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wide-angle lenses
Converging verticals
Getting the whole subject in while keeping
it a reasonable size in the frame can lead
to a problem, especially with architecture
shots: when you angle the camera up
slightly to get the best composition,
the vertical lines in the subject end up
pointing inwards, making it look like the
subject is falling over. The only way to
avoid this with a wide-angle lens is to
make sure the back of the camera is
parallel to the subject and try to make
the most of the composition from this
position. Try shooting with the camera
very low to the ground to include plenty
of foreground if it’s interesting enough.Focus for more depth of field
The aperture you choose not only
affects the length of the exposure, but
also how much of the scene is sharp
from front to back, known as the depth
of field. A simple way to achieve the
maximum depth of field is to focus on
an object around a third of the way
into the scene, then choose an aperture
that will keep everything sharp from the
foreground to the background.
For most landscapes you encounter
where you can see a long way back, you
will need to select an aperture of f/11 or
narrower to keep everything in the
frame nice and sharp.Lenses for architecture
When photographing buildings
you generally need a wide-angle
lens, ideally one that captures as
little distortion as possible. This
is where investing in a wide-angle
prime lens over zooms can help.
Primes also offer wider maximum
aperture (eg f/1.4 compared to
f/4) which enables you to achieve
faster shutter speeds for shooting
in lower light levels at the same
ISO, without risking camera shake
if you need to shoot handheld.