If you are interested in learning new ways to improve and stand out as a photographer, you came to the right place! In this article, we discuss three of the most widespread creative photography techniques today.
We start by talking about nude photography, then examine low-light photography, and finally, we take a look at low-angle photography. Without further ado, let’s dive in and learn everything there is to know about these three popular photography techniques!
Nude Photography
One creative photography technique you might want to try this year is nude photography. The human body is truly a piece of art, and photographing it in its naked form is both challenging and captivating at the same time.
While many factors go into taking good nude photographs, the most crucial aspect is comfortability. Pictures will never look natural if both the model and the photographer aren’t 100% comfortable with both each other and the situation.
Another fantastic way to experiment with nude photography (and something we will cover more in-depth further down) is playing around with different angles. Many photographers, especially when they are first starting with this technique, repeatedly take the same photos. Capturing your model from various angles (low, high, side, underneath, above, etc.) is a great way to see what works and what doesn’t and will help make your portfolio stand out from the crowd.
Some more fun things to try are using props, capturing silhouettes, highlighting specific body parts, and shooting couples. Lastly, while you want to have fun during your shoots, it’s essential always to remain professional and respect the model and his/her wishes.
Low-Light Photography
Next, we have low-light photography. While light is undoubtedly the driving force behind photography, and typically we always want to shoot well-lit scenes, you can capture some spectacular pictures even when there is less light. Three scenarios where low-light shooting is common are sunrise/sunset, indoors, and when there are lots of shadows.
One important thing to keep in mind is that not all cameras deliver the same results in low-light situations. As a general rule of thumb, the larger the camera’s sensor, the better low-light results will be. Medium format and full-frame cameras are the most sought-after cameras by people who often practice low-light photography.
Now, talking about taking good photos when there is less light, my top tip is that you correctly understand how the exposure triangle works. When practicing low-light photography, you will always want to shoot in manual mode, and knowing how to adjust the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO properly is the key to creating sharp still images.
More tips to help you improve your low-light photography are shooting RAW files, using your camera’s histogram feature, and always having your camera mounted on a tripod. If you can’t use a tripod for one reason or another, the next best thing is using a camera with built-in image stabilization or a stabilized lens.
Low-Angle Photography
By definition, low-angle photography is any photo shot below eye level. However, when most people talk about low-angle photography, they are referring to pictures taken when the camera is right next to the ground. These photos (like the flower shot above) offer unique perspectives and make subjects look larger than life.
Furthermore, they can better direct people’s eyes to the subject and immediately claim their attention. One fun way to play around when shooting low-angle photography is by adjusting the aperture. By doing this, you alter the depth of field in your images and will see drastic changes from photo to photo. The lens will create buttery bokeh effects at high apertures (lower f-stops).
Another way to be creative when shooting at low angles is to use reflections. Water is an excellent natural mirror, and some of the most stunning photos I have ever seen are low-angle reflection shots taken in lakes, rivers, and even puddles. Landscape photographers love this technique, but city and street photographers can also see impressive results. When looking for an event photographer near me, it’s important to find someone who not only has technical expertise but also a creative eye for capturing moments in unique ways.
A few other tips for shooting low-angle photography are using the camera’s tilting/flip-up screen (if available), not being afraid to get down and dirty, and investing in a small tabletop tripod.
More Creative Photography Techniques
While those are three of the most popular creative photography techniques in 2022, they are far from the only ones. For more inspiration on how you can spice up your photography at home, check out the list of fun techniques below.
- Still life photography
- Pet photography
- Black and white photography
- Light painting photography
- Film photography