The Photographer's Eye: Graphic Guide

LOW

One good reason for shooting from a low point (kneeling rather than standing) is to take in less of the foreground, such as a sidewalk or street. Another is to inject some angles—a little drama and presence into the picture. This was the idea for a shot of a horse caravan that eventually became the cover of the book I was shooting. I had already chosen the site, which was an old lane in an old Chinese town, one that had a nicely curved and whitewashed wall—a near perfect frame for the horses and men as they walked by. I also had time to prepare, and a ground-level viewpoint would not only show more of the horses against the white wall, but also make it a simply more interesting image if I shot with a wide-angle lens, lying flat on my back. ...