Today we are going to be talking about using angles to get better photos. Did you know that the angle that you take a photo with can make it look completely different? Yeah, pretty crazy, but when you know these simple tricks, it can make a world of a difference. An angle is essentially the positioning of the camera to a subject. Think back to 2nd grade math. You learned all about angles when you were learning about shapes. I specifically remember all of the rules you learn with triangles. I always thought that was fun. You learned about the angle from point A to point B and it was pretty simple.

The same goes for photography, but we are dealing in a 3D space. So you have to think about up and down and side to side and now you have a ton of different options. Now technically there’s a difference between camera position and camera angle, but because I’m not teaching a technical photography class in this 5 min episode, I’m just going to lump it all into angling so that you can digest it all a little easier….you’re welcome.

So when you are getting ready to take a picture, and I’m talking specifically about a picture of a person, because that’s usually what we are dealing with branding, there’s two rules I want you to keep in mind. 

1. Angle down to look smaller
2. Angle up to look bigger

It’s pretty simple. 

If you shoot a photo from a high angle, meaning that your angling the camera down slightly, pointing towards your subject, you’ve got a bit of a bird’s eye view. When done carefully, this creates a very flattering image for your subject. Think about all of the teenages taking selfies out there. You always see them holding a phone up high and shooting down. This is for that reason. Now I feel like they usually take it to the extreme, but that’s another topic entirely. 

When you shoot from a higher angle you allow your eyes to open up bigger, avoid that double chin and aren’t shooting up your nose. Shooting with a slightly downward angle is great for portraiture. 

If you shoot a photo from a low angle, you get a different look entirely. You can get super extreme and shoot from the ground up. This brings out an intensity to a photo. You get a lot of depth when you do this. I rarely shoot from a lower angle for a close up or portrait shot unless I’m shooting for a specific reason. If you take a less extreme angle and shoot just slightly below the eyeline, and point it up, it makes your subject look bigger. It creates a feel of power and intimidation. This works really well when you are in a power pose or trying to convey that type of a message. Play around with this. It’s a lot of fun.

And then there’s straight on. I know this may not seem like an angle, but I know you passed 2nd grade, so you know it is. So straight on is when you are shooting right at eye level. This is a great angle to shoot at and probably what you are most used to. And that’s not coincidental. When you are shooting at eye level or directly on, it creates a sense of security in the images. It has a natural, familiar feel, so you are more likely to shoot from this perspective. 

So play around with it. Use these rules to improve the photo and message behind it. Remember, I’m always saying that you need to have intention behind your photos. Yes, it’s nice to have pretty photos, but you want photos that convert, so test out your camera angles to create a powerful message behind your images. 

That’s all for this bonus episode. See you soon!

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