Peruvian children looking at camera

Tired of the same old portraits? The quickest way to get out of a photo rut is to change your camera angle. Here are some suggestions for spicing up your photos:

  • Get down on the ground and shoot at the lowest point you can. Horizontally or straight up—you’d be surprised how the world opens up.
  • Reach high, or better yet, climb stairs. Get to a high vantage point, and shoot down on streets or crowds of people.
  • Use unconventional lenses. Using a telephoto in a crowd gets you to think close-up portraits. Super-wide angles get you to think in terms of new compositions. A fish-eye lens allows you to see the humor in things.
  • Find objects that can be used to “frame” subjects.

For each of these new angles, you might be thinking: how do you look through the viewfinder when you’re holding the camera high up, or when you’re down on the ground? The answer: you don’t. Just start shooting and review photos later for the best ones.

–Image and photo tip by Dan Heller from his book Digital Travel Photography

Join Dan Heller on the August 21st departure of the Iceland Expedition or on the August 30th departure of Hiking Norway’s Fjord Country.

Write A Comment