foreground elements. If you think you’re standing a little too close to that tree branch in the foreground, take another step (or two or three) closer. Crouching low, or even lying down, can help draw greater prominence to richly textured foreground elements like rocks, plants, and fences.
Other Considerations
Light, of course, is key to any good photograph, but wide-angle views can sometimes benefit from some alternate thinking. While many railroad photographers prefer direct, over-the-shoulder sunlight, I’ve found that such even lighting can eliminate some of the depth we’ve been trying so hard to create with wide-angle compositions. Side lighting, on the other hand, can be wonderful for wide-angle views, bringing out textures and adding even more depth to the scene. Don’t overlook cloudy days, either. Bright overcast conditions can be ideal for wide- angle compositions. I often like to shoot out from just inside forested areas that would be nothing but dark shadows on sunny days, while cloudy weather can bring out more detail in those oh-so-important foreground elements. Wide lenses are also great for dramatic
skies — from midday clouds, to sunsets, to star-studded nights. Here again, the considerations remain similar to other wide- angle compositions. Think of that dramatic sky as the background, and then look for engaging elements in both the foreground
and middle ground to round out a composition with great depth. With important elements ranging from the foreground to the background of wide-angle photographs, it’s often best to use large- numbered aperture settings — like f8, 11, or even 16 — to keep everything in focus. Today’s digital cameras make this much easier with their high ISO settings. Perhaps the most obvious advantage
of wide-angle lenses is how they take in a great deal more of any given scene from any given vantage point. Sometimes, particularly in tight confines like narrow canyons and interior spaces, wide-angle lenses might be the only viable choice. But even in these instances, don’t forget about the advantages for greater depth that wide-angle lenses offer. Even when you feel forced to use a wide lens, continue to pay attention to all of your foreground, middle ground, and background elements. Doing so will almost invariably lead to stronger compositions.
And What About Distortion?
Yes, it’s true. Wide-angle lenses create distortion. But in my mind, all photography is a distortion of reality. As photographers, we’re taking a three-dimensional world and rendering it in a two-dimensional medium. The very act of photography is a far greater distortion than whatever the differences in distortion might be between types of lenses. There are also plenty of ways to mitigate wide-angle distortions. Just by keeping the
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