High-angle shot

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A high-angle shot from Big Buck Bunny
Example of high-angle shot in photography

A high-angle shot is a cinematic technique where the camera looks down on the subject from a high angle and the point of focus often gets "swallowed up".[1]

High-angle shots can make the subject seem vulnerable or powerless when applied with the correct mood, setting, and effects.[2] In film, they can make the scene more dramatic. If there is a person at high elevation who is talking to someone below them, this shot is often used.[3]

The height required for this shot is low enough to be achieved without flight, thus distinguishing it from a bird's-eye view.

The "MySpace angle"

Very contrasted photograph of the head of a young white woman looking up at the viewer. She smiles. She wears goth makeup. She has a fringe.
A picture in the style of a MySpace profile

The MySpace angle is so called because it is associated with

foreshortened. Several gestures and grimaces may be associated. Practitioners consider this angle to flatter the subject by accentuating the face and cleavage, while dissimulating an unattractive body. However, its frequent use was protested by some viewers who found it deceptive.[4]

References