Long Lens Landscapes;
a different perspective on the grand landscape

“I am always willing to try for that image with the “wow factor”, and long lenses are definitely an unordinary if not extraordinary way to capture grand landscapes.”

Trinity, Newfoundland. 300mm EDIF nikkor, Fuji Velvia Pro F, color to b&w conversion

n the endless pursuit of trying to produce the “wow factor” in images, I often find myself looking for unordinary

ways of shooting ordinary subjects. One technique I favor is to use lens focal lengths much wider or much longer than normal, to add impact and visual curiosity.

On the pages of this site you will find many examples of grand landscape images captured with a 20mm super wide lens. However, for this article, I have accumulated grand landscape images captured with a 300mm telephoto. How’s that for going to extremes?

So, why would anyone want to use a long focal length lens for landscapes? The answer is to capture a scene in a style that people are not accustomed to seeing, with an atypical or compressed perspective.

The perspective is the key, referring to the size of the foreground element compared to the size of the background element. With a wide-angle lens and the camera close to the foreground element, the background element appears small and distant. With a telephoto lens and the camera positioned back from the foreground subject, the background elements appear larger and closer to the foreground elements.

See the examples. Notice how the iron sculpture in the water fountain appears to be a different distance away from the young lady in each image. The long lens image compresses the front to back distance and simplifies the composition by eliminating the background distractions.

Even greater visual impact can be achieved by controlling the depth of field to include both the foreground and the background in focus. People expect objects that are close to be sharper than objects that are far away. To grab the eyes attention, have the foreground and background equally sharp.

The opening image of this article from Trinity, Newfoundland has an illustrative look to it. Both the foreground and the background are equally sharp confusing the spatial relationships in the image. Without the spatial cues the image looks more like an illustration than a photograph. Judicious use of digital dodging and burning has been used to simplify the composition and aid in completing the illustrative effect.

I

Short lens (wide angle); expanded perspective

Long lens (telephoto); compressed perspective

Capital Reef NP

Mountain view from Bryce Canyon NP

An inevitable side effect of using long lenses for landscapes is atmospheric haze, a result of the camera capturing images at such great distances. The image of the Lighthouse on Cape Cod was shot from a distance of 2 or 3 miles. The haze either detracts or adds to the image depending on your outlook. I must confess to being a split-brain photographer. While my left-brain is disappointed not finding a surgically sharp image, my right brain likes it, seeing it as an artistic interpretation.

So, am I always willing to sacrifice technical excellence for artistic interpretation? No, but I am always willing to try for that image with the “wow factor”, and long lenses are definitely an unordinary if not extraordinary way to capture grand landscapes.

Enjoy,

Michael and Tammy Rice

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Cape Cod, Mass., 300mm nikkor EDIF lens, Fuji Provia F