The #1 Mistake Photographers Make with Wide Angle Lenses

[@BobbyClements]

I don’t care what you say, I love that “boring” foreground. Could go on for days about it!

[@MadsPeterIversen]

At least I didn't go the wrong way... 🤣 That panorama wave shot is one of the best photos I've seen all year... Not jealous at all! 🤩

[@NigelDanson]

It isn't a bad shot that one is it...

[@MadsPeterIversen]

@@NigelDanson seen worse ;)

[@ukqwerty999]

@@MadsPeterIversen I was just wondering what that shot was going to be named, loved the light on the lone wave.

[@Chlupac010]

15:38 - I got hypnotized by those waves crushing slowly (more like "running with"?) the rocks on the other side of beach :) Really nice location

[@slvance2]

Nice to see the 24-200 make an appearance. I've cut down weight as much as I can due to age (65) and now only take the 14-30 and the 24-200.

[@jimswift2400]

As a relative newcomer to the Landscape photography, I have watched hundreds of tutorial videos by various people. Almost all have shown me a new idea or technique I would consider adopting. Often while watching videos from others, I see filler elements of the process in the video such as the unloading of the vehicle, the loading of the backpack, the unloading of the backpack, the tripod setup and similar. After seeing these cliché items, I often fast forward those sections. Your videos are so visually appealing I rarely consider that. My compliments on sharing your knowledge but also making the entire video enjoyable. You have a great flow in your process and consistently share great techniques and great images. Thanks.

[@n0w3lly90]

Absolutely spot on... I've been doing photography now for over 35 years and when using ultra wide lenses, certainly in the 12-24mm range, composition becomes far more complex and a priority, and even tilting the lens up or down slightly can potentially lead to unwanted distortion you may not want in your image. So careful compositioning, careful movements (because even the slightest move forwards or backwards, or side to side can include elements you may not have wanted in the scene), and, getting yourself a viewpoint where distortions can be minimised. Preparation in advance is also key; to give you time to compose and get the lighting you desire. Not good if you turn up right at the time the Sun is where you want it as that reduces preparation time. Give yourself at least half hour to an hour in advance, if you can, so you can get yourself and the camera positioned just where you want them, the composition set as you want it (and a bit of time to take some "test shots")

[@kenlamb4430]

Super helpful insight. Just picked up a wide angle lens and heading out on an adventure next week. Definitely will keep your tips in mind Nigel!

[@TonyApfelbeck]

JUST WOW. The backlit waves

[@dbb8448]

14:30 absolutely my favorite damn that waves shape like a mini mountain was fantastic, amazing timing sir nigel.

[@EKowallis]

I love the rocky foreground with the light. I thought it set the environment for the rest and best of the shot.

[@BullitTom]

The panorama wave shot showing the green backlit colour is beautiful, well done 👏 18:20

[@jremi]

Nigel’s videos are so addictive. Very enjoyable to watch and extremely informative.

[@shaungoddard8417]

Great Video Nigel, with some fab advice about the compositioning with wide angle & zoom.

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

Great shots of the surf!

[@pjmixer]

Although not wide angle examples - those shots of the waves were superb.

[@ulrichpflug2644]

Thanks Nigel. Inspiring video. 👍

[@Lovo369]

😍 beautiful scenery

[@mariebird01]

Stunning images, thank you for sharing, Nigel. Cornwall has such spectacular scenery around every corner, nook or cranny. No matter what time of day, there's always a special place around the corner along the beautiful length of Cornish coast. North-facing, South-facing East or West - so much wonderful choice. You captured the essence of Cornwall so well. Thank you.

[@KonfusedKris]

Those wave photos, especially with the houses in the background, look fantastic!

[@JVNPhoto]

Great video Nigel! That pano at 14:31 is just gorgeous. The birds in the background really finish it for me.

[@salilsahani2721]

Thank you :)

[@LeePelling]

Some lovely images from Kynance Cove , not easy location , i did a video a few years back while on holiday down there , as you said the colour of the sea is beautiful , the rugged coastline and the light you got that morning looked fantastic. Im sure Mads was spitting feathers forgetting his main camera ! Great images as always , really enjoyed this one, even without the drone footage , think this is a national trust site so even without the nearby airport it may of been an issue.

