The Art of Composition part 7

From the beginning of this series on theArt of Composition, we got bogged down in discussion about depth of field. This isn’t a topic that is typically brought into the conversations about composition. Yet, I have a difficult time thinking of a better place to begin. The ability to understand how we emphasize or deemphasize all the stuff in our composition means everything. And from the previous articles, you should understand that there is so much more that goes into depth of field, and bokeh, than just f/stops.

But now it’s time to move on. 

And for me, the natural evolution of this series is to move straight away from the technicality of depth of field into something a bit more abstract: vantage points. 

In cinematography, this is often referred to as angle of view. But across the spectrum of various visual arts, it’s more often called vantage points and so that’s the term I am going to use here. 

While the initial reaction to vantage points may feel a bit point-less, this is not something that should be taken lightly or shrugged off. These concepts, these considerations, dramatically impact our compositions and how others “experience” the photograph. They change our backgrounds, they have the power to create additional order out of chaos, divide the composition into layers, and create intimacy and empathy with a subject. And most importantly, I think, vantage points allow us to control the way someone feels about our subject. 

Let’s lay down some basic definitions as to what I even mean here. 

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines vantage point as the position from which something is viewed.

This position has power. 

Yet despite the importance all of this has in wildlife photography, despite the psychological impact that vantage points or angles of view have on the feeling of a composition, there is nothing complicated or truly nuanced about creating this. Of all the things we will discuss in the Art of Composition, this is the easiest to consider on the fly and implement without much thought. 

Vantage point is all about deciding whether our lens should be level with a subject’s eyes, looking down at the subject, or looking up at them. All this profoundly changes the way another person experiences and feels about what we created with our photograph. 

And this notion of feeling is the point of it all. 

Both the greatest challenge and the greatest accomplishment for all visual artists is causing someone to feel what you wanted them to feel. When we begin invoking a feeling, an emotion, an experience with our photography, is when we move away from taking snapshots and begin creating art. 

Feelings of empathy are created through vantage points. Power and strength are created through vantage points. Anxiety and fear are evoked through the decisions we make on vantage points. In other words, vantage point is all about psychology. Shrug this off, ignore this, get this wrong, and you will never progress as an artist because psychology and emotion and feeling are the foundation of art. 

Does this sound confusing? 

Not to worry. All will be explained in short order. 

Much like our earlier foray into depth of field, this discussion on vantage point will span the course of several articles.