There are so many reasons why one would using a wide angle lens. For example, if you are trying to capture the beauty of a landscape and want to get as much material in a single frame or if you are trying to take a picture of an architectural wonder and you want to capture it as a whole. Sure, there are other reasons; like when you don’t have a lot of maneuvering space and it is essential to capture the entire picture.
Unfortunately, taking pictures like this is not as easy as it may sound. In fact, most mistakes made here are due to inexperience when it comes to wide-angle lenses. With this in mind and without further ado, here are five mistakes beginners make using a wide-angle lens as well as a few tips on how to successfully avoid them.
Taking Too Much Distance
One of the first errors amateur photographers make is trying to position yourself far from every single object you want to capture in your photo. With a wide-angle lens, this usually ends up with a bland image in which nothing stands out. Even if you want to capture more than one point of interest in your photograph, not everything needs to be in the same proportion. One of the tricks experts use is positioning themselves mere inches from one of these objects and taking their picture from there. In this way, the image gets an interesting sense of perspective which gives it much more personality.
Not Choosing the Main Subject
Another mistake rookies usually make is failing to clearly set the subject of the photo. Even if you want to capture several objects at the same time, one of them should be your primary focus. Failing to do so may make your image appear empty and unimpressive. Actually, this advice is quite similar to the previous one. Still, picking the main point of interest is not something you should decide on lightly. Try out a few different things, change your focus a few times and then try to see what works best for you.
Trying to Capture Too Much
Even though there is nothing wrong with wanting to capture more than one thing in your photo, having too many things going on at once can be a bit problematic. In other words, cramming too much into the image can make people disoriented and even prevent them from grasping the full meaning behind the photo. Try to keep things simple and make sure that there is always one predominant motif in the image (along with a few supporting ones). If you want to capture more than one theme, it is always better to try and do so in several takes than try and fit it all at once.
Up Close Photos of People
One of the main reasons why a wide-angle lens is used for capturing landscapes is because it distorts things in just the right way. Unfortunately, this isn’t ideal when it comes to taking profile photos of people since it can elongate some of their facial features. In general, a wide angle lens is just not meant for this particular task, but this doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be used in any other case. These lenses are great for taking entertaining photos at children’s parties or for people having fun.
Using a Wide Angle Lens for No Reason
Keep in mind that a wide lens has a specific purpose. If you want to use a wide-angle camera to capture a trail, a landscape, or a panorama this is just fine. On the other hand, using it just because you feel like it doesn’t have to end up looking great. Different lenses exist for a reason and if you want to get optimal results you need to think about this as well.
Conclusion
Photography is an art and like any art, there are so many things you should learn until you become proficient at it. Sure, you can download a manual, buy a book on photography or even talk to a professional about your points of interest. On the other hand, learning from experience is probably the best method there is. Simply go out there and start taking photos of things you find interesting. Intuition alone can sometimes prove to be the best teacher of them all.
