Outdoor Photography How To

Last week we featured an interesting tutorial demonstrating why every landscape shooter should experiment with telephoto lenses, and the camera settings and techniques that deliver uncommon images in the field. We're following up on that today with five unconventional methods for capturing unique wide-angle photographs in ways you may not have tried in the past.

Utah based instructor Austin James Jackson belongs to new generation of landscape photographers with a unique vision and a willingness to explore a variety of new techniques. As he says, "The wide-angle lens is one of the most popular and enjoyable tools for landscape photography but creating jaw-dropping images with it isn't as easy as you think."

In this eight-minute episode Jackson demonstrates five straightforward techniques for shooting compelling wide-angle photos in the field. Jackson is specifically referring to ultra-wide lenses that he defines as anything wider than 20mm. However, most of what you'll learn translates equally to less extreme wide-angle focal lengths.

Jackson illustrates these techniques with a variety of beautiful photos, most of which were captured at focal lengths between 14mm and 18mm. He kicks off the episode with an oft-ignored method that's one of his favorites; namely, using wide-angle distortion to your advantage rather than trying to avoid it.

He explains the concept like this: "Anything in the center of an image will appear fatter and a lot more rounded, while things on the edges of the frame with appear stretched." Hence, architectural photographers often prefer tilt-shift lenses because they enable them to adjust perspective and keep lines straight. Jackson demonstrates how to use this distortion to advantage with whatever wide-angle lens you own.

Another simple trick for eye-catching imagery involves what Jackson refers to as "not forcing a foreground when there isn't anything interesting close to the camera." In other words, including an overly busy foreground can actually make an image worse by diverting attention from the most compelling elements in the frame.

As the video proceeds, you'll learn other conventional wisdom to avoid, why thin lens filters are a must, and how attention to detail factors into the equation. Bottom line: It takes a bit of finesse to produce portfolio-quality landscape photos with your trusty wide-angle lens.

Jackson's instructional YouTube channel is a great resourse for landscape shooters who want to elevate their skills, so be sure to take a look when you have time to explore.

And don't forget to watch the tutorial mentioned above so you'll understand how to switch things up by experimenting with a telephoto lens for landscape photographs that break the mold.