Perspective is Everything With Photography

Story by: James Goff

Why does it really matter where we take a photo? Will it really make a difference if I move over a few feet and take another photo? It may not feel like much but it makes a huge difference where we stand when we take a photo.

Photography is a creative art so we should always be open to trying new things when shooting. If we always take photos from the same angle, same location, same subject we are just recreating the same thing over and over again.

Creativity may be natural to some but it can definitely be learned if that’s something you struggle with. There is no such thing as creativity if we don’t try new things. The quickest way to become more creative is to try something new. You may end up not liking the result but you will probably learn a lot from trying something new.

I took this photo while walking on a nature trail and as I approached these stairs I saw an opportunity for a good photo with the nice leading lines from the path. I was happy with the result and I could have been satisfied with the photo if that was the only photo I took that day. I wasn’t satisfied, I knew I could do better! 

The first photo we take is rarely ever our favorite. We should use the first photo as our baseline and try to improve upon it. After I took the photo I thought about how I could make it better. I was outside so I couldn’t change the lighting, I wanted a wide view so I kept my wide angle lens on my camera.

What could I do to improve on this photo and still include the stairway? Aha! Move! I had then discovered an idea. What would this photo look like from the top? It may not look good but there’s also a chance it will. The only choice left now is to try it.

Once I got to the top I instantly knew this was the right choice! I loved this angle much better than the one from below. 

 

The easy thing would have been to take the photo from below and call it a day. The easy way is rarely ever the best way. We need to push ourselves to create better images. It’s too easy to fall into the trap and take photos only a certain way.

Next time you are out shooting don’t forget to try something new and improve upon the first image you take. Don’t be afraid to take a lot of photos, you will increase your chance of getting the perfect shot if you do.

What’s your favorite creativity hack for photography? How do you make a photo unique? I’d love to hear from you! Comment down below and let me know how you achieve the perfect shot!

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