When everybody has a camera in their pocket it takes dedication to find an unusual angle or a unique perspective. But extraordinary viewpoints can be found even in the most mundane places if you are prepared to seek them out...
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1 Place your camera somewhere unusual

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Most photos will be taken from a standing position, so getting your camera low to the ground or up high may result in a more original viewpoint. To take it further, there could be more unusual places you can get your camera to, even if you may not be able to get to them yourself. You could, for instance, lower your camera down into a cavern, or fasten it to the top of a boat mast, or suction it to a car bonnet, or half-submerge it in an underwater housing.
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2 Get playful with foreground details

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In many situations there’s little we can do to affect the look of the background. Instead, it’s the foreground where we can stamp our compositional creativity on the scene. So look for details to frame in the foreground that match up or interact with the background shapes in interesting ways. Getting the foreground and background working together in harmony can be a challenge, but it’s also hugely satisfying.

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3 Make unconventional lens choices

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For a different perspective, why not go against lens conventions? Take wildlife photography, where the majority of photos will be captured with a long focal length. Telephoto lenses compress the perspective and emphasise blurred backgrounds, so these kinds of shots will all have a similar feel. Why not try a wide angle lens instead? The broader field of view will reveal more of the scenery around the animal. Of course, it might be a challenge to get the camera up close to timid animals, but this may be surmounted by using a hide or shooting remotely with the camera’s wifi. A similarly contrary approach to focal length could be applied to other photographic subjects - portraits with a fish-eye, landscapes with a telephoto, macro with a wide prime and so on.

4 Restrict your choices

Photography is often about choices- what should you include in the frame? Which lens should you use? What about exposure? But sometimes an abundance of choice can be a hindrance. Overchoice, analysis paralysis, fear of a better option - these are all recognised psychological issues that not only delay decision-making, but also cause anxiety.

"Sometimes restricting choices can lead to greater creative freedom, as it forces us to think outside our comfort zone."

Sometimes restricting choices can lead to greater creative freedom, as it forces us to think outside our comfort zone. So why not try enforcing your own random rules? It could be anything you like - shoot exclusively with a 50mm lens, ask 10 strangers if you can take their photo, turn on double exposure mode for a day, frame all your subjects in the centre, - or whatever else you can think of.

5 Get exclusive access

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One way to make your photos stand out from the crowd is to get away from the crowds. Sometimes the best angles can only be reached with a press pass or similar exclusive access. If shooting at an event like a music festival or sporting venue then ask ahead whether you can use the press pit. For smaller events this privilege can often be gained in exchange for the promise of a few images.
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6 Break free of your defaults

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Rules and conventions can be a great help to photographers. For instance, rules of composition like the rule of thirds or the golden spiral give us a reliable guide as to where to place our subjects or other points of interest. However, there’s a risk that rules like this become our default shooting position.

"Rules and conventions can be a great help to photographers... However, there’s a risk that rules like this become our default shooting position."

If, for example, we shoot landscapes with the horizon always on the top third, an object carefully framed in the foreground, our focus point one-third of the way in and the aperture set to f/16, then we’ll probably come away with some very competent photos. But we might miss an opportunity for a more unusual perspective. So instead of trying to arrange the elements in front of us into a conventionally ‘good’ composition, why not start by looking for the details that say most about the landscape, and aim to capture the mood of the place. If this means breaking the rules, then so be it.
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7 Shoot straight up or down

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Stop reading this for a second and look directly up. You’re very likely to spot a detail or shape that you’ve not seen before, even in your own home. Even in familiar environments we rarely look up, so it’s an unusual angle to direct your camera. Similarly, looking directly down on subjects and scenes from directly above can result in unusual photos. For landscapes this might require use of a drone, but for other subjects you could try hoisting your camera up a tree or holding it up high with a monopod.
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Video tutorial

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Experimenting with interesting angles can produce some really unique results, and once you've nailed that composition. The next step is to add some enhancements.

There are lots of presets and profiles that can make this process quicker and easier. Here's our Lightroom tutorial on how to apply profiles and presets to your shots.
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