P & P - Part Two Wide Angle - Exercise 4 - Close and Involved

This exercise asks for use of wide angle lens of around 28 mm or less and concentrate on using it close to people and try to put the viewer right inside the situation.


Image 1

This image was taken with a 20mm fixed focal length lens. The lens was a lot closer to the subject than this image suggest and so requires a level of confidence and allowance of the photographer within the subject's personal space.


Image 2

This image taken with a zoom lens at its widest setting of 28mm. A lower view point but close in to the subject has created a dramatic image of "Chuckie" putting the viewer amongst the action


Exercise Learning
a) Taking photographs of people with ultra wide angle (UWA) lenses can result in facial distortion, normally noses as this is slightly closer to the lens than any other facial feature. 

b) Portraits at 20mm where the subject is to be closely framed, with no cropping, will require the photographer to be very close to the subject. Both photographer and subject need to be comfortable with this level of closeness, more so the subject

c) Lower view points as in Image 2 can help dramatise the scene and enable the viewer to feel close and personal with the subject