Weekly Assignment: Same Scene, Different Focal Lengths

[PWS-Staff]

One of the easiest ways to learn about different focal lengths and how a wide-angle or telephoto lens can cause distortion is to shoot the same scene using two different focal lengths, preferably two very different ones.

There are two methods to try here: The first is to stay in one spot and photograph the scene in front of you using a variety of focal lengths to see how much of the scene you can capture and how the location you shoot from affects your subject. Remember that when you are using a wide angle, things in the foreground seem closer while things in the background seem farther away; and when you are using a telephoto, the background is compressed. The second method is to move so that as you change focal lengths, the subject stays the same size. This method will help show you how different focal lengths can change how a person looks and how the background will be very different depending on the focal length. Try both methods and post your favorite shot to the Web site.

The choice of focal length is really important in rendering the scene in the best way possible; a wide angle can really make a small room look very large. Using a very wide angle, in this case a Canon EF16-35mm lens at the 16mm focal length, allowed me to capture the whole room in a single frame. The use of the wide-angle lens also creates a feeling of space due to the wide-angle distortion. Another reason to use a wide-angle lens was that there was limited space to photograph from. Standing in the corner meant that I could not back up any farther, and a longer focal length would have meant cropping the sides.

From "Digital Wedding Photography," by Kenny Kim