Christmas is fast approaching! I think I say this every year, but each day is hurtling by. Since December is a time when many of us are gathered with family and snapping photos, here are a few tips to improve your photography game.
Lower your angle
Kneeling or crouching so your phone or camera is of a similar height to your subject makes such a difference, especially when photographing children. In the first photo below, I photographed these children standing above them. I’m not that tall, so the angle of my camera to their faces wasn’t that steep. The taller the you are, the steeper the angle will be, so it will almost feel like you’re photographing from above. While not always the case, that steep angle can result in a slightly ominous feel to your photo.
In this second photo, I crouched so that I was on level with the kids. The difference can be subtle, but in my opinion, the second photo makes for a more professional image. Getting down on the level of your subject causes the viewer to feel immersed in the image and a part of the action. The image feels a little more friendly.
I suggest playing around with the height you photograph from, no matter what the subject of your photo may be! Try squatting vs. standing on tip-toe and see how different the images look.
This holds true for landscapes as well! Try taking your photo from ground level. For the photo below, I crouched down and the result is a greater sense of scale than if I had taken the photo from my standing eye level.
Try Rule of Thirds
This is my favorite tool ever for composing a photograph! I’ve used Rule of Thirds composition at almost every photoshoot I’ve ever done. Think of your photo being divided into thirds vertically and/or horizontally. Rather than placing the subject of your photo smack-dab in the middle of the image, try moving your camera so the subject is near one of those one-third lines instead.
I’ve added light blue lines to the photos below so you can see what I mean.
Rule of Thirds works for landscapes as well! The photo above is horizontally divided into thirds while the photo below is divided vertically.
In the photo below, the horizon line is two-thirds of the way up the photo, instead of the more common half-way mark. That little change can make a big difference. This photo combines a lower angle and Rule of Thirds.
Using Rule of Thirds doesn’t mean there’s never an occasion to center your subject in the photo! Centering can give an image so much impact. I suggest checking out your composition options before you take the photo. Shift your camera or phone to the right or left slightly to see if you like the resulting image better than a centered one. Conscious composition choices make for better photographs!
