DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Why tilt the camera? The history and use of the Dutch Angle

Nov 12, 2021 by John Aldred Leave a Comment

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

For most photographers and filmmakers, making sure that the horizon is level is of vital importance… Usually. This is mostly because any deviation from the norm looks like an accident. Like we don’t know what we’re doing. But it is possible to tilt the camera intentionally with both photography and filmmaking for added emphasis or effect depending on the shot you’re after.

We call this a Dutch Angle. But what is it? Why do people use it? How and why did it start? And how can we implement it effectively in our work? This fascinating video from the folks at Vox looks at the history of the Dutch Angle and how we can use it in our work. And it probably appears in a lot more movies than you realise.

The technique doesn’t actually come from the movies or photography but in fine art. But it’s not actually Dutch. It’s Deutsch. As in German. When foreign movie imports were banned during World War I, German filmmakers weren’t influenced by Hollywood as they had no access to the movies. So, they turned to art and were inspired by that. Specifically, German expressionism.

Initially, the camera wasn’t tilted. The camera was level and it was the sets that were all twisted and distorted to add a level of nightmarish unease to the shots. And it seemed to work, ushering in a whole new filmmaking technique, eventually picked up by Hollywood. Except, people realised they could get a similar effect by tilting the camera and leaving the sets and locations alone.

It’s now well entrenched in cinema, typically to highlight tension or to intentionally put the viewer at unease. And you can apply the same principle to photography, too. Of course, it doesn’t have to be sinister and tense. Dutch angles can work well for positive and happy scenes, too. But they’re generally more difficult to effectively achieve.

Ultimately, though, it’s a stylistic choice. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s all going to depend on your vision and abilities.

Do you tilt the camera? Or are you always level?

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Is your tripod a little off the level? Just tell people it’s a Dutch Angle History.JPG: The American Museum of Natural History Digitizes its Photography Collection for Online Public Access Dutch Photographer Shows The Athletic Side Of Pole Dancing In Original Photo Series “Pole Fitness” Dutch photojournalist Jeroen Oerlemans shot dead by sniper in Libya

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: art, Dutch Angle, Expressionism, inspiration

About John Aldred

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

« Watch this video if you’re struggling in your photography business
Infinite Skin is a new retouching plugin for Photoshop designed specifically for skin »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Sony almost joined team Micro Four Thirds in 2008
  • Photographer’s Block? Here’s how to get out of a creative rut
  • Zhiyun MOLUS G60 & X100 LED lights are tiny-tiny powerful LEDs
  • Three new full-frame and APS-C Sigma lenses coming soon
  • Sony launches DSC-HX99 retinal projection kit for the visually impaired

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy