Using Perspective to Capture Childhood
By Teresa Peterson (@evelynleigh_photo)
By one definition, perspective is a particular way of viewing things that depends on one’s experience and personality. In my opinion, perspective is one of the characteristics that sets apart a photographer’s style and voice. The way a photographer views their subject and conveys the story is told through the angles that they shoot...as they see the story unfolding through the lens.
Be a Kid Too
When I’m photographing my children, I enjoy getting right in the action with my camera. Sometimes this means getting a little messy....or wet. For a sprinkler series I shot, I had started out with my Canon 6D but found that I just wasn’t capturing the joy and excitement that I wanted due to not being able to get right in the action with them. So, with the help of my waterproof Fuji, I was able to get the low and from above point of views that makes the viewer feel as if they are right in the moment. This would not of been conveyed with a shot standing off to the side or further back. When shooting, try to immerse yourself in the moment. Your goal is to capture that emotion at the best angle to be shared through the image.
See the World Through Their Eyes
This simple tip will instantly improve the photos of your children. Try taking photos of your child at their eye level. This may mean bending down, or even laying on the floor. Getting low simplifies the composition and puts the viewer into a different and unique perspective than their everyday viewpoint.
Shoot for the Sky
When shooting, sometimes your goal is to convey the size or distance of your subject. This is when the perspective you shoot can really be fun. Shooting up adds interest and depth to your image. You can get creative with your compositions to exaggerate the size of your child by getting lower than their eye level and shooting upwards.
Remember that with photography, the interesting images are always those that show the viewer something they haven’t seen before, or something from a view they don’t normally see.
Be a Rule Breaker
Ever heard of the “rule” to not shoot down or from above when photographing kids because it makes them appear small? Well, rules are meant to be broken. I knew when I set out to shoot my daughter wearing these bunny ears that I wanted her to appear delicate and innocent. I had tried just a simple straight on portrait but it was lacking interest and depth. By standing above her, I was able to create the shot that pulls the viewer right into her eyes. Photographing kids from above can give an interesting perspective. This angle of view never fails to create an interesting photo, especially if you have time to compose the shot. Invest in a step ladder, climb on furniture, use your viewfinder and hold your camera up high...get creative to get that from above shot!
Sometimes Size Does Matter
When shooting, think about how the lens you are using will impact your shot. A wide angle lens can create the illusion of an exaggerated perspective. There is greater distance between objects in a wide angle photograph and the closer object to the camera will appear bigger. With a telephoto lens, the distance between objects shrinks, causing the size of the objects to decrease. In these two images, one was shot with a 20mm and the other a 85mm.
It’s not Rocket Science
I’m sure none of this is eye-opening or information you haven’t heard before. The important thing to remember is to take the time to explore your subject. Be constantly moving until you find the perspective that best tells the story you are trying to capture. Perspective is one aspect of photography that makes a photographer’s work stand out from the norm because they have practiced and understand how the relationship of objects can impact the viewer. By putting a little thought and creativity into perspective you can dramatically improve the composition of your photos and make your images more appealing.
