Capturing Unique Viewpoints

How many different ways do you think you could photograph a subject? Most of the time there are trends for which people choose to photograph certain subjects. Landmarks/popular tourist attractions usually have a designated viewing point maybe two or three and this is where the vast majority of the images of these are taken. This idea can be applied to any type of photography. How many times have you seen the exact same shot of a car from various photographers, what about product photography, or street photography, no matter what niche of photography you look at, there are general trends in which people choose to photograph these things. In order to stand out, you must recognize these patterns and work to create unique outlooks. Take the Golden Gate Bridge for example. Any photographer has seen photos of this bridge all over the internet but, the photos that stand out are the photographers that went the extra mile to find a unique perspective and view point that is different from the hundreds of thousands of photos of this very same bridge. Every year my girlfriend, her family, and I get together and go camping. Since this is essentially a piece of land with a fire pit and a picnic table, the setup is different every time. Depending on who is there, the gear that is brought, the weather, the length of the grass, the time of year, and the time of day, this land looks completely different. Do you see where I am going with this…these characteristics that make each camping trip so vastly different are the same characteristics that can make any scene or subject that you are photographing well, vastly different. As a photographer, if you can identify the conditions in which you are dealing with, you are more likely to be aware of how you can alter these to create a more unique and interesting perspective that has perhaps never been done or just stands out from all the fluff out there now.