Kaylee
Camera Angles and Basics
Eye Level or Neutral
The most neutral camera angle is the eye-level shot. The camera points straight ahead at about the same level as the subject’s face. This is how you would shoot an interview scene if you wanted to maintain a sense of objectivity.
The goal is to let the viewer follow the action without manipulating their emotions. While it’s called “eye level,” it doesn’t have to be a shot of the character’s face. You can get an eye-level shot of an object by maintaining
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High Angle
The high angle is when the camera is raised above the subject and tilted down at the subject. It is often used to make the subject in the shot look smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable.
Low Angle
The low angle is the opposite of the high angle. It has the camera closer to the ground and points up towards the subject. It makes the subject look stronger, taller, or more threatening.
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Aerial & Bird’s Eye View
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The aerial shot is a variation of the high angle and has the camera high above the subject. It is used to show the subject in the location and make them feel small. A good example of using an aerial shot could be a person in a new location to show a contrast between the subject and the environment. This shot looks down on the character from above and can be used indoors or outdoors. For example, you might look down on your subject entering a church or stadium.
Bird’s Eye View is an extreme variation of the high angle that typically requires the use of a drone or something of a similar height.
Worm’s Eye View
The Worm’s Eye View is an extreme variation of the low angle and has the camera on the ground below the subject. Worm's eye view photography is a point of view in photography where the image is captured from a very low angle with the camera pointing towards the top. It is like the view from a worm's eye in the ground, hence the name. This style of photography unlocks a completely new perspective on the image.
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Point of View
The POV or parent shot. This is used when you want the viewer to see what the subject is seeing or feel what the subject is feeling. In other words, the camera acts as the eyes of the subject and the audience sees what they see.
Dutch Tilt/ Oblique
A very underused type of creative angle in photography. These kinds of tilts need to look deliberate and stylized for your subject. This is one of the most common ways to convey disorientation or skewed perception. For this shot, simply tilt the camera to one side so it isn’t level with the horizon.
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Profile or Side View
These creative angles apply mostly to portrait photography as profile angles are all about the outline of a subject. This is ideal if you want to get creative with silhouette portraits. Profile angles allow us to see the outline of a person without engaging in details such as eyes etc. Plus, it’s an alternative way to photograph people who don’t feel comfortable looking at the camera all the time.
