Forced perspective photography is a style that can be done with optical illusions to make something appear to be different sizes and distances from the viewer than it actually is. You can use this technique to create some rather unusual (and often comedic) effects.
In this article we will be looking at a few brilliant techniques for doing forced perspective photography.
As I mentioned at the start of this article, we can deceive the viewer with perspective. Think about a diamond. Usually with diamonds, size is the most important factor to determine how much they are worth. The cut and clarity are slightly less important factors. When we see a photo of a diamond, a reference point is necessary to understand its size. We are able to manipulate photos so that the viewer sees the diamond and the other object as being completely different sizes, or exactly the same size.
So we've all seen the usual 'holding a building', 'leaning on a skyscraper', 'holding the sun' types of pictures, but but I want to give you some ideas for getting some more unique shots using this approach.
Below are three methods to get forced perspective pictures. Everything else is completely your choice - ride the wave of creativity for as long as possible until you are completely out of ideas!
Size Changing Forced Perspective Shots
A size altering forced perspective shot can be achieved by manipulating the line of sight, depth of field and distance. First, choose the subject that you want to appear smaller. You would position this object further away from the camera than the subject you want to make seem larger. How close or how far away the two subjects are will determine their difference in size. Obviously a larger amount of space is required for bigger differences in size between the two objects. It's therefore a good idea to do this kind of photography outdoors.
Try using a wide angle lens, around 35mm, or 24mm. Use a large aperture. The F-stop will vary depending on the distance between the two objects. You need to use a setting that allows you to get both of your subjects in focus.
If your camera doesn't have manual focus, one good idea is to set the autofocus to about a third beyond the subject that is closer to you. You would do this because the depth of field falls 1/3rd in front of the focal point and two thirds behind it.
Once you've found the most suitable focus, next you will line up the two subjects and work out your camera position - the alignment of the shot. Imagine you are taking a shot where one of the subjects is a person and that person has a hand on the other subject. For such a photo you will have to take some time to get the alignment as perfect as possible. You may need to take a lot of shots to get the best picture. I would recommend you to use a tripod to get rid of movement or a changing position of the camera. Think about all of the gaps and overlaps between the two subjects. You need to spend time getting everything perfect. Think about all of the poor attempts you've seen by people trying this technique - too many to count I'm sure.
Gravity Defying Forced Perspective Photography
This method can be done quite easily, by just placing the camera on one side or upside down. Have your subject or model lie down on the ground and put their feet against a wall, making it seem as though the ground is actually a wall that the subject is leaning against. You could also have your subject lean out from doorways and windows, to make it look as though he or she is hanging out from them. One thing to be aware of is the direction in which clothes and hair hangs. Your model could try wearing some kind of hat, or tuck his or her T-shirt onto the jeans. Wearing slightly tighter fitting clothes than normal will also help.
One thing to bear in mind with this technique is that when you turn the camera on one side, it must be precisely aligned at 90 degrees or 180 degrees with the horizon so that the illusion works properly.
Merged Subject Forced Perspective Photography
Recently it is becoming more popular to show old photographs of a place being held in front of a modern-day photo of that same place. This is what we call merged subjects. The aim here is to get the old picture to line up with the angles and edges of things in the actual place in reality. You'll be holding the old picture pretty close to the camera, so you'll need a large F-stop with a wide angle lens so that you can put the two pictures in focus.
So that concludes this article - I hope that reading this has armed you with a strong artillery of helpful tips and helped you to understand the fundamentals to be able to step outside and start getting some great photos by using perspective, so get out there as soon as you can and enjoy yourself!
In this article we will be looking at a few brilliant techniques for doing forced perspective photography.
As I mentioned at the start of this article, we can deceive the viewer with perspective. Think about a diamond. Usually with diamonds, size is the most important factor to determine how much they are worth. The cut and clarity are slightly less important factors. When we see a photo of a diamond, a reference point is necessary to understand its size. We are able to manipulate photos so that the viewer sees the diamond and the other object as being completely different sizes, or exactly the same size.
So we've all seen the usual 'holding a building', 'leaning on a skyscraper', 'holding the sun' types of pictures, but but I want to give you some ideas for getting some more unique shots using this approach.
Below are three methods to get forced perspective pictures. Everything else is completely your choice - ride the wave of creativity for as long as possible until you are completely out of ideas!
Size Changing Forced Perspective Shots
A size altering forced perspective shot can be achieved by manipulating the line of sight, depth of field and distance. First, choose the subject that you want to appear smaller. You would position this object further away from the camera than the subject you want to make seem larger. How close or how far away the two subjects are will determine their difference in size. Obviously a larger amount of space is required for bigger differences in size between the two objects. It's therefore a good idea to do this kind of photography outdoors.
Try using a wide angle lens, around 35mm, or 24mm. Use a large aperture. The F-stop will vary depending on the distance between the two objects. You need to use a setting that allows you to get both of your subjects in focus.
If your camera doesn't have manual focus, one good idea is to set the autofocus to about a third beyond the subject that is closer to you. You would do this because the depth of field falls 1/3rd in front of the focal point and two thirds behind it.
Once you've found the most suitable focus, next you will line up the two subjects and work out your camera position - the alignment of the shot. Imagine you are taking a shot where one of the subjects is a person and that person has a hand on the other subject. For such a photo you will have to take some time to get the alignment as perfect as possible. You may need to take a lot of shots to get the best picture. I would recommend you to use a tripod to get rid of movement or a changing position of the camera. Think about all of the gaps and overlaps between the two subjects. You need to spend time getting everything perfect. Think about all of the poor attempts you've seen by people trying this technique - too many to count I'm sure.
Gravity Defying Forced Perspective Photography
This method can be done quite easily, by just placing the camera on one side or upside down. Have your subject or model lie down on the ground and put their feet against a wall, making it seem as though the ground is actually a wall that the subject is leaning against. You could also have your subject lean out from doorways and windows, to make it look as though he or she is hanging out from them. One thing to be aware of is the direction in which clothes and hair hangs. Your model could try wearing some kind of hat, or tuck his or her T-shirt onto the jeans. Wearing slightly tighter fitting clothes than normal will also help.
One thing to bear in mind with this technique is that when you turn the camera on one side, it must be precisely aligned at 90 degrees or 180 degrees with the horizon so that the illusion works properly.
Merged Subject Forced Perspective Photography
Recently it is becoming more popular to show old photographs of a place being held in front of a modern-day photo of that same place. This is what we call merged subjects. The aim here is to get the old picture to line up with the angles and edges of things in the actual place in reality. You'll be holding the old picture pretty close to the camera, so you'll need a large F-stop with a wide angle lens so that you can put the two pictures in focus.
So that concludes this article - I hope that reading this has armed you with a strong artillery of helpful tips and helped you to understand the fundamentals to be able to step outside and start getting some great photos by using perspective, so get out there as soon as you can and enjoy yourself!
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Now that you've learned these tips feel free to have a look at more awesome techniques to help you become a better photographer right now.
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