What is the Point of View.

[george013]

Another idea in photography is the Point of View. Also a concept that might some definition. Would make discussions simpler.

George

[IzzieK]

Agree with you here, George....but I wish you had put in an example image in your original post so others can emulate it and for learners like me to learn from.

[JohnRostron]

Most definitions of "point of view" are literary, despite that these are essentially metaphors. There are a few definitions about from a photographic point of view. The simplest is probably "the position from which something or someone is observed".

Merriam-Webster gives a hybrid definition: "a position or perspective from which something is considered or evaluated".

The Cambridge Online Dictionary gives another hybrid definition: "In a ​painting or ​photograph, the point of view is the ​place where the ​artist ​chooses to ​stand and what this ​tells you about the ​subject."

My definition would be: "The position and direction from which a photograph is taken". This makes no artistic judgement. I would distinguish this from "Field of view" and "perspective".

John

[george013]

Most definitions of "point of view" are literary, despite that these are essentially metaphors. There are a few definitions about from a photographic point of view. The simplest is probably "the position from which something or someone is observed".

Merriam-Webster gives a hybrid definition: "a position or perspective from which something is considered or evaluated".

The Cambridge Online Dictionary gives another hybrid definition: "In a ​painting or ​photograph, the point of view is the ​place where the ​artist ​chooses to ​stand and what this ​tells you about the ​subject."

My definition would be: "The position and direction from which a photograph is taken". This makes no artistic judgement. I would distinguish this from "Field of view" and "perspective".

John

It looks as we are seeing the things the same. I add to this the angel of view, or the focal length of the lens.

I don't think I'm wrong if I turn the argumentation backwards: every image can have only 1 point of view.

George

[RBSinTo]

Agree with you here, George....but I wish you had put in an example image in your original post so others can emulate it and for learners like me to learn from.

Izzie,
OK. here's one. This is a self-portrait taken as part of a self-assignment on photographers:



And here's another which is an Ant's eye view of flowers:



Robert

[arith]

I think focal length is a point of view, unfortunately I'm in the process of uploading images to Flickr and haven't got to an example I'm thinking of yet.

However, this is from the point of view of detachment; just happening to come across something bad going on in a clearing.

MemorialShotAtDawnComp_hf copy by Stephen Davis, on Flickr

[Max von MeiselMaus]

Yes, point of view is the position of the camera (and so viewer) with respect to the subject (straight on, from below looking up, from above looking down, face on, from behind etc). Conceptually, it indicates the relationship between the viewer and the subject, which helps determine the message of your image. So, in portraiture, a high point of view (from above eye level, looking down on the subject) places the viewer in a powerful position with respect to the subject, making them look small and vulnerable. In contrast, a low point of view (from below eye level, looking up) makes the subject appear strong and powerful. At eye level places the viewer on an equal position with the subject and arguably helps them relate. Other points of view could be peering in from around an object or through a frame, which says other things about the relationship of the viewer to the subject (voyeur, peering in on a private scene etc).

It is an interesting concept.

[george013]

These examples are made from a certain point, the camera aimed in a certain direction and with a certain angle of view..
More and more I think that the angle of view is a forgotten, not knowing or underestimated variable. Maybe depending on different definitions, but to me it's used in this point of view, it's used in linear perspective, it's used in the light gathering capacity of your camera, it's another name for the focal length of the lens when used for a certain camera, it's changing when you don't aim at infinity, it has to be "recalculated" in macro. I'm sure I forget some.

George