The angle that you shoot from will have a huge impact on your iPhone photos. Most people just shoot from standing height, looking straight ahead. But there are so many other perspectives that will capture your subject in a more interesting way. Our students in the iPhone Photo Masters course have been experimenting with perspective for their composition assignment, and in this article you’ll learn from their photos and discover how you can shoot more unique iPhone photos by changing your point of view.
Evelyne Sieber – iPhone Photo Masters Student
1. Shoot From Above
Ashwin Prasad – iPhone Photo Masters Student
If you pay attention to what’s on the ground, a whole new world of photographic opportunities will open up to you. Not only will you find interesting subjects like the leaves in this photo, but it also allows you to create cleaner and simpler compositions.
Shooting straight down at the ground allows you to easily eliminate distracting background elements from your photo. By filling the frame with just the ground, all of the viewer’s attention is placed onto your subject.
Additionally, the ground provides you with a neutral background for your subject. For maximum visual impact, look for subjects that contrast with the background, such as yellow autumn leaves on green grass or gray concrete.
I really like the way Ashwin has included the black railings in this photo too. It adds an extra element of pattern and interest to the image.
2. Shoot From A Low Angle
Mim Keo – iPhone Photo Masters Student
Shooting from a very low angle is an excellent way of capturing a scene from a different perspective. This “worm’s eye view” shows us the world from a viewpoint that we don’t normally see.
By holding the iPhone as close to the ground as possible, Mim has placed maximum emphasis on the leaves in the foreground. Your eyes are instantly drawn to the wonderful color and texture of the leaves.
It’s the fallen leaves that really tell the story in this photo, but if it had been shot from standing height, this fantastic detail would never have been captured.
Shooting from a low angle also helps to add depth to the scene. The foreground objects help to lead the eye from the front of the image into the distance.
3. Look Up
Patricia Clewell – iPhone Photo Masters Student
We often miss what’s directly above us because we’re so focused on what’s in front of us at our own eye level. But if you get into the habit of looking up, you’ll be rewarded with some fantastic photo opportunities.
Sky makes a wonderful background for your iPhone photography subjects, especially if it’s a vibrant blue color. The easiest way to get more sky behind your subject is to shoot from a low angle, looking up at your subject.
Having more sky behind your subject helps to eliminate distracting backgrounds. And the neutral backdrop helps define the shape of your subject, especially if the color of the subject contrasts with the color of the sky.
I love the color contrast that Patricia has captured in this image. The warm orange color of the stone building contrasts beautifully with the vibrant blue of the sky.
4. Shoot From Behind
Nan Carle Beauregard – iPhone Photo Masters Student
We usually try to capture our subject from the front, especially when we’re photographing people. But you don’t always have to include your subject’s face in a photo.
Nan found a great location here, and including a person in the shot adds a strong focal point. But what I really love about this image is that she chose to photograph her subject from behind.
She could have taken the more typical tourist-style shot with her subject smiling at the camera. However, this picture of the person bracing themselves against the wind while they take their own photo tells a much more compelling story.
Photographing your subject from behind is the perfect way to create a sense of mystery in your images. If their face is hidden from view, it’ll make the viewer more intrigued about who this person is.
It’s also a great technique to try out in street photography as it allows you to photograph strangers more discreetly. Why not give it a go next time you’re shooting out in the street?
5. Shoot Through Foreground Objects
Janet Cashin – iPhone Photo Masters Student
Shooting through an object in the foreground is a really creative way tell a story with your photo. By taking this picture through a bakery window, Janet has managed to capture several layers of interest.
First of all we have the French writing on the window which gives us some context to the picture. Then we have the wonderful shapes and textures of the loaves of bread behind the window.
And finally we can see the bakers working in the background. While the people appear quite small within the scene, our eye is drawn to them because they’re framed by the writing on the window.
Janet’s decision to take this photo through the window has allowed her to tell an interesting story using multiple layers of visual elements within the scene.
6. Include Foreground Interest In Landscapes
Stella Oliver – iPhone Photo Masters Student
The perspective that you shoot from when capturing landscapes is extremely important. To create a sense of depth in your photo, you should always try to include interesting elements in the foreground of your composition.
When shooting landscapes there are so many places that you could stand to take the picture, so you should always explore the area to find the best angle and viewpoint.
Stella made a great choice with her shooting position when taking this photo. She used the ripples in the sand to create leading lines that draw your eye from the foreground to the pier in the distance.
She also used the reflections in the wet sand and puddles to create areas of light and color in an otherwise dark foreground.
Shooting from a low angle allowed her to emphasize the foreground detail, creating a stronger sense of depth and extra visual interest throughout the image.
7. Capture Close-Ups
Luis Fernandez – iPhone Photo Masters Student
If you want to capture the intricate detail and texture of your subject, you need to shoot from a close perspective. If you shoot from too far away, the photo won’t have the impact you’d hoped for.
Get close, and fill all or most of the frame with your subject. With a photo like this one, it doesn’t matter that you don’t include the entire object. In fact, it often creates more impact if the edges of your subject meet with the edges of the frame.
By capturing this flower from a close perspective, Luis has created a striking image that places emphasis on the shapes, lines, colors and textures of the petals and water droplets.
When taking close-ups, the depth of field will be very shallow so only part of your image might be in sharp focus. It’s therefore essential that you tap to set focus on the most important part of the scene.
If you want to take extreme close-ups, you’ll need to use an add-on macro lens which allows you to focus closer than the iPhone’s built-in lens.
8. Shoot From The Level Of Your Subject
Janet Cashin – iPhone Photo Masters Student
If you’re photographing children or pets, think carefully about the angle that you shoot from. If you shoot from the height of a standing adult, you might not be able to capture their facial expressions and other important details.
By getting down to the level of the subject, Janet has captured the expression on this cat’s face, as well as detail in the texture of its fur.
Shooting from this particular viewpoint also allowed her to use the cat’s front legs as leading lines. This adds depth to the image, drawing the eye from the front of the scene toward the cat’s face.
9. Include Juxtaposing Objects
Luis Fernandez – iPhone Photo Masters Student
Juxtaposition in photography is the act of placing contrasting objects side by side. For example, old and new, smooth and rough, etc.
Juxtaposition allows you to make a seemingly ordinary subject or scene much more interesting. And that’s exactly what Luis has done in this photo.
He could have taken an ordinary photo of these buildings, or an ordinary photo of this rose against the plain sky. But instead he chose to shoot from a position where he could include both of these subjects within the frame.
The delicate and irregular-shaped flower contrasts wonderfully with the geometric shapes and lines of the buildings.
Whenever you’re photographing a scene, look around to see if you could include any contrasting elements to create juxtaposition. It often means shooting from a particular angle so that you can include both elements within the frame.
10. Get Creative
Ashwin Prasad – iPhone Photo Masters Student
Will all of the above points in mind, try to be as creative as you can when choosing your shooting angle and viewpoint. The more unique you make your shot, the more impact it’s likely to have.
This photo really stood out to me because Ashwin has taken a classic look-up silhouette shot of a tree, and then added an extra twist.
Including a person in front of the tree, and shooting from this particular angle, makes it appear as if the tree is growing out of the person’s head.
The more you experiment with different shooting angles, viewpoints and perspectives, the more creative and eye-catching your photography will become.
How You Too Can Take Stunning iPhone Photos
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#9: the rose and buildings are already side-by-side. Walk outside in the courtyard of the MOMA in NYC and see the tall rose metal sculpture that cannot easily be photographed except in its building context.
Thank you, you have given me even more options….