In landscape photography, ultra-wide zoom lenses tend to be the go-to, and for good reason. When the environment itself serves as both the subject and the location, a wider focal length provides the coverage you need to get the shot. Though a variety of wide angle lenses and certain photography techniques such as panoramas will also do the trick, the 16-35mm zoom lens stands as one of the best options for capturing epic landscape imagery.
In his latest video, Mads Peter Iversen shares five tips for using this particular lens to capture powerful wide-angle photos of some truly inspirational locations. From Iceland to Switzerland to the Faroe Islands and beyond, Mads offers global case studies to show you how to take advantage of wide-angle lenses to create incredible images.
You can watch Mads’ video here:
Here’s a quick recap of the tips covered in the video:
- Think holistically
- Select an interesting focal point
- Create a strong, meaningful composition
- Ensure focus and sharpness
- Edit to enhance specific elements
Rather than focus on specific technical settings that change with each new location, Mads mirrors the imagery he’s discussing and considers the bigger picture when sharing advice for capturing powerful wide angle images.
Building on his first tip, Mads suggests using holistic thinking when composing a shot considering which elements to include in the image, noting that the image as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts, a theme that carries through all five tips: “The individual parts do not have to be the most interesting on planet Earth, but by adding them together, they should benefit each other.” In other words, although the frame is wide, size alone does not make an image epic. It’s how the pieces inside fit together to make the image more powerful. To illustrate his point, Mads shows how otherwise uninteresting waves in one of his photos become a key element when used as leading lines to draw focus to the mountain range on the horizon.
They key takeaway from this video lies in its emphasis on taking intentional photos that make sense to ultimately render more powerful imagery. The 16-35mm lens lends itself well to helping photographers do this by offering a substantial frame to work with, but without thoughtful, creative application, it’s just a tool. Be sure to check out the video for more examples and in-depth information on each of Mads’ five tips.
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To learn more about Mads and his work, visit the links below:
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