| Shooting below eye-level angle. In photography, most of us are accustomed to shooting the subject matters at eye-level angles - meaning those that are at the same level as our eyes. Of course, there are also other photographic angles that are known as bird's eye and worm's eye views respectively. The former is related to photographic angles that are shot from the above looking down, like aerial shots from a helicopter or a tall building. The latter is related to photographic angles that are shot from the lower ground and looking upwards. There are also two more but less publicized angles - one is known as "shooting from the hip" and the other shooting below the eye-level. The first, despite its term, does not really apply to shooting from the hip nowadays although it was done that way in the past, more like placing the camera at one's lap and shooting from there without bringing it to the photographer's eye and the need for composition. Nowadays, the term means more to simply shoot from any angle where the eye is not within distance of the camera's viewfinder, like grab shots in a crowded area where the photographer just raises his hands high above the crowd, shoots and hopes for the best. Or clicking the shutter while the camera/lens combo is around his chest, and not near his eyes. The second method is usually used by photographers to shoot from an angle that is done by crouching or kneeling down. It is slightly different from shooting via worm's eye view since it is not about aiming the camera/lens combo upwards but just below eye-level. It is not shooting down, either. This method refers to anything that is not within the same level as one's eyes (or face) when standing upright. The subject matters can be at the level of one's chest, waist, thighs, knees or even ankles. Shooting these lower-angle subjects at eye-level means the camera has to be aimed downwards rather than having the camera/lens combo parallel to them. Of course, this method can also be used on any other subject that is situated at eye-level or above it. However, not every subject can be photographed at below the eye-level method, as some are better left to the normal angles, like these examples shown below. The Amcorp Mall on the first photo was photographed at eye-level with a super wide-angle lens. Kneeling down for a below-eye-level angle and the structure in the foreground became the main subject instead. The same went for the tree trunk surrounded by the bushes, where in the first shot, it could be seen clearly but in the second, the bushes became more prominent.
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