POV: Point of View Photography Tips

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Take dynamic first-person action and lifestyle photographs using your Point of View (POV) camera.

Point of view photography, also known as first-person pictures, is a fantastic way to capture and add content to your travel albums. It's also ideal for documenting your activities without taking a selfie.

There's no need to purchase one of the best GoPro cameras (though they're awesome) if you have a clever accessory that allows you to take amazing photos with your mirrorless camera.

It's simple to get started. Make a video of yourself patting a dog, dangling over a wall, or buying ice cream by shooting your hands and feet in different activities. A super wide-angle lens is beneficial for capturing everything in the frame when working at such close range. Still, you may also employ your kit lens at maximum zoom – whatever gives your lens / camera a sense of identity… YOUR identity, to be precise.

Hands-free photos need a little more planning. We'll show you how to take a self-portrait while cycling, blurring the background to create a feeling of speed… Just one of the many ideal POV scenarios.

The Appendages (Feet & Hands)

It is simple to photograph your feet or simply one hand; all you have to do is aim and shoot. If you want your hands in the frame, hang your camera around your neck, switch to live view, arrange the shot, then use the self-timer to drop them into position.

POV Straps

If you want to shoot sports, you'll need a steady camera. Get a DSLR or Mirrorless camera chest strap, which wraps around your waist and keeps the camera close to you. This moves the camera as your body moves, creating a unique and practical POV visual experience.

Faster, Faster!

A shot like this is designed to keep your hands and handlebars in sharp focus while the rest of the scene is blurred. Producing a sensation of speed. Set up for shutter priority mode with a 1/300 second exposure time and the interval timer, then shoot while riding around on your bike until you're satisfied with the result.

These are just a few ways to give your audience a sense that they're looking through YOUR eyes, not just your camera's lens.

POV is a very unique technique that makes viewers aware that the camera is subjective – or has an identity. This helps people view the photo from a different and often intimate perspective.

If you're going to use a "point-of-view," it's best if you have a point-of-view. Why implement this technique besides it being cool? Why do you want to show the world through your eyes? If you can answer that question satisfactorily, you'll have even more fun experimenting with all the gadgets and equipment that execute this joyous method of photography.