Perspective Compression

[LearnMyShot]

Perspective compression is a way to cheat physics in order to create aesthetically pleasing image.
Technically the perspective is a relation of distance from camera to various elements within the composed frame. Giving the fact that each lens has it's own angle of view, ranging from very ultra wide to super telephoto, photographer has the tool to visually alter perspective.


Such technique is commonly used in portrait photography to flatten the faces (so the nose appears smaller in relation to the rest of the face, 85mm to 100mm usually does the trick)
Also this technique has a wide use in still life, fine art, architectural, product and other aspects of photography.
What to do:
1. To bring the background closer to your subject move the camera back and increase local length
2. To set background farther from the subject, do the opposite, bring the camera closer and use wider angle lens
In both cases the subject should occupy the same space within the frame.
You can see my step by step video how the images above were created:
Video: Perspective Compression Phenomenon

Do you use compression technique in your photography? Post some samples.

[ravidatta]

Wow! Something new to learn. Thanks for posting and sharing the info.

[NicoleScraps]

That is really cool. Thanks for sharing!

[terri33inne]

That is awesome... I love the website too...thanks for sharing... can we follow the website on FB or just Twitter?

[Celt64]

Nice examples with the info next to it. This really helps clarify things for people.

[LearnMyShot]

thanks guys for your feedback. It took me a few days to actually figure out all the mechanics behind compression. Being a professional photographer for 30 years I knew what the effect was and how to achieve it. So I made a video demonstrating the technique. But when the time came to explain how it works I couldn't find logical explanation. So after a number of tests and running a few formulas I learned something old from a new point of view.
Here is a good reference if anyone is interested to get into science part of this: http://scubageek.com/articles/compression.pdf

@terri33inne : thanks for your interest you can follow our updates on FB just hit the link in my sig
we have a few new tutorials in the works

cheers!

[theosus]

Originally Posted by LearnMyShot

thanks guys for your feedback. It took me a few days to actually figure out all the mechanics behind compression. Being a professional photographer for 30 years I knew what the effect was and how to achieve it. So I made a video demonstrating the technique.

This is also the mechanics behind a very disorienting video technique call the dolly zoom. While focused on the subject, you move back with the camera but zoom in, so the subject stays the same size. Or you move forward but zoom out.

I forget which is which but one expands the background relative to the subjects, and one squashes it. Its very freaky to watch in movies. There was a DeNiro or Pacino film I watched at one point, and the actors were talking at a restaurant table next to a window. They very slowly "dolly zoomed" the shot over ten to fifteen seconds, and the background squashed around them. It added to the drama, but was very unnerving.

[LittleBlondeRidingHood]

Great tutorial! Thanks.

[rollercoaster]

hey thanks for sharing.. i wondered what this was called so had no way to search for it and learn !

[stella7d]

Wonderful tutorial...Thanks!!