Tips for Using Your First Ultra-Wide Lens

Tips for Using an Ultra Wide Angle Lens

In this video, the speaker provides tips on how to use an ultra wide angle lens and get great results. The speaker defines ultra wide lenses and explains how they can be used in landscape photography, portraiture, and more. The speaker also provides tips on reducing distortion and using filters with ultra wide angle lenses.

Definition of Ultra Wide Angle Lenses

• Ultra wide angle lenses have focal lengths wider than 28 millimeters on a full frame system.

• They can range from 25 millimeters to 10 millimeters.

• Fisheye lenses are another version of ultra wide angle lenses but significantly more distorted.

Reducing Distortion

• Keep the camera level to reduce distortion.

• Keep an eye on the distance to objects as being too close or too far can make distortion really obvious.

• Use tilt shift lenses for architectural photography to correct keystone distortion.

Landscape Photography with Ultra Wide Angle Lenses

• Get interesting perspectives by getting low to the ground or framing the scene with other foreground elements around the lens.

• Frame elements around your entire scene to tell a full story.

• Choose a prominent subject in the image to draw viewers in.

Portraiture with Ultra Wide Angle Lenses

• Subjects too close or too far from the lens may not look good unless it's a very specific look you're going for.

• Intentional portraits with an ultra wide angle lens are possible and can present some interesting results.

Using Filters with Ultra Wide Angle Lenses

• Rear lens filters can be placed behind the lens but are only compatible with some lenses.

• Square filter kits are placed on the front of the lens and are compatible with square and some rectangular filters.

Takeaways

• Use a tripod and bubble level when using an ultra wide angle lens.

• Compensate for distortion in post-processing using tools like lens correction and upright perspective correction.

• Find a good balance between getting too close to a subject and the distortion that may result from getting too close.

• Avoid having people on the edges of the frame, especially if they're your friends and you want to keep it that way.