Low-Angle Shot Explained

Modern filmmakers use myriad Akers shots to elicit emotion, including the close-up shot, point-of-view shot (POV), and extreme wide shot. The low-angle shot is one particularly useful camera angle to put on your shot list.

What Is a Low-Angle Shot?

In cinematography, a low-angle shot involves positioning a camera below a subject's eye line and angling upward to capture them. Low-angle photography abounds in filmmaking because it creates emotional stakes that rarely come across in a standard eye-level shot.

What Does a Low-Angle Shot Convey?

In some motion pictures, a low-angle shot conveys a sense of helplessness and submissiveness. It can be used to showcase the perspective of a child, for example. In many cases, these shots imply a point-of-view from on or near the ground as one stares up at people standing above them. Meanwhile, the shot's subject looks dominant and powerful as they look down toward the camera. In some cases, this may convey a literal physical difference in height. In other cases, the downward gaze is metaphorical, conveying an imbalance of power or status.