PHOTO 101: Tips & Tricks (Shoot Low)

I have been shooting professionally since 1998 and have been a full-time photographer since 2001. I can't tell you how great it is to make a full living at something I love to do and would do for free if I could. Over the years I have developed a fairly large "bag-o-tricks" as I like to call it. Most photographers will agree, they all have one. There is nothing new under the sun, as the saying goes, it is just a matter of knowing what the tricks are and how and when to use them. Shooting low is one of my favorites. It is a trick to use when you can utilize any flat surface. Think about skipping rocks. To get a great skip you need to get low. The lower you get, the longer and better the skip. Same goes for your shots. This won't apply to everything, but it helps with a lot. Here are some examples:

This was our wedding invitation. Notice how the upper left and right hand photos needed to be "flat" so you can see the design, but the lower left shot was done using the "low" technique. It shows off the stitching and, in my opinion is a prettier, more expressive shot.
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Getting low can take a boring photo of plain grass, and turn it into something you could frame, larger than life, on your wall. [these types of photos that are mindless in nature but pretty to look at, I like to call "wall art."]

Capturing great reflections are a huge bonus when shooting low. You will not get this type of beautiful light reflection if you shoot straight down. Start to look for reflections, too. [this is another tip that will be discussed in a later post.]

Here you get great reflections on the wood floor, and kids that are sitting still! Double bonus. Since people vary so much in height, I love doing "belly" shots where everyone, including myself, is on their belly. This evens out all the head heights of your subjects. Your camera should be placed on the floor (or pretty close to the floor)to get this shot.