[@glynparry6598]

Thanks Nigel for my Sunday photo fix. Excellent content and photos 🙏

[@zacsurridge1492]

Great video! I was around the Lizard and Godrevy last few days!

[@eberlindavid]

Love that area, often go annually - cafe at Keynance good as well.

[@jamesballantyne8349]

Yes, I get that sense of addictive wave shooting, it like wanting to get every crest or crash of each wave, even as I start and im not necessarily got the most scenic shots, salt burn and hartlepool aren't the most scenic for waves, unlike Cornwall!

[@centurion1916]

What a fabulous sunrise Nigel, such variety!

[@christopherscot3785]

Thanks for this video. I never really thought about the "wide" in wide angle being up and down as well as more expansive to the sides. That should help a lot

[@Suhailkhan53]

Very nice video and pictures 😊

[@deejohnson827]

Amazing photos, Nigel!

[@MivecGPX]

loved watching this video - exactly the right balance of actionable advice vs gorgeous photography

[@richardpesce5325]

great video Nigel and really good point about the wide angle. Thanks

[@michaelladd3628]

Excellent video. Thank you for walking us through your thought process on compositions and your images are spectacular.

[@baszonneveld7740]

Thx Nigel, interesting footage.....need to visit Cornwall some day ;). Keep up the good work!

[@zigatretjak75]

Useful vlog, pleasant holidays and improvement of the back

[@SteveZodiac777]

An inspirational video - thanks for sharing!

[@jesusalvarado6074]

Thank you for another wonderful video full of valuable information! I also get caught up on trying to figure out what to include or exclude in the shot. Tough decision especially when the sun starts going down fast!

[@petermaddern6653]

Excellent video Nigel. Great location.

[@Jviotr]

Love these educational videos! Thank you

[@falafelbleuh]

I audibly gasped at the wave pictures at around 13 minutes.. Nicely done!

[@NigelDanson]

Thanks - one of my favs

[@SniperPhotography]

I use a 14mm and 20mm ultra wide fixed focal length lenses for a lot of my landscape photography. Nothing wrong with them ,you just need to know when and how to use them. Sniper Photography

[@bossofthemoss450]

Love the wave shots 👍👏👏👏

[@martinagiusstreetphotography]

Really epic. Cornwall is a great place to shoot.

[@TonyApfelbeck]

Wow, Nigel! Those intro clips were amazing!

[@bobhart6160]

Great video again. Like the seals in the drone shot at the end.

[@NigelDanson]

I hadn't spotted them! wow!

[@motaztawfik]

Brilliant video as usual Nigel. Your photos are amazingly beautiful and artistic 👌📷 I've been enjoying photography as a serious hobby for 33 years and although I do a lot of wide angle shots, I prefer to do closeups or zoomed-in shots.

[@hazenhafez]

Great video … enjoyed it tremendously 😊

[@MrDazza64]

Nice vid Nige, I’ve loved Cornwall since my first family holiday there when I was 5-6 years old. Classic Danson… “it’s time for a jelly baby!” 🤣🤣🤣👍 Regards, Dazza. 🇬🇧

[@rspringphotography]

First of all, compliments for the wonderful video. As always, I enjoy watching your videos and can always learn something. I have the same lens and have found that when I do ultra wide angle panos with it, it distorts so much that I can barely compose it. I have tried with different programs but practically impossible. Once I zoom to 20mm there are no problems but sometimes you want exactly a pano at 14mm. Maybe someone knows the problem and has a tip for me.

[@LandscapeFotografi]

Nice shot Bro 🏆🏆🏆

[@Stop-All-War]

Wide Angles: Require Foreground interest. Lower Camera to Knee or Ground level..find Rocks, Branches, Leaves, anything to fill Foreground, or walk forward & bypass any 'poor or boring Foregrounds'.

[@saifaldin_]

Too much of anything is never good, though. For me, a good foreground subject is one that can support the main subject. Too often we see photos where the foreground subjects overwhelms the main subject or disturbs the harmony of the piece. Having a foreground subject (like other elements in a composition) should be considered on a case to case basis.

[@Stop-All-War]

@Saif Aldin In Photography terms, what you are describing is known as 'Negative (/ vs) Positive Space'.

[@shazzam532]

Such beautiful photographs Nigel. May I ask, the ones you shot of the waves directly into the light, did you have to stack them or just make adjustments in Lightroom? There was quite a dynamic range there. Thanks.

[@martingoff-jones2184]

Thanks so much for this video Nigel. I’m about to invest in a 16-35mm lens (Canon) so some really useful points to keep in mind for me here.

[@blue_ranger]

Before watching I thought, [well, hoped…] it would be a fix for the pinched clouds effect that while dramatic can sometimes look very faked. I took a wide pic near Back Tor in the Peaks, and glad I also took one not so wide seconds apart. In post I did a sky replacement from the normal into the wide, and it actually looked quite good, the pinch in the hills and the path didn't look as obvious as it does with clouds. All that being said, the dead space is something I will now try to be more aware of in future, Thanks for a great video, and sharing fab pictures with us!

[@pjmixer]

I most often shoot wide angle*, but I get your warning about the side-effect of getting too much foreground or sky in the shot. I hadn’t realized that I subconsciously address this by cropping to 16x9 - not all the time, but often. I have no issues sharing and printing images with that wide aspect ratio (I wouldn’t go as far as to call it panoramic!). So thank you for giving proper insight into the challenges with shooting with wide angle lenses. BTW I always have to do some mental math when full-frame shooters quote focal lengths - with my Fuji-cropped sensor I shoot at 18mm very often and enjoy my super wide 10-24 on occasion. *side story and a tip maybe for other viewers who are looking to perhaps purchase a new lens or more specifically, upgrading a lens. Collect your favorite images and use the focal length grid view filter in LR to see the percentage of shots that fall within certain focal ranges. I’ve done this twice and always come away confirming my tendency to shoot wide. I even made a video about it. PJMixer photos on Flickr and video here on YT.

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

I made that same wide angle mistake as well recently, including too much of boring foreground. I was trying to get an interesting line in the frame that started near the lower left corner, leading to a bridge in the distance -- but as a result I got far too much boring uninteresting foreground. Fortunately I also had some other compositions where I did not try to place that same line so much to the left, so that I did not have as much foreground in all compositions!

[@koenpijpersphotography]

Too funny Mads 😂 hope you enjoyed the sunrise nonetheless. 2:02

[@bryanspark]

Great video Nigel, love Kynance, love Cornwall. I can't get away with ultra wide lenses like 14-30, much prefer the look of a 24mm fov.

[@alexwaterton9769]

Great Video Nigel, a great insight to the wide angle lens I have just purchased with my new Z9 on Thursday of last week. However will be a while before I get to shoot as sadly 24 hrs after purchase Nikon announced a service advisory for the Z9 and mine is one needing to be recalled. :( So Under 20 images taken and now being recalled for repair. !!

[@halstewart3650]

What remote trigger do you use?

[@mere_mort4l]

I think I would have done one of two things: 1- Since I REALLY like the shot you took first (more balanced and beautiful colours in the sky), I'd have kept the camera aimed at that composition and taken another picture after sunrise and then did time blending to show the glow on the rocks OR 2- If I really wanted to take the picture at kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGaxqmluYpaYmKs, I'd have made it a panorama and included the other side of the sea stack and then maybe (if there is any) some foreground on the other side to: a- balance the picture and b- make the foreground on the left side a smaller element of the overall composition

[@spidersj12]

Making sure Madz leaves his camera behind huh! Sneaky on ya! I find with my 14-24mm F2.8 lens that when shooting at 14mm portrait orientation is just a mess for distortion, in landscape orientation it can be somewhat recovered with obvious clipping when you keyframe correct the image. Having a composition where the distortion is less evident, in my opinion is kind of important when using very wide angle lenses.

[@photobugz]

Sir, what is that device mounted on your camera's hot shoe? Thanks!

[@NigelDanson]

a wireless mic

[@TheGazmondo]

Hi Nigel, I particularly liked the pano shot with the green translucence in the wave ! But I’m very curious to know what camera your using to record the, talk to camera shots, as you were making your way down to the rocks. The shadow looked like it was tiny, but the look of the footage wasn’t at all distorted, as is the case with many vlogers, I only wish others could achieve this less distorted footage when addressing the viewer.

