A low angle shot is filmed from below a subject and pointing up towards them. Since it's not the usual way that most of us view the world, it offers a fascinating perspective that can capture people's attention. Getting down low to frame this shot can sometimes be tricky, so it's useful to have a few tricks up your sleeve.
To help you master the low angle shot, we're going to show you how to use it and why you should add it to your next video.
What Is a Low Angle Shot?
A low angle shot is classed as anything below the eye level of the subject and angled upwards. Whether you're filming a YouTube video or TikTok clip, a low shot like this can make a person seem much taller or show which character is in charge. It's also one of the few shots that can fit an entire building in the frame.
It can be subtle or extreme, sometimes with the camera placed as low as the ground. Another name for this shot is the "frogs-eye view" since only a frog could see through the lens!
How to Get Good Low Angle Shots
Since it will be difficult to use the viewfinder, capturing an extreme low angle shot is a lot easier if you have a camera screen that can be tilted. You can also use a small desktop tripod for added stability.
Some of the best lenses to use are wide-angle lenses that are less than 50mm. This gives you the best chance of capturing enough background around the subject. Fisheye lenses can also be a fun option, and GoPro cameras—plus smartphones in landscape mode—will do the trick.
By nature, the low angle shot will undoubtedly include areas of sky in the background, so be careful not to overexpose the shot. If it does become a problem, try moving out of direct light or using a filter on your camera. It's also a good idea to double-check that your shot is level since crouching down makes it difficult to know if your camera is positioned right.
Why Use the Low Angle Shot?
The low angle shot is bold and striking, especially when taken to the extreme. The following points are some of the reasons that people use the low angle shot to make their videos stand out.
Create Striking Shots
A low camera angle forces you to shift your perspective, changing the way that everyday things look. You can make subjects appear taller, bigger, and more striking. One place you can find this angle being used all the time is in TikTok dance videos. It makes the legs of the dancer appear longer and more elegant, and exaggerates the movements.
It's also a great way to remove a distracting background since angling the shot towards the sky will give you a plain and simple backdrop. Combine this trick with a slow zoom forward or back, and you can create drama and excitement.
Show Who's Boss
You might remember being a child and looking up at an adult and feeling very small. Seeing a person from a low angle like this makes them seem dominant and sometimes even scary. When crafting a story, you can use this to your advantage to show a character's status.
To take it to the next level, you can combine the low angle and high angle shots to show the relationship between two people. Use the high angle shot to look down on a more vulnerable character, while reserving the low angle shot for the dominant character. In this way, it's easy for the audience to see who has the power.
Keep in mind that this works for both "good" and "bad" characters. The low angle shot can make a hero look confident and strong, or if it's a villain: sinister and threatening.
Capture Grand Buildings and Roads
When it comes to large buildings and roads, the low angle shot is one of the few ways to squeeze everything into the frame. When you use this shot on skyscrapers, it makes them loom even grander above us. A low-level shot used on roads, on the other hand, conveys the epic distance between here and the horizon.
If you love to take travel videos, the low angle shot is a must to have on your shot list. You can, of course, capture more than just buildings and roads, extending this shot to mountains and forests to best capture nature's beauty.
The Low Angle Shot: A Unique Perspective
The low angle shot will make your video stand out from the crowd and help people see things from a new perspective. By setting up the camera close to the ground, you can imagine viewing the world from the eyes of a child—where people look taller, and buildings seem even larger.
It's one of the most practical angles to fit buildings and roads in a shot. And if you're working with a storyline, it's one way of showing audiences who's the boss, whether that's the hero or the villain. No matter how you use it, the low angle camera shot is a fantastic way to add variation to your next video.