18mm...

[Dreadnought]

Good morning everyone,

I played around with wide angle stuff the other night after reading up on Ken Rockwell's site. Does anyone have any input into this shot? Did I utilize the wide angle correctly? Is the vanishing point in the right spot? I think im finally realizing my style is black/white and muted colors with bold contrasts, as those seem to be my predominant editing choices. Thanks for looking, and any input is more than welcome.


Behold the Power...


Camera Nikon D40
Exposure 5 sec
Aperture f/6.3
Focal Length 18 mm
ISO 200
Flash No Flash

[RichardTaylor]

It works, very well, for me.

[prochman]

I like it...

[Dreadnought]

Thanks for the replies! I applied this technique on my last business trip to St. Louis...heres what I came up with...

[dcclark]

Enjoyable, but ultrawide shots can be tricky, in that they tend to emphasize lines -- which can pull your eye OUT of the shot, instead of IN to it. In the original shot (electric boxes), the lines pull me AWAY from the subject. Similarly, in the St. Louis arch shot, my eye is pulled right out of the frame. You might try playing around with settings where the lines lead TO something else. Good luck!

[Dreadnought]

Thank you for the advice! I assume the subject would probably be rather massive in the distance and therefore filling the frame?

[dcclark]

Depends -- you could put the subject nearer to the edge, or even right in the middle (where the lines from the outside will get "sucked" in). You can wander through my photostream for a few examples, but for the most part, you just need to play around and see. Have fun!

[Zamchris]

What works for me at least on the arch shot is that even though the lines lead out of the frame is that it creates an abstract sort of sense of detachment. As though the arch has sliced through the clouds, and is now moving on. Just a thought... Do leading lines ALWAYS have to lead into a photo?

[danbaileyphoto]

I like the Arch shot!

Super wide angle lenses are good for a few things- adding lots of depth to your compositions by accentuating the perspective and distances between your subjects, emphasizing subjects that are placed in your foreground, and accentuating lines that lead in, through and out of your composition.

Keep playing around it it, you'll see for yourself what works and what doesn't.