Camera Angles

The relationship between the camera and the object being rendered (ie the ANGLE) gives emotional information to an audience, and guides their judgment about the character or object in shot. The more extreme the angle (ie the further away it is from eye left), the more symbolic and heavily-loaded the shot.

1. The Bird's-Eye view

This shows a scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural and strange angle. Familiar objects viewed from this angle might seem totally unrecognisable at first (umbrellas in a crowd, dancers' legs). This shot does, however, put the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. People can be made to look insignificant, ant-like, part of a wider scheme of things. Hitchcock (and his admirers, like Brian de Palma) is fond of this style of shot.

2. High Angle

Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. The camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant (or scary). The object or character often gets swallowed up by their setting - they become part of a wider picture. This is that god awful SE Isometric that we see from newbies.

3. Eye Level

A fairly neutral shot; the camera is positioned as though it is a human actually observing a scene, so that eg actors' heads are on a level with the focus. The camera will be placed approximately five to six feet from the ground.

4. Low Angle

These increase height (useful for short actors like Tom Cruise or James McAvoy) and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

5. Oblique/Canted Angle

Sometimes the camera is tilted (ie is not placed horizontal to floor level), to suggest imbalance, transition and instability (very popular in horror movies). This technique is used to suggest POINT-OF-View shots (ie when the camera becomes the 'eyes' of one particular character,seeing what they see — a hand held camera is often used for this.

 

Consider Sun Angles and Time of Day

The time of day can be important depending on the orientation of the building. (Advice based on Northern Hemisphere conditions) If the main entrance is facing East – a morning rendering will have the most sunlight. If the building is facing South – then you will have the most latitude when you choose your time of day. If the building is facing West – then an evening rendering will give you the best daylight. And if the building is facing North – then you're screwed! 

A building with the primary entrance on the North side, i.e. – always backlit by the sun is the most difficult exterior shot to take. Consider rendering on an overcast day, in the morning or in the evening. 

Rendering in the morning or evening is the best way to ensure the shot will be within the stop range of the camera. A rendering of the South face is probably the easiest because everything is washed with sunlight so anytime of day usually works.

The other thing to consider is where shadows of neighboring buildings fall during the day. If the building is in an urban setting, there might be a small window of opportunity when the sun shines directly on the building depending on how narrow the streets are.