Photography Lesson #2 | Get Down Low
For those of you that are new: I'm doing an intermittent series of posts about improving your photography without purchasing any new equipment (that's how it ties in with the frugal theme here at this blog!). You might also want to read the introduction to this series and the first post in the series.
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Today's topic will probably mostly be useful to you if you take pictures of people, especially children. Like my previous tip, this one doesn't require any special equipment and can be implemented with the camera you already own.
One of the easiest ways to improve your photos of children is to get down to their level.
So often we grownups just take pictures from our height, which is way above that of most children.
Sometimes a shot from above a child can work nicely.
But most times, it makes for sort of a boring picture.
This is much better. Same subject, but a different perspective.
Here's Zoe from above:
And from her level:
This works nicely when you do closeups too.
I find this trick to be particularly helpful when I'm taking pictures of small babies. It's hard to get down to a baby's height, but if you do, your pictures will be much more interesting.
I was pretty much flat on the floor to take this picture and though it wasn't the most comfortable way to take a picture, I like the unusual perspective in it.
Next time you have the opportunity to take pictures of children, give this a try.
You'll be amazed at the difference it makes in your photos and it won't cost you a thing except for maybe some wear and tear on your knees. 😉
I'd love to see a pix of you taking the pix of your nephew and Snoopy. Nephew lying on his side. Snoopy lying on his side, facing nephew. You lying on your side, facing Snoopy and nephew. An interesting triangle.
Great post! Great advice! Great Pictures! Thanks for doing this series.
i love your photos!
As a photographer it's so sad that so many pictures of children were taken from the parent at standing level or from sitting at the couch, never bothering to get up and take a photo. More Christmas photos are taken that way ...
Your kids are SO CUTE. I would love to babysit!
Thanks for the great tips. It's true--good equipment helps, but it's the photographer's eye, composition skills and ability to deal with light that makes the difference. Great job!
What awesome pictures...I love them all!
PS Come visit my blog and enter the 2 giveaways...while at my blog please could you help me build up comments for the blog giveaway I'm trying to win? Thank you
http://energizerbunnysmommyreports.blogspot.com/2009/07/top-10-reasons-i-am-excited-to-stay.html....
You can already see how much bigger the neighborhood looks from a child's perspective in the last pic. And the baby with Snoopy...I have to say that's the most adorable thing ever. Great tips. I'd bet they'd work when taking shots of pets too.