[@eileenconragan1064]

Love going out in the field with you- so helpful in refining my composition skills and more. Beautiful shots. Curious re high dynamic range image w rocks. Since one can’t use hdr mode (because water will be different in each image)….how did you get around in not blowing out sky? Did you merge and blend two different images? Would love to hear how you approach it? Thank you and Happy Holidays!

[@pixelgraphica]

What is the unit you have on top of the camera? I can't find it anywhere online? Thanks!

me to?

[@xy3197]

What monitor is that?

[@christhorney]

that might be a boring foreground to you, but to someone who has never been to a place like that, the rocky grassy landscape is just as amazing as the veiw and i want to see it so i can feel more like im there experencing the land

[@t.k.1448]

There are no bad lenses in the Z lens line-up, but something about the 14-30 really appeals to me. Maybe/probably the 14-24 f2.8 is technically better, and maybe it also delivers the intangibles that appeal to me so much in images the 14-30 captures, but at this moment in time I feel no need to own a "better" super wide. Great images BTW, but that hardly needs mentioning by now.

[@barderucio]

"There's something addictive about shooting waves." Maybe that's because they're so ephemeral, and every shot eternalises a unique and fugacious moment. The image at 16:40 is breathtaking. It makes me want to scream! Thank you for making these videos, Nigel.

[@bossofthemoss450]

Greater distortion of the image too Nigel, which reduces the subject size. Discuss. 😊

[@NigelDanson]

Agree

[@raphaelcoelho1557]

Amazing seascapes. The one with 14mm you suggested you should go down even more. However, I was wondering if you wouldn't eliminate the separation between que mountain you were and the rocks. There was a thin layer of sand on the beach separating them but if you go down it would disappear. Actually, I feel I wanted even more separation and more of that sand (going right and be more aligned with it and shooting against the sun?). Maybe where Mads was🤷🏻

[@NigelDanson]

yes that is true - but going right was certain death!

[@raphaelcoelho1557]

@@NigelDanson So, you would go down anyway! hahaha

[@marcelguempel]

Hey Nigel, nice Video. 2:22 whats on your Camera? Greets from Germany :)

[@NigelDanson]

mic

[@ragnaroklife4469]

Curious about the edit on that wave panorama.

[@reallukx]

Nigel u mentioned in on of the vidoes that you are always using SHADE white balance (correct me if I'm wrong) I'm curios why (as it's quite warm)

[@CiBogey]

What’s the device on top of your camera?

[@petemellows]

Another issue with a wide angle lens is that the edges are significantly stretched. I find foregrounds off to the sides look too distorted.

[@scarcesense6449]

How precarious are the rocks along the bottom right of the frame? I'd be tempted to climb across there a bit.

[@NigelDanson]

Very...

[@peterc2248]

Hard to take a bad picture at Kynance…unless you forget your camera of course 🤪

[@Tbonyandsteak]

If you are in doubt, use a zoom lense. From wide, take a photo, zoom cut more, take a photo, zoom cut more,take a photo, zoom cut more, take a photo. I find when I find a wonderfull scene can be difficult to decern. When you dont have the colors and details the camera gets. It is way better for me to do in post to find the perfect focal lengt that fits the scene.

[@jamesss1953]

Wide angle Lens [Nikon 14 - 30] lm finding a challenge. Just as you say; foreground and or sky often not good for me. Or slightly pointing the direction of shot slightly down which results in buildings etc vertical lines ending up angled 🥴

[@ItsAMbutyoutubechangedmyname]

Wow low key jealous the location so so beautiful wowser . Smart to distract Mads so he forgot the camera 😂😂😂

[@nevvanclarke9225]

I probably have made this mistake myself a lot because I use a 15 to 30 mm lens. What I've been doing lately is a few different things. For one getting lower can actually help as well as you can get some text to in the foregrand and you don't need to shoot at F 18 or F 22 extended out if you use the hyper focal method and pick a rock and focus on that you'll get acceptable sharpness through the image. But definitely getting lower and getting something interesting in the foreground, a large rock or whatever it is, he doesn't have to be super interesting. Just so long as you've got something in the foreground I think makes a huge difference and I tend to shoot a lot of seascapes, so I'm always looking for something in the foreground... Yes, shooting in portrait mode is definitely fun and really interesting and I suppose it's caught on because of the social media affect on Instagram and other platforms where it does fit on a phone when people are looking on it and you don't get as much dead space to the left and right.

