Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/20

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Subject: [Leica] WAS: Canon 30D? NOW: LEICA R8 & MOTOR. ;-)
From: rangefinder at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig)
Date: Fri Jan 20 17:18:14 2006
References: <BFF3CEAA.B063%bdcolen@comcast.net> <p06230935bff41bc15187@[131.142.12.152]> <5FD7A3AA-6AA7-45D3-935F-0D9FDB9713F2@btinternet.com> <p0623093fbff46b78013c@[131.142.12.152]> <B3E6CB21-A90F-431C-9FDC-E49B380207BB@btinternet.com> <001301c61d16$f4fe4b70$2ee76c18@ted> <6.2.5.6.2.20060120010424.030e49b0@screengang.com> <p06230968bff704eb344e@[131.142.12.152]>

Richard

The main hint is: shoot, shoot, shoot.
 
As already posted on the flickr discussion about this lens, the rules for 
superwides are quite simply to remember but not that simply to applicate:

- level the camera well*, when a horizont or anything rectangular or 
architectonic is in the picture (*or, when you tilt it, tilt it 
significantly, so that it looks like a compositional intention and not just 
a framing imprecision).
 
- keep faces in the middle of the picture or it looks like 
<http://mogool.com/311/images/posaune.jpg>this (see top right).

- when landscapes, meter the ground not the bright sky to prevent 
underexposure.

- when landscapes or wide space, find an object for the foreground.

For correct framing, many superwide aficionados use spirit levels. 
Personally I gave it up as the CV spirit level is built for the height of 
the higher 12mm finder not the lower 15mm, so you have to move the eye too 
much, and anyway a spirit level does not fit my speedy shooting style (and I 
never use tripods). 

As graphic designer I might have a more elaborated feeling for parallels so 
the finder's borderlines and the horizon are enough for me (which does not 
mean that I have not shot tons of tilted pictures ;-)

I admit these rules can lead to strongly symmetric compositions quite often, 
like in my <http://www.flickr.com/photos/40833360@N00/50219862/>ferry or 
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/40833360@N00/50217592/>cathedral shots. The 
challenge is to find a way to break the symmetry in a interesting way, 
without getting the strong distortions this lens can produce when used 
wrongly. 

Hm, did I mention "level the camera well"?

Have fun with your Heliar
Didier


>Didier - Having just bought a 15mm Heliar myself, I looked at the first 
>three of 
>these shots with fascination.  You seem to have figured out how to use the 
>lens while avoiding the usual obvious distortions.  Any hints for an 
>extreme 
>wide angle beginner?

In reply to: Message from bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] Canon 30D?)
Message from r.s.taylor at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor) ([Leica] Canon 30D?)
Message from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] Canon 30D?)
Message from r.s.taylor at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor) ([Leica] Canon 30D?)
Message from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] Canon 30D?)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] WAS: Canon 30D? NOW: LEICA R8 & MOTOR. ;-))
Message from rangefinder at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig) ([Leica] WAS: Canon 30D? NOW: LEICA R8 & MOTOR. ;-))
Message from r.s.taylor at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor) ([Leica] WAS: Canon 30D? NOW: LEICA R8 & MOTOR. ;-))