Photography Topics

Parallax

Parallax refers to the apparent movement of two fixed points that an observer sees as he changes positions. As a person moves, fixed objects appear to have different backgrounds, as if they too have moved. However, this appearance is the result of parallax, as the objects clearly have remained in the same position.

Parallax

This “apparent motion” is important for photographers because, as a photographer changes his position, his relation to his subject (as well as his subject’s relation to its background) changes. Consequently, experts recommend that amateur photographers experiment with parallax and different angles to pin down the perfect shot of their subjects.

Parallax also refers to the difference between the ways in which a camera’s viewfinder and lens pick up an image. Because the lens “sees” an image in a different manner than a viewfinder, photographers should be sure to look through their viewfinders to get a more accurate idea of how the scene will appear in the resulting photo.