Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

There are many ways to make a good photo.
Creating them can be a process of actually composing for the shoot, i.e. fashion shoots/wedding pre-nups & product shoot (sample photo here and how its done here),
to finding little gems in the noise & editing (example here and here )
but mostly, even with the above examples, the secret is finding the angles and working the scene.

Here is a typical snap shot:


here is the same area from the opposite direction:

In both examples, we get humdrums meh images.




But if we work the scene and shoot a different angle, we can get this aesthethically better photo.




Which may even be better if we were using a lens with a narrower FOV, as mocked-up here:

It is the same spot, just looking at it from a different angle and perhaps with a different aperture.

What makes this image work?
Lots of reasons, but mainly, we eliminated the uncecessary parts. The uglies, the noise the distractions and kept only the parts that work together.


Here is another angle of the same area:

Again a humdrum image and more so, there is my shadow!



So again we try to find a better angle. In this case I had to sit down while keeping the phone up and zoom a bit so that the side verticals do not appear and make an imaginary wider space.


Next time you shoot, find the angles. There might be a better composition hiding in that noise. Pehaps a diamond amongst the coals.

Happy shooting!

.

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

Totally agree. The angle makes the picture. It is important to do this. All the post processing in the world can't make up for this.

User ID

.

(Download)

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Agree 100%. Different angles will yield a totally different image. Good tip Wallen.

Don

User ID

Visual proof right there by the OP that if it sucks when framed squarely head on, just messing with the angles aint gonna save it.

Shoot head on or go home.

b top gun

Different angles or...changing your point of view; I had major experiences with this in Alaska in September. Change your point of view and get a totally different result. Denali, THE mountain itself, was fully exposed on Sept 26th, it was already on the horizon from the town of Willow; thought I got some very good images of the mountain from around 50 miles away; drove up the highway and got a completely different view of the Alaska Range and Denali. From 50 miles away the south peak dominated the landscape; up the highway not far from the entrance to the national park and preserve I got a totally different view; both the south and the north peaks and the saddle between were plainly visible; the shots from the second view were sleepers until I got home and put them on my computer monitor.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

I recommend you do that with an approaching truck.
Then tell us again that head on is the best way to go.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

And that out of focus is cool!

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

It would help your demonstration if you posted examples that aren’t humdrum snapshots.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

in photography classes we were to find a tree stump. Then shoot it from every angle. submit all the pix and choose which you liked best and why. I shot it from above looking down which was my fave shot. I was the only one that shot a stump looking down. but yes angles and position make a difference

goofybruce

wonder what a close-up from below-flower-level with that building as a background would look like.... Angles go up & down, too. Great pictures and tutorial about 'working the scene.' An old newspaper photographer once told me that when I got to a scene, "Remember, get your job-saving shot quick; then go for the pay-raise shot."

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

Great advise. thanks for sharing.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

Oftentimes it is the unusual point of view that really stands out from the rest.

Nigel7 Loc: Worcestershire. UK.