Useful Photography Tip #80: Lie Down

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Photography commands use of the entire body. You’re walking along the street in your hometown, and something off to the side catches your eye. As you turn to see what the commotion’s about, you instinctively recognize that you want to make a photograph, so you raise your camera to your eye with your right hand and slide your left hand underneath. You quickly assess the settings, adjust your feet so that you’re stable – if only for a moment – hold your breath, and press the shutter. For the briefest fraction of a second, you’re completely still.

The physicality of photography isn’t always talked about, but it’s an essential part of the craft. There are moments we miss when we remain standing. That’s not to say we’re completely blind to what’s happening on the ground, but a photograph of a cat, from a cat’s level, could do more than a shot from above.

A fine way to spice up one’s photography is try it from new perspectives. In this case, lie down and see what you find. And don’t just limit your field of view to what’s at that level. Lay on your back, and get a ground’s eye view of your environment. You might come away with something worth sharing.