How to use wide-angle lens in photography?

Landscape photographers usually use wide-angle lenses, which can provide the largest angle of view and provide an abstract and distorted sense of space. I won't talk about the fisheye lens in this article, because it is a very special lens, but for most landscape photography, we use the quite common 16-35mm lens. However, the wide-angle lens of 16mm may be too wide to shoot. This is mainly suitable for full-frame cameras, because the focal length of 16mm will reach 24mm on APS-C, which is the skill of 10 using wide-angle lens in landscape photography.

First, observe the surrounding environment through the camera.

After you get the wide-angle lens for the first time, please observe the world through the camera. As shown in the figure below, our visual angle is equal to the focal length of 22.3 mm If we use a wider perspective, we can let the camera see a wider field of vision than we can see ourselves.

You also need to get used to the distortion caused by wide-angle optical equipment. Even small things (such as small stones or plants) may become larger than the background.

Second, look at the details

When you see the picturesque background, don't forget to pay attention to the small details in the picture. If there are waterfalls or mountains behind, don't take up a lot of pictures on the screen. Observe these detailed elements and decide which key points in the picture, so as to better crop the photos and highlight the key points of the picture.

Third, use an appropriate aperture.

The value of F/ 14- 16 is very suitable for general shooting. This will show a clear sense of space and increase the clarity of the picture. This is especially important if the objects in the foreground are close. Try not to adjust the aperture too low to avoid distortion of the picture. F/ 18-22 aperture will destroy the image quality.

Fourth, focus on superposition.

If you can't provide good clarity at the whole depth of the picture, please take a few pictures and change the focus from the nearest position to the farthest position. Modern cameras can do this automatically. These pictures can then be merged in Photoshop.

This method is most commonly used in macro photography, but it is also suitable for landscapes.

Fifth, try the appropriate shooting distance.

Don't underestimate the shooting distance of the lens angle. When you use a wide angle for the first time, you may feel that there are few elements in the picture, but when you take pictures, you will understand that this is not the case. Similarly, the same object will look different with different focal lengths. Try to choose an object to take a picture with a different lens, or if there is zoom, please rotate the zoom. Then analyze all the photos and pay attention to how the space is deformed and how the geometry and content of the border change, which will make you learn to imagine the appearance of the pictures in advance.

Step 6 shoot near the horizon

When the camera is lowered to the horizon, the thin lines and textures in the foreground look very large. Just try it.

Seven, shooting at different heights

When using a wide-angle lens, the shooting height of the camera is very important. Shooting the same scene at different heights will show the change of the picture. The higher the camera is from the ground, the more it tilts downward to include the foreground in the picture.

Eight, looking for new ideas

Please note that small changes in position, tilt or rotation around the lens axis will have a great impact on the image. When you find what you want to shoot, shoot the subject from different angles.

Nine, the use of deformation to play their own advantages.

Wide-angle lens may cause serious deformation, and all lines in the picture will greatly expand at the edge of the frame and tend to narrow at the center. Try not to shoot the scenery in a three-point way, divide the picture in half and center the skyline.

Ten, pay attention to the corner.

Please pay special attention to the shooting corner of the picture, especially when shooting from the perspective of looking up, use photos to match the lines to attract the attention of the audience and guide them to the center of the main picture.