Angle
The angle you use to show your content directly affects the emotion that the audience will experience.
Looking down on something is very different from looking up at it or looking at it head-on. How we perceive the world around us is heavily impacted by the angle at which we view it. Consider the difference between how a small child views the world versus how a full-grown adult views it.
So, where should you put your camera?
This depends on what you are hoping to accomplish with your shot. Different perspectives are going to make the audience feel differently about what they are looking at.
- Is the character weak or strong?
- Does the audience feel at ease or sense that something is wrong?
- Is the audience involved in the scene or watching from afar?
Here are several different angles and the emotional impact that they have.
High
This angle can make the subject look small and inferior.
Low
This angle can make the subject look large and powerful.
Dutch/Canted
If your image isn’t level or is tilted in some way, it can have an unsettling effect on the audience. It can be a way to indicate that things are not “okay.”
Aerial/Bird’s Eye
From this angle, a shot can have a “god-like” quality, giving the impression of being all-knowing and all-seeing.
Eye Level
This could be used to connect the audience to the subject, making them feel like equals or at ease.
Be wary of placing your camera at eye level without a good reason. An eye-level approach should not be your default starting point. Rather, use eye level with as much care and consideration as you would any other angle of view.
