In a portrait, a high camera position will make the face look...

• A. Longer
• B. Shorter
• C. More angular
• D. Wider

Answer: (B)

When you shoot from a high camera position, the viewer is looking down on the subject, which changes how the facial features relate to each other in perspective. The parts of the face that are closer to the camera (like the forehead) will appear larger, while parts farther away (like the chin) recede and look smaller. This vertical foreshortening shortens the overall height of the face in the image, so it reads as shorter rather than longer. That’s why a high angle tends to make the face appear shorter, and why it’s common to use this angle to soften the jawline or create a more delicate look. If you used a lower angle, the face would often look longer; wider or more angular results come from different combinations of lens, distance, and lighting, not simply the camera being high.