Photographing Opposite Perspectives
Creative Tutorial by VSCO
In this fast-paced world, it is common to quickly snap a photo rather than document with creative intent. Instead of capturing a subject from one vantage point and moving on, try photographing a scene from opposite perspectives.
This challenge will require you to slow down, evaluate what you see, and think about your composition. Get innovative and use the following tips to photograph opposite viewpoints.
Capture your subject + what your subject sees
After photographing someone or something, move to put yourself in their place. Then take a photo that replicates their view. This will give the audience looking at your photos a more complete understanding of the setting and make them feel a part of the experience.
* Tip — Leave clues to let the viewer know the photos are related. There are many creative ways to go about this. In the above image, the photo on the right was shot through the yellow lens of the glasses to ‘truly’ see the scene from the person’s perspective.
* Tip — Take time to come up with a concept and plan the shoot before it happens. Not all locations photograph well from both directions, so do a bit of scouting ahead of time.
* Tip — Shoot with a partner. Find someone who is willing to be patient and hold a pose while you photograph them from both sides. The shot you have in mind may not be obvious to your model, so be sure to give clear directions.
Capture opposite vantage points
Explore the many ways you can document a scene — above and below, in front and behind, from outside looking in and vice versa.
* Tip — Additional tools, like a selfie stick or a drone, can make shooting from opposite perspectives easier and allow you to experiment with varying distances. If you don’t have those options, look for opportunities around you that provide different viewpoints, like a balcony or a bridge. In the photo above, a ladder was used to capture the model tying her shoe from different angles.
*Tip — When applying this practice to street photography, try to look ahead and anticipate potential moments as much as possible. People and objects are constantly moving, so you will need to react quickly when transitioning between one point of view to the other.
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original article was published at VSCOX journals, read it here.
