Filmwasters

Which Board? => Main Forum => : jharr August 06, 2016, 08:54:32 PM

: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: jharr August 06, 2016, 08:54:32 PM
One of the pieces of advice that sticks with me is "change the angle". I read this, probably in Popular Photography a couple of decades ago and it seemed so glaringly obvious and simple that I was surprised I hadn't thought of it on my own. The idea was that we all view the world from between 5 and 6.5 feet off the ground all the time. So taking a photo from a standing position is just replicating what we see every day, all day. That isn't bad of course. In fact, most famous photographers never leave that 'standing zone'. However, I occasionally like to change the angle for a photograph to be something different than what we see every day. Most often this takes the form of getting on my knees or my belly and shooting at a lower than normal angle. If the urge overtakes me in a parking lot or a vacant lot or even a grassy spot in the neighborhood, I often end up getting dirty and since I work at a desk in front of a computer, Mrs. jharr is frequently confused about how my clothes have grass stains or mud on them. I am getting good at making up stories of how I foiled a bank robbery or made a winning touchdown in an impromptu football game. Anyway, here is one of my recent 'low angle' shots. Please share yours.

(https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8854/28176127114_5292b6a695_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/JVQ1X5)
K1000-Eterna-018 (https://flic.kr/p/JVQ1X5) by James Harr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/), on Flickr
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Bryan August 06, 2016, 09:53:58 PM
That's one reason I like TLR's so much.  I'm sure I have shared these here in the past.

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/692/23191095664_645e8f1911.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BkjqLY)Three Little Mushrooms (https://flic.kr/p/BkjqLY) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7478/15437634353_eb9159ac5b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/pwaURx)Hypnotoad (https://flic.kr/p/pwaURx) by Bryan Chernick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/), on Flickr
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Francois August 06, 2016, 11:03:15 PM
Funny 'cause I always ask beginner photographers why they have knees  ;D

here's a really old one, not my lowest shot but still enough to get people to look at you strange.
And this one was also an experiment in grain enlarging.
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Francois August 06, 2016, 11:05:55 PM
I just found lower...
This one I was on my back in the dirt to try and get everything into the frame
It was also in the Filmwasters book.
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: KevinAllan August 07, 2016, 09:36:35 AM
I said to someone the other day, if your knees aren't dirty when photographing landscapes, you aren't trying hard enough.

RZ67 and Fuji Pro 160S at 4.00am:

: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: calbisu August 07, 2016, 02:47:00 PM
I think this one will do  :)

(https://c3.staticflickr.com/3/2471/3708503002_7b3f0dcd13_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/6DH3JW)Polaroid 195 - meanwhile breakfast 3 (https://flic.kr/p/6DH3JW) by calbisu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/calbisu/), on Flickr
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Indofunk August 07, 2016, 04:50:30 PM
Good idea. I was just having a smartphone "photowalk" with my 5yo niece (it's amazing how much she is into photography!) and her mom & I were commenting on how different her pictures looked because they were taken from her perspective about 4 feet below ours :) Can't post them obvs, but they're pretty damn good for a 5yo :)
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Sandeha Lynch August 07, 2016, 06:10:14 PM
Here's lookin' up.

(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/Sandeha/blackbladder/160718_fp4_11.jpg)
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Terry August 07, 2016, 09:41:16 PM
I agree with Bryan--a TLR is a big advantage in low-angle shooting

(http://cdn.ipernity.com/200/71/72/39627172.15f3f46d.640.jpg) (http://www.ipernity.com/doc/434637/39627172)
bricks (http://www.ipernity.com/doc/434637/39627172) par Terry B (http://www.ipernity.com/home/434637), on ipernity
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Late Developer August 07, 2016, 10:23:16 PM
Nice photos. Love Bryan's "Hypnotoad".

Here's one from a couple of years ago - taken in Stratford - site of the 2012 Olympics - just outside the station.