[@larrysalaets7088]

As your back regains full mobility, do you see yourself getting back out to use your Z 70-200mm or Z 100-400mm?

[@NigelDanson]

I will stick with my 100-400mm. I actually don't ever see a need for that lens now. Which is sad to say.

[@OrenBVideo]

Dear Nigel, What is the magnetic thread you use for your filter on your lens? Could you please give the brand name and model? Thanks, Oren

[@NigelDanson]

It is Kase wolverine magnetic filter

[@OrenBVideo]

@@NigelDanson Thanks, do they sell a set for filters I already have? (Regular non-magnetic filters)

[@NigelDanson]

No - unfortunately not

[@antonoat]

I’ve been saying this for ages, wide and very wide angle lenses can emphasise and enlarge the foreground at the expense of the main scene/subject. Tilting these lenses can also distort the image to unreasonable degree.

[@donquique1]

Them don't shoot the foreground... that what i do.

[@cringecrew101asmr8]

I like distortion

[@antonoat]

@@johnsmith1474 One thing that seems obvious by the tone of your comment is that you probably spend most of your time with a strong grasp of your self !

[@drivethrou]

All know

[@RobtJMooreII]

I've had fun using a wide angle for very intimate shots. Closeups.

[@gunterhavlena5207]

In meinen Augen bist Du einer der ganz großen Künstler,....

[@Mart1n2007]

Did you get a chance to shoot any Astro images whilst in Cornwall?

[@davidrussell7183]

Over the last 2 years I've learned quite a lot about photography, but I know I've got loads more still to learn. This is probably going to sound like the stupidest question ever, but what is that thing in the flash shoe of your camera? I have no idea, it looks like a 3.5mm plug on the end but not plugged in to anything. My only guess is some kind of light meter? I don't recall seeing you use or touch it.

[@oscarhagelberg7895]

Looks like an Acratech ballhead. Are you happy with that one?

[@NigelDanson]

It is ok... nothing better than Benro

[@magicalwishlist6616]

How about just moving to the top left and angle down a bit more?

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

It's pretty funny. All three of you making fun of poor Mads (including him of himself) for forgetting his camera. You had ONE JOB, Mads! I'm normally wary of lenses wider than 24mm. But I've gotten pretty good results from my 14-35 when I have both a strong foreground and an interesting midground. The background winds up as a minor element at best at 14-16mm.

[@ChildlessCatMan]

What if you moved forward into the dead area?

[@brianlemke6017]

Great tutorial. I find my 20mm lens - which is my widest - the most challenging for composition ….. for exactly the reasons you explained. That’s why I use it mostly for astro, which is a shame because it’s a fantastic lens. I find my 24-70 more versatile and easier for picking out compositions; or zooming in.

[@tjsinva]

Wrong way?! No camera?! One might get the impression that you all stayed at the pub a little too late. 🍻 In the end, you managed to capture some great images. 👍🥂

[@NigelDanson]

ha ha - we were all in bed by 10pm I think. Too tired after a day in 40mph wind

[@martharetallick204]

Guys, be careful. Especially when you are near the Coastal Path. It has this irritating way of collapsing beneath you. Years ago, my cousin and her husband were living in a retirement home outside of Porthpean. One fine day, some Coastal Path walkers found themselves far down a cliff because the ground had given way. The Royal Navy had to send a helicopter out for a rescue. Let's just say that I had quite a cautious attitude toward the cliffs that were just south of my cousin's house.

[@jimtrombley3625]

So I have to disagree with your foreground assessment. I find it interesting and leading the eye into the picture. The problem I have is the leading line should take my eye to the beautifully lit island, but is distracted by the bright sun. Hopefully that makes sense. There seems to be a competition for the main subject.

[@josephramone5805]

Rule of thumb: use wide angle lenses beyond 20mm, judiciously and sparingly

[@mikehart5723]

Would a Tilt and shift lens overcome a lot of the issues with the distortion and compositional aspects of a wide angle lens and look more natural in the foreground?

[@NigelDanson]

I think focus would also become a problem