10) Project: Focal lengths. Exercise: Focal lengths and different viewpoints - for cameras with variable focal lengths (with a zoom or interchangeable lenses) - Page 32.

Deciding the subject.

I was going to use my fruit bowl as the subject for this project, something with a variety of colour and texture, however on a day out and taking a picture of this beautiful lighthouse I saw the potential of this exercise being completed with this subject.

Setting up.

No setting up was required for this, it was a simple point and shoot once I had the desired composition in the frame.

Equipment used.

Camera: Canon 500D
Lenses: Canon 18mm-55mm
Tamron 70mm – 300mm

Settings and results.

IMG4428e
Camera setting: Shutter priority
Focal Length: 84mm
Equivalent in 35mm: 133mm
Shutter speed: 1/80
Aperture: f/20
Flash: Not used
Metering: Matrix
ISO: 100
White balance: Manual



IMG4431e

Camera setting: Shutter priority
Focal Length: 18mm
Equivalent in 35mm: 29mm
Shutter speed: 1/80
Aperture: f/16
Flash: Not used
Metering: Matrix
ISO: 100
White balance: Manual














Findings and conclusion.

I absolutely love these shots, however, due to the subject I chose, I didn’t get the opportunity to use focal lengths that were further apart as these only have a difference of around 66mm but even so, the results illustrate the different perspective very clearly.

IMG 4428e is taken using telephoto lens at the focal length of 84mm.  This shot is taken with the subject filling the frame to the best of my ability without cropping the image at all.  To enable me to fill the frame, it was necessary for me concentrate on the top of the lighthouse, where the light itself is contained.  In my opinion, this beautifully shows the character of the lighthouse yet it really doesn’t show that I was indeed some distance from the lighthouse when taking this shot.  It illustrates that I am looking up to the lighthouse, but this appears to be very slight, it gives more the indication that I am near on level with the lighthouse and quite close to it.

IMG4431e is taken using the wide angle lens at the focal length of 18mm.  This shows the sheer size and magnitude of the lighthouse and in comparison shows how relatively small I am by comparison.  It adds grandeur and shows that the lighthouse is vast and needs me to look up though I am as closer to the lighthouse in this shot than in the previous shot, I am indeed as close I am able to get.

I am amazed looking at these images, how the same subject can be made to look so different using different lenses, clearly showing that you can indeed control how the subject looks and is perceived by the viewer, by choosing different lenses.