Birds Eye View Or Top Angle Shot Trend
When i started out Photography in 2005 ,most of us photographers, on our assignments, or while creating our own portfolio, found it intimidating to create top shots /flat Lay angles . Yes, we could create the basic ones like shooting a single product or 2 from the top, but to create a whole setting to shoot from the top was quite challenging . I remember our student studio had a specifically built ledge, all the way near the roof for us to capture top shots which had wide compositions.
Then came remote shooting and amazing tripods! That changed the course of shooting with top /flat lay angles. Now whenever i see some great setups , most of them are done with a flat lay angle . I have done a few myself, and some that I’m proud of , like the below images i shot with Vogue India..
Shot for Vogue India
Remote shooting mainly has made this job so much easier. You can plan a shot with ease, and setup using your camera live as a guide. Of course having a sturdy ladder helps :-). Top angle is now one of the favourites with most food photographers , food bloggers, and other photographers too… I have a collection of images which are shot from the top. The 45 degree angle was the go to angle for most, but now climbing its way on top is the 90 degree angle or Birds eye view .
The top angle has one major advantage as you can show a wide or busy composition in one image, without losing depth of field. Also, it allows a photographer to concentrate more on composition, rather than worry about other technical details. Like when i had to showcase a range of Mexican Tacos, i immediately knew in my mind that Top angle was the way to go .It turned out beautifully, and the client was happy to have all his creations in a single shot.
Shot for Sanchez, Bangalore
You can get very creative with them, and styling is key to a good top angle shot. Top angle, also called flat lay angle, brought along stop motion ideas, and its the angle most used for stop motion videos.
Tips to make your flat lays great:
Use a good and wide backdrop so that you have ample space to setup.
Make the backdrop interesting, with some character, and make sure its stain proof if working with food or liquids.
A good sturdy tripod head that fits on Grip heads or Boom stands.
Make sure your level is balanced so that later in post, if you want to rotate your images to any side, it does not look distorted.
Try and visualise your composition before hand and then experiment with it.
I would love to see how creative some of you may have gotten with this angle and if you agree that its your go to angle ?