Exposed! ::
A Ladder, Six Canoes and the World Championships —
How to Maximize Perspective in Your Photos ::

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Contents

• What is Perspective?
• The Perspective Challenge
• Homework
• Safety First
• Pro Perspective
• Final Frame

A ladder, six canoes and the world championships ... Learning to use the tools at hand can help you maximize your perspective to create better photos. Perspective can make or break a photo opportunity. That's why I travel with a ladder whenever possible.

Read on - in this month's edition of Exposed! we learn about perspective, ladders and my photo assignment for "Canoe and Kayak" magazine.

What is Perspective?

Perspective is the way in which a three-dimensional scene is depicted in a two-dimensional space. Perspective in photography is affected by:

• the type of lens (wide angle or telephoto)
• the distance to the subject and
• the position of the camera in relation to the subject

World Freestyle Kayak Championship

The Perspective Challenge

Many photographers are most comfortable shooting from a standing position with a favourite lens, often telephoto. While perfectly fine, this position can lead to plain photos with distracting backgrounds.

By challenging yourself to step out of your normal shooting practices, you can explore and isolate subjects with a fresh perspective.

Your homework comes early this edition...

Homework

Find a finite but static subject such as one specific flower blossom in the garden or the left shoe of your best friend.

1. Try shooting with an extreme wide-angle lens (15mm), inches from your subject with your belly on the ground.
   
   
2. Then, shoot the exact same subject from ten feet away with a strong telephoto (200mm) while standing on a (solid) picnic table or ladder.
   
   
3. Compare them with a normal perspective shot from standing height with an 85mm lens.

How are the photos different? Where could each photo be effectively used?

Pro Perspective

I recently got an e-mail from Canoe and Kayak Magazine to photograph world-renowned whitewater canoeist and illustrator, Paul Mason, with his arsenal of canoes. My challenge was to do a portrait of Paul, in action, showing off his quiver of canoes while also featuring the Canadian landscape.

Paul Mason, world-renowned whitewater canoeist

A tall order requiring a tall ladder. My adjustable ladder was, at times, partly submerged in the water to make sure I got all the necessary elements in the shot. The ladder gave me the depth & perspective I needed to capture the photo.

Later that week I had to photograph the 2007 World Freestyle Kayak Championships - see photo above - on Canada's Ottawa River. Shooting the whitewater kayakers from normal height would have included trees, people, boats and buildings in the picture's background which could be distracting. I wanted the frame to be filled with the surging power of whitewater... only. There was little chance of easily transporting my trusty ladder across the wild current but, luckily, there was no need. I secured a shooting location perched atop an enormous granite outcrop of the Canadian Shield allowing an appropriate and safe perspective.

Final Frame

Where is perspective useful? Everywhere! Whether you are photographing a friend or a flower or an international soccer match - check my June Event Photography Workshop - perspective will help you isolate your subject and create better pictures.

Need more help - consider a Creative Fundamentals Course!

Take photos. Have fun!

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