The first exercise in focal lengths is about the angle of view. The focal length of a lens determines the angle of view. We are asked to take a series of photographs using different focal lengths with a zoom lens from one position using a tripod. The course materials explains that zooming in and changing to a longer lens makes the subject closer as the magnification increases. But the relationship between the different objects in the scene remains the same.
I decided to use my Nikon D7100 camera with an 18-200mm lens for this exrecise and shot photographs at the following lens settings - 18mm, 35mm, 50mm, 80mm, 140mm and 200mm (27mm-300m equivilent in full-sized sensor cameras). The results are below. ISO was 200, aperture was set at f11 and shutter speed changed as the lens zoomed from from 1/160 at 18mm to 1/80 at 200mm. The 'target' at 200mm is the Cardiff public libray which almost becomes an abstract photography with the lines of the building. My favourite shot is the 80mm shot because it shows people within the context of the library building, the perspective is compressed and graphically it looks more visually appealing to me.
I decided to use my Nikon D7100 camera with an 18-200mm lens for this exrecise and shot photographs at the following lens settings - 18mm, 35mm, 50mm, 80mm, 140mm and 200mm (27mm-300m equivilent in full-sized sensor cameras). The results are below. ISO was 200, aperture was set at f11 and shutter speed changed as the lens zoomed from from 1/160 at 18mm to 1/80 at 200mm. The 'target' at 200mm is the Cardiff public libray which almost becomes an abstract photography with the lines of the building. My favourite shot is the 80mm shot because it shows people within the context of the library building, the perspective is compressed and graphically it looks more visually appealing to me.
The second exercise is using different focal lengths but not at the SAME viewpoint as above but at two DIFFERENT viewpoints, using a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens but with the subject filling the frame in both shots in order to compare the perspective and other differences. I chose to photograph the statue of the Third Marquis of Bute in Cardiff's Friary Gardens. The first shot is with a telephoto lens of 85mm with exposure of f8 @ 1/250 iso200. At 85mm, this was the farthest I could get back from the statue without going into the road and possibly taking an early exit from the course! The second photograph is 18mm f8 @ 1/200 iso 200. Click on each photograph to open it to its complete vertical format as the thumbnails are cropping the full images.
The photographs are very different. In the first one the Marquis on his plinth is central and attention is focussed on him. The gates to the gardens are out of focus at f8 and lead us nicely into the picture and there is a 'clean' background of trees. In the second wide-angle photograph we see more of the gradens and the sky, the gates still lead us into the picture and are in focus at f8 this time. The Marquis has moved the the left of the frame. I think the ideal shot is at a focal length somewhere between 35mm and 50mm. However, the flowers in the Friary Gardens are wonderful and a 10mm lens at the southern end might make a more unusual and wonderful picture - something to try next time perhaps when I am back in Cardiff's magniciant Civic Centre!
The photographs are very different. In the first one the Marquis on his plinth is central and attention is focussed on him. The gates to the gardens are out of focus at f8 and lead us nicely into the picture and there is a 'clean' background of trees. In the second wide-angle photograph we see more of the gradens and the sky, the gates still lead us into the picture and are in focus at f8 this time. The Marquis has moved the the left of the frame. I think the ideal shot is at a focal length somewhere between 35mm and 50mm. However, the flowers in the Friary Gardens are wonderful and a 10mm lens at the southern end might make a more unusual and wonderful picture - something to try next time perhaps when I am back in Cardiff's magniciant Civic Centre!