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Photo Tips & Techniques

Aerial Perspective by Russ Burden A great way to take a unique photo is to get high above your subject, as Russ Burden illustrates with these tips Article rating: 9.00

A favorite angle from which I love to make photographs is above my subject looking down. The higher up I can get, the more unique the view as most images tend to be shot from eye level of the photographer. This being the case, if I can do something to add a twist to a commonly photographed subject, the resulting image will tend to be looked at longer as the viewer studies the image to see what makes it different. The longer someone looks at an image, the more it’s remembered and the greater the chance of the viewer wanting to know more about it. All this adds to the possibility of wanting the viewer to know more about the photographer which may lead to a photo sale, a future job, or something else that’s beneficial. Regardless of whether or not it turns into something, the idea is to try to get all potential viewers of your photography to learn what makes you special in the world of our craft.

One year, as a special treat, my wife surprised me with a ride in a hot air balloon. Having a great fear of heights, I had mixed emotions about the idea of going up three thousand feet in a wicker basket powered by nothing but hot air and the wind. What got me over the hump was the realization of the photo opportunity to get images from an aerial perspective. So I called to schedule the ride. Unfortunately, on the day we were to make the daring ascension, it was gray and overcast. I still took some images, but the results were fair at best. But the best part was I was hooked. The ride was one of the most peaceful experiences I’ve ever had. So I scheduled another flight, on short notice, when the weather was more promising. Two of the images shot on that day accompany this article.

One does not need to take a hot air balloon ride to create an aerial perspective. Photographing from a tall building looking down onto the street creates the same effect. Taking images from a tall cliff looking down onto the land does the same. Climbing a tree, photographing from a bridge, and even standing at the summit of a mountain peak all provide the same opportunity. It’s not always a matter of how much elevation you gain, but how you use the elevation to your advantage.

Go Light and Wide: Don’t bog yourself down with equipment. When I was in the balloon, all I took was a body with an 18-200 vibration reduction lens, an extra battery, memory card, and polarizer. The wide angle setting allowed me to photograph the pilot at close range and be able to include the terrain in the background. The telephoto setting allowed me to zoom into some details on the ground as we were ascending and descending. The vibration reduction was beneficial as I was hand holding and it helped ensure the images I made at the telephoto settings were sharp. A camera strap placed around my neck helped ensure no accidents happened. As the amount of light increased, I adjusted the ISO to get the best quality photographs. I started at ISO 400 and by the time the flight was over, I was down to 100.

Details and Shadows: When you’re in an elevated position, don’t just start shooting. Study the terrain and surroundings before you press the shutter. As this angle will be new to you, take a look at the nuances it provides and exploit the possibilities. Study how the shadows and subjects play off each other and incorporate them into the composition. Look to see how the perspective changes and photograph what’s unique. Spin the polarizer to see if it helps saturate the color. Use the rule of thirds in composing your photos as you would if you were on the ground. If you’re working from a tall building, go back at different times of the day to see how the light changes and use these different lighting conditions to your advantage. Use these above tips alone or in combination. Getting elevated can be a real photo high!

To learn more about this topic, join me on one of my Photographic Nature Tours. Visit www.russburdenphotography.com and click on the NATURE TOURS button for more information. Also, pick up a copy of my new book, Amphoto’s Complete Book of Photography. You can purchase a signed copy directly from me or visit your local book store or Amazon. Contact me at rburden@ecentral.com to order your signed copy.

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Russ, Thanks for the great tips! It nice to know you enjoyed your balloon ride. I've been up in balloons, but never thought to take my camera. Posted by: Kristal Kraft Jun 9, 2008 @ 11:36 AM EST

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