The Art of Perspective and Viewpoint. Part 1

Shelton Muller discusses the need for us to break out from our normal viewpoint and add greater dimension to our pictures.

In our three dimensional world, we take the reality of space, dimension and tangibility for granted, but conveying these in a two dimensional photograph can be a challenge. However, the ability to do so will enable you to create interesting and dynamic images. It is the clever use of viewpoint and perspective that make your images appear more real and therefore more engaging to the viewer.

Perspective.

Perspective indicates dimension and space, usually with reference to some distant point at which all lines converge and meet. These points are referred to as vanishing points and are usually found outside the frame. Each vanishing point represents a dimension and so three vanishing points will convey height, width and depth in an image.

This flat image has no perspective and represents only a shape.

This one point perspective gives us one vanishing point

Now, our shape has two vanishing points and is thus a two point perspective

Now we are revealing greater dimension in the subject by granting it a three point perspective.

Seen in reality, a three point perspective is a powerful tool in your images.

There are a few ways to achieve this three dimensional feel to your photographs. One of these is the use of linear perspective. This is a technique in which lines converge to meet at a distant point, like railway lines or the straight stretch of a highway. Another method is diminishing perspective, in which objects of a similar size diminish in size the further they are from the camera. Think of a row of houses, a line of soldiers or the palings a long fence. Linear and diminishing perspectives usually combine in some way or other and are effective tools in your photographs.

An example of Linear Perspective

Perspective can also be achieved through changes in colour, points of focus or contrast. Among these kinds of perspective indicators is aerial perspective. Aerial perspective refers to the change in colour and contrast often evident in layered mountain scenes, in which distant mountains become less colourful and hazier the further they recede from camera.

Aerial Perspective

Another way to suggest depth is through selective focusing and minimal depth of field. Depth is implied as the mind assumes that sharply defined objects are placed at a distance from out of focus ones. This technique works very well with portraiture and fashion and is an excellent means of highlighting subjects in cluttered and distracting environments. However, is not always suitable for landscape photography.

An example of linear perspective combined with selective focus and minimal depth of field.

Landscape photography usually requires detail from foreground to background and therefore greater depth of field. Because of this, intelligent application of linear, diminishing and aerial perspective can also be used to imply depth.

In part two, we will combine these techniques with the art of Viewpoint…stay tuned.

Shelton Muller is available for contact at shelton@total-image.com.au

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• The Art of Perspective and Viewpoint. Part 2
• Why This Lens?
• Hyperactive Apertures
• Working with location to create visual dynamics
• The art of reduction