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3.28.2014

Photo Tip Friday - Perspective in Photography

by Mary Denman

Welcome back! 

I've missed all of you and I'm happy to be here. My shoulder is healing well this time. 

I've decided to add two sections at the end of the photography tips.
1) How to use your photography for your blog
2) How you can apply the lesson of the day to your cell phone photography

Let's get started with the photo tip for today. 

Recently, one of my cats started the new habit of sleeping up against the heating vent. This provided a perfect opportunity to take some pictures and teach about perspective in photography. 

This is an overall shot. Notice how this picture provides context. You can clearly see Duke, the vent, the window and the curtains. I was standing above him for this picture.




Can you tell where I was for this shot? Yes, I put the camera at Duke's level which was on the ground. Can you see the huge difference that perspective makes? Change your position to see your subject differently.


For this shot, I moved in closer while still on his level. He was very patient for this photo session. Notice how the focus is now on his eyes and face. I couldn't get the heating vent out of the picture entirely, but I minimized it so it wouldn't detract from Duke. 

Then, in my quest to eliminate the vent from the background altogether, I took this shot. I think this photograph is pretty interesting. It's not very typical. That's where your creativity can come in. Experiment with different perspectives. Some shots might work, others might not. That's fine. Digital is essentially free and you can delete anything that doesn't work. But you can also get immediate feedback and take another shot. 





For the last shot, I stood back up and once again focused on Duke's face. But from above. Notice the difference of the feel to the photo from the closeup at ground level?






TIP: When something catches your eye, take multiple shots from different perspectives. Move around. Kneel down if you can. Hold the camera above your head. Move to the left or right of your subject. Experiment my friend!

BLOGGING TIP: My friend and fellow blogger Alycia Moralas was very taken with Duke when he was younger. She took this photo. She used a program called Picmonkey to put the quote on the picture. She used this as a thank you note for writing instructors after a conference. You can also do this to illustrate what you're writing about. Or, your pictures may inspire you to write a post. 

(More on Picmonkey next week.)

Alycia's blogs: 
www.alyciawmorales.com and www.godsgloryphotography.blogspot.com




CELL PHONE TIP: You can move around as well. And, since it's so lightweight, it's very easy to get different perspectives. 


Share your thoughts on the pictures. Which do you like the best and why? 

Hope this tip helps! 

Keep on clicking!

Mary


P.S. I'm so glad I did this shoot with him. He left this earth too early for us. But he was a rescue cat and we gave him a loving home.  He is sorely missed.


8 comments:

  1. I'm so glad your shoulder is healing well, Mary, and so glad to see your name in my inbox!
    Each photo has its own charm. The first close-up ground shot is perhaps my favorite. It's personal, and his features are so clear. I'm grateful you're sharing tips for both blogging and cell phone camera!

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    1. Hi Robin! Thanks for dropping by. :) I love the close up on his level. His eyes are so telling to me. I'm glad you like the new tips. Hope they are helpful.

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  2. Great photos of your cat. So sorry to hear about him passing - it is so hard to lose our pets. I have a cat we rescued and she is shy but very sweet.

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    1. Hi Kimberlee! Thanks so much for dropping by! Yes, we miss him. But he had a very happy life with us.

      I like the jeans you sewed. I don't have the time to sew anymore, but you look pretty good at it! Have a great weekend. :)

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  3. Great post! And like the other comments, I'm sorry for his passing. One thing I couldn't help but think about was perspective in the writing sense. We all choose to write from one character's point of view or another. And even though I know how big a difference perspective is in a scene, seeing these visual shots helped me understand it a bit better. Thank you!

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  4. Glad you are up and photographing again!!

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  5. Great tips. I would love to be able to spend more time learning how to take better pictures. Love your practical tips! And the pictures of your sweet cat . . . precious. :) My favorite, close up at his level. Such a sweet face!
    Thanks Mary! (And glad to see you posting again. Yay, for the healing shoulder. Giving God the glory!!!!)
    ~Beth

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  6. Lovely photos, Mary. A joy to look at.

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