High Angle
An angle where the camera sits above the subject’s eye line and looks down. The subject looks small, weak and powerless. Raising the camera but keeping it level only changes the height; to get a high-angle feel it has to tilt down.
How it feels
- Powerlessness
- Smallness
- Isolation
- Loneliness
- Weakness
When to use it
- A child lost in a crowd
- A person left alone in a large space
- Showing someone who has to depend on others
- A moment of defeat or despair
In the movies
The Color of Paradise 1999
The blind son Mohammad and his grandmother are often shot from a high angle, stressing how small they are and how they must rely on others.
Not to be confused with
- Bird's Eye
- A high angle looks down at a slant; a bird’s eye view looks straight down from directly above the subject.
- Tilt
- A high angle is a position, already tilted down and holding still. A tilt down is a movement, the camera lowering its head during the shot.
- Crane
- A crane shot is a movement of the camera through the air. A crane can rise and end on a high angle, but they are different ideas.
Prompt
high-angle shot
High-angle shot. The camera is placed above the subject's eye line and tilted down, making the subject look small and vulnerable.
Try these combinations
High angle + crowd: a lost child
High-angle shot of a child lost in a crowded train station, people rushing past, muted colors
High angle + wide shot: a person left alone
High-angle wide shot of a lone figure in a vast desert, harsh midday sun