How to Use a Wide Angle Lens

Wide angle lenses are camera lenses that capture a wide field of view in a single photograph. While they can be a bit tricky to use, wide angle lenses enable you to capture large, sweeping scenes even wider than the human eye can see. If you have a wide angle lens, you can use various techniques to capture a variety of unique and creative expansive images. If you’re looking to purchase a wide angle lens, you’ll need to decide what type of wide angle lens you should get. You can then determine when you should use your wide angle lens to capture the images you want.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Taking Photos with a Wide Angle Lens

1. Keep your camera level to avoid distorting lines and angles. Keystone distortion, an image distortion that alters the appearance of a scene or object’s dimensions and shapes, is particularly prevalent when using a wide angle lens. Unless you plan to change the image like this (i.e. make a square object look like a trapezoid), make sure that your camera lens is level before capturing your image.^[1]
   
   • Tilting the wide angle camera lens even slightly can completely alter the dimensions and shapes in your image, so it’s worth it to take a bit of extra time to level the lens.^[2]
   • Many cameras nowadays come with built-in level indicator. This makes it very easy to double check if your lens is level before taking the photo.^[3]
2. Move closer to the object you want to focus on. Because wide angle lenses make the objects closer to you appear larger, try to move closer to the objects that you want to focus on in the photograph.^[4] Make sure that you’re aware of your positioning, however, so that you can ensure that the objects in the image appear to be the size you want them to be.
   
   • For example, if you’re photographing a bedroom and want to focus on the bed, move closer to the bed so it will appear larger and more prominently than the other items in the room.^[5]
   • If you move closer to the foot of a bed on the left side, however, objects on the bottom left side of the bed, such as the bedpost, will appear disproportionately larger than the rest of the bed. Therefore, be aware of where you position yourself so your image will have the portions you’re aiming for.^[6]
3. Stand farther away if you want to capture a wide city or landscape. If you’re trying to capture a wide view of a city or landscape, try to position yourself so that you are farther away from all the elements you want to capture. This will make your city or landscape appear more realistically, and help you avoid ending up with an image where some elements are disproportionately larger or smaller than you wanted them to appear.^[7]
   
   • By standing farther away from all buildings, trees, or other city or landscape elements, they will appear more proportionate to their actual size in real life.
4. Check the edges of your frame before capturing your image. To ensure that you get the image that you want, check the edges of the frame for distortion or movement. While you’ll likely want to do this with any type of camera lens, it’s particularly important with a wide angle lens because the lens can capture elements of the scene that you can’t see or don’t notice yourself.^[8]
   
   • This is particularly important when you’re taking a photo and there are people on either side of the frame, as this will likely distort their body shapes and make them appear shorter and wider than they actually are.^[9]
5. Make sure that you like the foreground in your photo. With a wide angle lens, the objects and scene closest to you will appear larger than anything farther away. Therefore, when using a wide angle lens, make sure that the scene in the foreground of your image is interesting and visually appealing. While it may not be the reason you’re taking the image, it will be quite obvious in the final image.^[10]
   
   • This is particularly important to keep in mind when taking landscape photographs. If you’re taking a picture of a mountain in the distance, for example, keep in mind that everything between you and the mountain will be disproportionately large in the foreground of the image.^[11]
6. Try different positions to distort your images for artistic effects. While it’s best to avoid tilting the camera if you’re trying to capture a clean, realistic image, doing so can create some interesting distortions and alterations. Therefore, if you want to get creative with your wide angle lens and capture some artistically unique images, try experimenting with different positions, distances, and camera tilts.^[12]
   
   • For example, if you want to capture more of the sky than the ground, tilt your camera lens up a bit. While it may distort some of the elements of the photo, you’ll be able to manipulate the image to make the sky appear much larger.
   • If you find that you like some elements of the distorted image but not all of them, keep in mind that you can edit the photo afterward to achieve the creative elements you’re looking for.
7. Point the lens through an opening to create a frame. Using a wide angle lens is a great way to capture an image that incorporates a frame already existing in the environment you’re photographing. Window frames, door frames, or any type of opening can be used to frame your image and make the viewer feel as though they are looking through the frame onto the scene in your photo.^[13]
   
   • For example, try positioning yourself inside looking out through a window onto the scene you want to photograph. Then, move yourself far enough away so that the window opening frames the edges of your field of vision.

[Edit]Purchasing and Attaching a Wide Angle Lens

1. Research which wide angle lenses are compatible with your camera. If your camera has an interchangeable lens capability, it’s likely that you’ll be able to find a wide angle lens that will work. If you’re searching online, most retailers have the option to first narrow down your search by brand, then by camera type. You’ll then be able to see what wide angle lens options are available.^[14]
   
   • Many brands make 35 mm, DSLR, mirrorless, and compact cameras that are all compatible with some wide angle lenses.^[15]
   • While finding a wide angle lens that’s made by the same brand as your camera is generally your best bet, there are some lenses that are compatible with a number of different cameras.
2. Purchase a standard wide angle lens if you want a larger field of view. Standard wide angle lenses include any wide angle lenses that have a focal length of less than 35 mm. While there can be some distortion, in general, standard wide angle lenses aren’t used for this effect intentionally. Therefore, if you’re looking to take images with a more realistic wider view, a standard wide angle lens is your best bet.^[16]
   
3. Buy a fisheye wide angle lens if you want more abstract, warped images. If a wide angle lens has a focal length of less than 24 mm, it’s considered a fisheye wide angle lens. Unlike standard wide angle lenses, fisheye wide angle lenses purposefully focus only the subject of your photo while distorting the surrounding scene. Therefore, if you want to get a wide angle lens that allows you to distort images in interesting and unique ways, a fisheye lens will be a good option for you.^[17]
   
