, your subjects are less aware of your presence. The action you capture will definitely be candid from such an angle!
One of my favourite angles for candid shots is this overhead approach. This angle not only allows you to easily avoid distracting elements in the background, the high angle gives an unusual perspective of things and allows you to catch candid moments without the subjects being aware that they are being photographed!
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