From memory: Nikon F3HP, Nikkor UD 20mm, Ilford XP2 Super.
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Adam Doe August 08, 2016, 03:02:28 AM
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3682/12737376963_c14a6c2c16_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/kpyopD)Undertruck (https://flic.kr/p/kpyopD) by adoephoto (https://www.flickr.com/photos/adoephoto/), on Flickr
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: jojonas~ August 08, 2016, 01:00:46 PM
hah! like something that stuck with me... "get wide, get low" or something like that. Ed let that out in the podcast once ;)

waist level finders and pinhole cameras are mostly what get me on my knees

(https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8099/8454368058_92fa5681fb_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/dT5R5w) (https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8008/7481993108_985446beb3_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/cpaaTb)

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7440/8716138289_9f6cb6b60c_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ehdufn)

(https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5453/9588957125_0bdcb1341e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/fBkUSZ)
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: moominsean August 08, 2016, 02:58:20 PM
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5296/5451488566_667a83fb9a_z.jpg)
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: jharr August 08, 2016, 03:52:26 PM
Oh, I'm loving this! It's like having a bird's-eye view of the world... if the bird is a penguin or a kiwi.  ::)
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Ed Wenn August 08, 2016, 06:45:03 PM
Does sea level count :) These are from Andalusia (Spain) a few years ago. Taken with a Coronet Mark II 127 camera and a red filter. Knee deep in the ocean, bent over at the waist trying to get as close to the surface as possible without losing the camera.

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/5/4840496_bb80e3fb1c_o.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qNUQ)
Andalusia: January 2005 (https://flic.kr/p/qNUQ) by Ed Wenn (https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwenn/), on Flickr

(https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/4/4840498_aaac4b702e_o.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qNUS)
Andalusia: January 2005 (https://flic.kr/p/qNUS) by Ed Wenn (https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwenn/), on Flickr
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Francois August 08, 2016, 08:49:42 PM
Oh yeah, anything that will get you wet or dirty counts ;)

Well... that's not entirely true. I can think of a few things that get you wet and dirty that you don't want to have associated with photo taking...  :o
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: MaxR88 August 11, 2016, 01:41:06 PM
What a cool thread, I think the Hypnotoad being my favourite so far.
Changing viewpoints is something I don't do enough but here is one taken at Stockholm(?) airport late last year.
FE-2, Portra 400.

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/max_romeo/97740029_zpsd898egja.jpg)
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: jharr August 11, 2016, 05:28:12 PM
What a cool thread, I think the Hypnotoad being my favourite so far.
Changing viewpoints is something I don't do enough but here is one taken at Stockholm(?) airport late last year.
FE-2, Portra 400.

NICE! That makes me want a 'vanishing point' thread!!
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: Indofunk August 11, 2016, 05:40:50 PM
How's this? Below platform level :)

(https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7019/13700308474_8039414b86_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/mSDEp5)
Don't try this at home! (https://flic.kr/p/mSDEp5) by Satish Indofunk (https://www.flickr.com/photos/indofunk/), on Flickr
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: jharr August 11, 2016, 06:11:24 PM
@indofunk: More vanishing points!!!  ;D

I didn't get dirty for this one, but it is floor level (wlf but not tlr). I never thought about it, but it is hard to get a greyhound's nose and eyes in focus in low light with slow film. #longdogsrule

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7119/27062676472_d62cdc41a2_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/HerhSd)
S2a-acros-009 (https://flic.kr/p/HerhSd) by James Harr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/harrlequin/), on Flickr
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: MaxR88 August 12, 2016, 02:03:33 PM
Thanks jharr.
I thought there was a vanishing point thread, or maybe I'm thinking of somewhere else on the internet, clearly a reason to start one.

Here's another from a hotel in Finland that looked like it was stuck in the 70's decor wise. Got a rather odd look from another hotel guest as he walked past me kneeling on the floor to take the picture.
FE-2, XP2, tripod.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/max_romeo/33360007_zps2bz3tmcx.jpg)
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: GrainTrain August 25, 2016, 12:58:22 AM
I really dislike posting Instagram links (sorry!) but I wasn't able to figure out how to post a gif here. This is from a recent roll through a Nishika n8000 I grabbed, essentially for free.

https://instagram.com/p/BIYJi3VBK8p/
: Re: Getting dirty -- Show your low angles
: MacArron August 25, 2016, 05:51:26 AM
Oh. What a good thread! I love laying on the floor trying to get a different view.

Also I'm kind of a lazy guy, so this is one of my favourite photo styles :)

I'll post some whenever I'm at home.

I like the Andalusia water risky shoots!!