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| The challenge of wide-angle photography |
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| Zeiss Ikon SW - the super-wide angle camera |
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The interplay of possibilities
The most important basic rule in the composition of a photographic image is to concentrate on what is truly essential when selecting a subject. Too much detail or an angle of view which is too wide often allows the eye of the person looking at the picture to wander randomly around the image. The main subject cannot be clearly recognized and only becomes apparent at a second glance.
These rules do not necessarily apply to wide-angle images, photography with short and very short focal lengths. Photographs of this type confront the photographer with particular creative challenges as the depth of field cannot be used as an additional compositional element. The calculated interplay of light and shade, foreground and background, lines and surfaces, vistas and viewpoints is the most important requirement for a successful wide-angle photograph.
The right system
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| "Terrace", Distagon T* 4/18 ZM, Michael Ankenbrand |
Depending on the system, rangefinder cameras are particularly suitable for this demanding type of photography. The absence of a mirror box allows a slim, compact design for the camera case which, in turn, enables compact,lenses offering outstanding performance to be built for wide-angle photography. Carl Zeiss Biogon lenses feature these capabilities. Biogon lenses achieve superb results particularly through their lack of distortion, in other words straight lines appear truly straight. Thus, when photographing architectural subjects, the ugly curvature on what should be straight lines near the edge of the picture is avoided.
Personalized composition
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| "Harbor", Distagon T* 4/18 ZM, Michael Ankenbrand |
The choice of a meaningful and interesting scene is the first step towards taking a successful wide-angle photograph. In the picture of the harbor it is possible to see how an interesting foreground emphasizes the extension of the background into the distance. This effect is reinforced by the color contrast with the more monotone background. Prominent, dense shadows, which further increase the suspense of the scene, are cast by the vertical midday sun.
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| "Sunshade", Distagon T* 4/18 ZM, Michael Ankenbrand |
It is possible to include subjects in the composition which are only just in front of the camera, like the sunshade in this case, in order to animate an image which would otherwise be very average. The shaded side of the sunshade forms a pleasant contrast with the surrounding blue of the sky, while the color of the sand is partially echoed in the sunshade. The repetition of the shape of the sunshade in the background also lends a certain harmony to the structure of the picture.
Unusual views
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| "Glass facades", Distagon T* 4/18 ZM, Michael Ankenbrand |
Unusual angles such as a frog’s or bird’s-eye perspective or vertical, upward views, as in this picture, often create subjects with greater suspense than images taken from eye level. The brilliant blue sky and its reflections in the glass facades provide an almost monochrome feel which was achieved in this case without digital processing. The almost distortion-free Biogon lenses are therefore excellently suited for this subject.
The golden rule
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| "Ice floes", Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZF, Sabine Unterderweide |
The proven arrangement of the main subject or the important details of the subject in line with the ”golden rule” produces pictures conveying an impression of harmony, even in the case of wide-angle pictures without dominant details in the foreground. The horizon with the ice floes divides the photograph more or less in a ratio of 2:1. Using a grid focusing screen on SLR cameras or a clip-on spirit-level in the case of cameras with range-finders enables the camera to be aligned so that it is exactly horizontal, therefore making the structure of the picture appear more balanced and harmonious.
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December 2007 |
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