Headshots from above?

Hello, sorry I am a bit confused. - Back when I started reading up upon photography, I learned to shoot people with lens at their eye level or from below, to make them look more respectable or important. Being a bit tall I really liked results I got with a chimney findered TLR. Recently I watched a few tutorials on Youtube. It seems the current trend among females is to shoot selfies from above. - To look a bit cuter?

What derailed me entirely was some corporate flyer at work, depicting a consultant in tie and jacket, who didn't look fat enough to get a multitude of chins hidden that way, shot from above. - Why? - Isn't such counter productive?

Why should one shoot people from above to express what exactly that way?

Have I been missing something?

I'm really grateful for any (links to) enlightenment somebody could share. TY very much in advance.

I am aware of fake-eye level shots of people where they turn their heads upwards to look normally into the camera but those aren't what I am talking about here.

I've sometimes shot portraits from above, to diminish the apparent size of the cheeks. It often creates a pleasing result for someone who is heavy. Don't forget that many people prefer to look thinner than they are, even if they are thin.

I wouldn't elevate it to a principle, but the technology (the stick) tends to encourage a downward sort of view.

 

 

Of course, less exaggerated viewing was done to "slim" the subject, hide double chins, etc.

I think you are referring to selfies, often on a selfie stick. Those folks aren't photographers. A camera a couple feet from a persons face produces an enlarged nose, something I have never had anyone ask for, so many of those photos start out unflattering. Yes, a camera position above the eyes is common. In my photo it is only slightly above eye level. See any double chin there? A half inch up or down can make a difference. Shadows hide as well so placement of the main light has a bearing as well. A higher camera angle opens the eyes when looking up slightly and can make them look bigger. Taken too far, it can look like they were just startled. Tilting the head back and looking down at the camera can reduce the size of the eyes. If you saw a head shot taken from well above eye level doesn't mean the person who took it knew what he was doing. Could just be a gwc. However, camera positions above a person for full body can be dramatic because of an unusual angle so I would wonder what he was trying to accomplish. I have shot nearly straight down on a lady who had paid $5,000 for some plastic surgery she wanted to show off. It also may help with a heavier body making it appear smaller and the head larger. Having the body fall out of focus with shallow depth of field can help too. Your shot should start with an analysis of the persons face and body and your lens/aperture, camera height/distance, lighting should flow from that. There are no rules, just guidelines and they can be broken.

Somewhere I have a book or two on portraiture -- innumerable variations of angle and light based on physical characteristics, either enhancing or diminishing their prominence.

I personally do not care for the looking down on the subject poses, I'm old school.

But some photographers like it.

I do not know where this trend/movement came from.

Maybe they think it is less FORMAL, than the traditional eye-level portraits.

 

Following on Sandy, one reason might be the nose. You really do not want to be staring up someones nostrils, as it makes for a distracting picture. So depending on the shape of the nose, you may have to shoot down, to avoid that problem.