PERSPECTIVE CHALLENGE – Photography Tip #7
After reading your comments from yesterday’s post, I realized that a comment from another photographer had mirrored exactly what I was thinking. (I was very excited that my thinking had mirrored another photographer’s thinking – that’s a good thing, right?) I needed to include a shot of the home (from yesterday’s post) from a wider perspective. So, if you’re interested in seeing that shot you can find it here.
While collecting that additional shot, I came upon a group of flowers and decided to create an experiment by using several different perspectives of the same flower.
For my first perspective, I decided to use the center of the plant as my focal point, rather than the bloom. After all, everyone shoots the bloom. Like most people, I really never use this perspective, but thought, “Who knows?” As it turns out, I think this definitely creates a shot that is interesting and different. Would I blow it up and frame it? Maybe not, but someone might. It does have a rather “art-like” appeal.
For my second perspective of the same flower, I decided to use one of the blooms as my focal point. This presents a more traditional shot commonly used in photography. Even the sun joined in the experiment by creating a unique shadowing effect within the bloom.
For my final perspective, I decided to zoom in as far as I could without a macro lens, and then crop to finalize this shot. It’s abstract and artsy, but maybe not for everyone.
So, there you have it. One flower photographed from three different perspectives. The one thing that I’m trying to learn in photography is that my perspective is only one perspective. While I may be enthralled with it, someone else may consider it ordinary at best. So, I challenge myself to examine a number of different perspectives and this is a good exercise to accomplish that.
If you still haven’t voted for your favorite hat, please click here to vote now. I’ll be revealing the winner in tomorrow’s post.
Thanks for stopping by. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Photographyfree4all's Blog 
My friends and I have been going out on photo walks or small trips together and we have found that one of our preconceived ideas were wrong. We originally thought that by shooting the same area or scene we would get very similar photographs, when we compared photos afterward we were very surprised that only some of the photos were similar, and the majority were very different. We all see things differently, that is what makes our photographs unique, it is not the camera, it is our own unique way of observing a scene and photographing it.
Keep Shooting, I like your experiment with this subject and it shows your ability to step back and view it differently, not many would do that, I may have just come away with one photo that I liked, you came away with three.
LikeLike
I think I like the second one best. I like the composition. However, I was just thinking what an astonding picture it would be if you shot that first one at about f32 with a wide-angle lens for max depth of field. WOW!
LikeLike
Great challenge! This is very true, that everyone has different thoughts on how to photograph something, but to come up with different perspectives yourself is sometimes challenging! This has given me something new to work on – thanks!!
LikeLike
I really like the DOF on the first one – the focus being at the bottom of the plant instead of the top makes the shot much more interesting!
LikeLike
Thanks for your comment Holly. It is something I try to consider all the time. But often in the midst of a shoot, it gets lost in the excitement. Thanks for stopping by.
LikeLike
I’m finding DOF is somewhat personal. I liked the fact that the blooms were blurred and not a distraction from the focal point of the center. It’s very different, but I do like it. It might have been good to change the DOF, like one other reader commented. that might have been a great shot as well – even more different. Thanks for your comment, Brooke. I hope you’ll stop by again.
LikeLike
I really wish I would have done that, Bob. It might have produced a great shot! Thanks for your comment and compliments.
LikeLike
I think that’s why I love photography, Michael. While there are definitely standards and guidelines, one can still step outside those boundaries on ocassion and sometimes capture something very special. Thanks for your comment and kind words. I hope you’ll stop by again.
LikeLike
Isn’t it amazing… a change in perspective can make the ordinary look so different and unique.
LikeLike
It really is something to think about, Emily. Thanks for your comment. I hope you’ll stop by again, soon.
LikeLike
I like how your flowers seem to reflect life– one experience can yield many different perspectives. Plus I feel like stopping and staring at some flowers now– even some stems!
You’ve got some great photography skills– eeeek! I’m so jealous!!!
LikeLike
thanks for your comment, Pyra. I’m learning so much and thought I would share some of the lessons I’m beginning to use. I hope you’ll stop by again, soon.
LikeLike
Ah. Interesting post. I really like the unusual perspective of the first one. Actually I think it would look even better without the blossoms 😉
LikeLike
I thought about snipping them off, myphotoscout. But alas, I would not have the second or third perspectives had I done that. I guess i could have shot the blooms first, then snipped them off for before shooting the shot I posted first. Hindsight – I don’t know. 🙂 Thanks for your comment and taking me on that thought journey! I hope you’ll stop by again.
LikeLike
You are right about the perspectives and how important it is to see things from different perspectives – and not ONLY in taking photos 😉
LikeLike
Wow! A photography lesson with a hidden life lesson. Thanks for your comment, Truels. I’m glad you stopped by and hope you’ll return soon.
LikeLike
You know, I never thought of using the centre of the plant as the focal point – it looks really interesting that way
LikeLike
Thank you for your comment, David. And, you’re right! Shooting form a different perspective is something I’m really trying to focus on. Thanks for atopping by. I hope you’ll stop by again, soon.
LikeLike