The versatility of the long shot from behind

If you’ve ever posed for a photograph, whether you’re at a wedding or on a family vacation, chances are you’ve had the photographer tell you to smile and say “cheese.” Without a doubt, smiling at the camera makes for a great snapshot in time. Among all other benefits, it illustrates your joy in the middle of a moment that you won’t ever want to forget.

But while the “say cheese!” trick certainly provides excellent visual representations of unforgettable moments, both with headshots and full-body shots, sometimes putting some distance between the camera lens and the subject of the photo can tell an even greater story. To boot, believe it or not, some of the best story-telling photos are taken when the subject isn’t even looking at the camera.

Regardless of the setting in which you use the long shot from behind, it has a very distinct advantage over more close-up shots. Taking a photograph from behind someone, and from a good distance away, indicates that the subject of the photo is not specifically posing for the picture. Thus, the implication is that you’re capturing a genuine, unscripted moment playing out organically in front of your very eyes, and for even the best of close-shot poses, this can be hard to top.

With that said, here are a few ways we like to use the long shot to create photographs that belong in frames in your living room.

At weddings: walking off into an early evening sky

The sight of a bride and groom holding hands and walking off into the setting sun, which doubles as a metaphor for walking into their new lives as an official two-person team? Absolute perfection. Whenever a married couple is in the mood for some nostalgia, this shot can bring back the memories of that magical night where it all began. As long as there’s adequate lighting, you can’t go wrong with this illustration of the start of something new.

Vacations: enjoying what nature has to offer

There doesn’t need to be a “start of something new” type of feel for the long shot from behind to work, however. Maybe you’re spending a weekend at the beach, and you walk three or four steps into the clear turquoise water and spread your arms out diagonally toward the blue sky. Or maybe you’re on a hike in a beautiful tropical rain forest that features brilliant hues of green. No matter how you choose to soak in the planet’s natural beauty, the long shot from behind can tell the story of you becoming one with this most peaceful of backgrounds.

Families: playing with small children

Few things in life are more precious than the laughter of a small child. While it’s certainly recommended to take close-ups of your kiddos to document their growth from infancy to adulthood, there’s also a level of uniqueness to a distance shot of you holding your giggling toddler high in the air from behind. This gives you a rare opportunity to observe your affection for your son or daughter from the perspective of a casual observer, which in turn can make it a monument of the special bond you have with your child.

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