   • Due to the more extreme distortion, fisheye lenses are highly specialized. Therefore, while they are a great choice if you want to produce this particular type of effect, they aren’t the kind of wide angle lens you’d want to use in most cases.
4. Get a wide angle lens for your smartphone. If you primarily use your smartphone to take photos, you may want to consider getting a wide angle lens attachment. There are several wide angle lens attachments available for a variety of different smartphones, including the iPhone, Android, and Google smartphone devices. In most cases, these lenses clip onto your phone so that the wide angle lens rests on top of the built-in lens.^[18]
   
   • Smartphone wide angle lens attachments generally cost around $100 USD.
   • You can also invest in a smartphone with a built-in wide angle lens, such as the Google Pixel 3 or the Samsung Galaxy s10e. Instead of using an attachment as you would with other smartphones, these smartphones had a wide angle lens setting in the camera that you simply select to take wider images.^[19]
5. Follow the instructions to attach your wide angle lens to your camera. How you’ll attach your wide angle lens to your camera depends of the specific brand and type of camera you have, as well as the exact lens that you purchase. Therefore, it’s important that you follow the instructions provided with your camera or the lens to attach it properly to your camera.
   

[Edit]Determining When to Use a Wide Angle Lens

1. Use a wide angle lens when you want to capture a large scene. When it comes to capturing a sweeping view, a wide angle lens is generally your best option. By definition, wide angle lenses are lenses that cover a focal length of 4.5mm to 35mm. This range effectively allows you to capture a wider field of view than you’d even be able to see with your eyes in real time.^[20]
   
   • This capability makes wide angle lenses a great option for landscape, cityscape, and architecture images, as you’ll be able to capture everything in sight.
   • Wide angle lenses are also commonly used by designers, real estate agents, and decorators who want to capture an entire interior room.^[21]
2. Go for a wide angle lens if you’re capturing a large group. Large groups, such as wedding parties and family reunions, can be difficult to fit into a single frame. With a wide angle lens, however, you’ll easily be able to fit everyone into the image without having to stack and rearrange everyone into a small area.^[22]
   
   • While a wide angle lens is a great option for large group shots, be aware that it can distort the appearance of anyone along the edges. Therefore, make sure that you stand far enough away so that the entire group fits within the center focus of the shot.
3. Try a wide angle lens when you want to exaggerate the perspective. When using a wide angle lens, the objects that are closest to the lens will appear disproportionately larger, while objects that are far away look disproportionately smaller.^[23] Therefore, if you want to exaggerate the size of a particular element of the scene, such as a building, sand dune, or architectural detail, move within a few yards of the object to make it appear larger than the rest of the scene.
   
4. Choose a wide angle lens for images with a lot of negative space. If you want a particular object to stand out in your image, using a wide angle lens to capture your subject against a lot of negative space is a great option.^[24] While capturing a lot of negative space could risk making your image seem a bit empty, it can also give you the artistic control to hone in on a particular subject and give your image a creative, unique perspective.
   
   • Negative space refers to the empty or nearly empty space that surrounds the object or subject of your photograph.^[25]
   • For example, use a wide angle lens to photograph a single black bird against a grey sky. By capturing only the bird (your subject) and the sky (the negative space), you’ll be able to emphasize the enormity of the sky compared to the small, single bird.

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://improvephotography.com/33932/10-tips-shooting-wide-angle/
2. ↑ https://fstoppers.com/education/how-use-wide-angle-lens-270951
3. ↑ https://fstoppers.com/education/how-use-wide-angle-lens-270951
4. ↑ https://fstoppers.com/education/how-use-wide-angle-lens-270951
5. ↑ https://fstoppers.com/education/how-use-wide-angle-lens-270951
6. ↑ https://fstoppers.com/education/how-use-wide-angle-lens-270951
7. ↑ https://fstoppers.com/education/how-use-wide-angle-lens-270951
8. ↑ https://fstoppers.com/education/how-use-wide-angle-lens-270951
9. ↑ https://improvephotography.com/33932/10-tips-shooting-wide-angle/
10. ↑ https://improvephotography.com/33932/10-tips-shooting-wide-angle/
11. ↑ https://improvephotography.com/33932/10-tips-shooting-wide-angle/
12. ↑ https://improvephotography.com/33932/10-tips-shooting-wide-angle/
13. ↑ https://improvephotography.com/33932/10-tips-shooting-wide-angle/
14. ↑ https://www.adorama.com/alc/0008113/article/BUYING-GUIDE-Digital-Single-Lens-Reflex-DSLR--Lenses
15. ↑ https://www.adorama.com/alc/0008113/article/BUYING-GUIDE-Digital-Single-Lens-Reflex-DSLR--Lenses
16. ↑ https://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/wide-angle-lenses
17. ↑ https://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/wide-angle-lenses
18. ↑ https://medium.com/@attibear/turn-your-phone-into-a-dslr-how-to-use-a-wide-angle-lens-on-an-iphone-62504c38f3df
19. ↑ https://www.ephotozine.com/article/top-20-best-camera-phones-for-photography-2019-23050
20. ↑ https://expertphotography.com/wide-angle-lens/
21. ↑ https://expertphotography.com/wide-angle-lens/
22. ↑ https://www.adorama.com/alc/wide-angle-vs-telephoto-which-lens-should-you-choose
23. ↑ https://photographylife.com/how-to-use-wide-angle-lenses
24. ↑ https://photographylife.com/how-to-use-wide-angle-lenses
25. ↑ https://expertphotography.com/how-to-use-negative-space-in-photography-for-more-powerful-images/