FRIDAY TIP: Getting Down Low for a Different Point of View

One of the things I see a lot of photographers do when presented with a beautiful landscape is to grab the camera and take a picture standing up.  The camera will be either pressed to the photographers face or, more normally these days, with the camera / phone held out in front at arms length. 

There is nothing wrong with this way of viewing the world, it's how we see it (ie normally between 5 and 6 feet above the ground), but a different point of view can change a picture dramatically.

Rannoch Moor - Nikon D800 - Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 (@17mm) - 2s @ f11 - ISO100

The picture above was taken on Rannoch Moor. The Nikon D800 was attached to the tripod and placed into the water so the camera was almost level with the rocks.  The camera's live view screen was used to compose the shot and the shutter released using a remote cable.

A word of warning. Make sure you had something tied to the tripod or camera and to your wrist when putting your gear near water.  This is to ensure your expensive camera isn't going to go anywhere (ie in the water). 

The low view point has given the image depth by providing some foreground interest at an angle we don't normally see standing up and an aperture of f11 has ensured that the picture is sharp from the foreground to the background.

Buachaille Etive Mòr - Nikon D800 - Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 (@17mm) - 1s @ f16 - ISO100

The second shot is of Buachaille Etive Mòr and is a portrait orientated view of the shot featured earlier this week (CLICK HERE).  

Again the Nikon D800 is attached to the tripod with the legs splayed out to get the camera as low as possible.  The Nikon Live View is used to compose the shot concentrating on the ice that has formed behind the rock.  Like the shot on Rannoch Moor, a small aperture, this time f16, has been used to ensure that the depth of field is enough to get the ice and rocks, as well as the mountain, in sharp focus.

The following two images were taken on the X-Pro1 to show the set up used for this shot (I forgot to do this on Rannoch Moor).  In the second image you can clearly see the Live View screen on the D800 with the artificial horizon I use to make sure everything is completely level.

The set up used to get the shot of Buachaille Etive Mor - taken on a Fujifilm X-Pro1 and 14mm f2.8R lens

A closer look at the set up used to get the shot of Buachaille Etive Mor

A variation on a theme 

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