There are hundreds of articles online giving tips and advice on how to improve your photography skills (my blog included!) and it’s not uncommon to come across contradictory advice.

It’s not really surprising given that every photographer will work in their own unique way and have their own techniques, especially if self-taught.

Although some articles you come across may contradict others, all are worth reading because you will not only learn how different photographers have achieved their final images; but you’ll be able to pick-and-choose the methods and techniques that work most effectively for you, and you’re then able to build them into your own repertoire of skills.

A sure-fire way to produce an interesting image is to change the angle that you’re shooting at.

An example of this is my own image of the Mandarin Duck to the left. It may have been tempting to photograph the subject from a much higher angle as you would see it in reality; but to produce a more interesting photograph I got low to the ground and shot the image from the same level as the bird. Aligning myself with the eye-line of my subject allowed me to capture the world as it sees it; and as with a lot of smaller subjects it allowed for a really nice depth of field with a softer foreground and background.

I know that this is a really simple method of improving your photography, but it’s definitely a useful technique to know particularly when shooting wildlife. This method can also be applied to other areas of photography, not only Wildlife. The simplest way to consider its application is to think about the angle you would most commonly view the subject from . . . and change it.

I’m going to use an example from my time in Sweden when I spent some time exploring Stockholm, trying to capture unique and interesting images in areas lesser known of the Capital.

I really like the image because it gives a great idea of scale, and the way that I've shot it from such a low level emphasizes the height and dominance of the buildings. This is quite a cold image and I enjoy the contrast of grey contrast and grey sky against the bright orange building.

Though this isn’t necessarily a technique that all photographers would utilise, or that would be appropriate for all situations – it’s definitely a technique worth practicing and adding to your repertoire; it may be what set’s you apart and offers your audience a previously unseen perspective.