The following is a direct copy and has been Pasted in for future reference from the Art of Photography coursework PDF Doc. (pasted in Maroon)
3 – 10 photographs
This will help you to appreciate the simplest effect of changing lenses from one focal length to another, which is the amount of view you can take in.
Find a view that is open and at the same time has some details in the distance, in the middle of the view. Then, without moving, using a tripod if you have one, take a sequence of photographs, all aimed in the same direction, with whatever range of lenses you have been able to assemble or with different settings on a zoom lens. Vary the composition slightly if you think it benefits a particular image in the sequence. In the photos below you can see the enormous differences focal length can make to an image. Make a note of the number of each shot and the focal length. From the results you can see that, as the focal length gets longer, the angle of view closes in. For this reason short focal length lenses are called wide-angle, while lenses longer than standard are usually referred to as telephoto (‘telephoto’ actually means a method of construction). The magnification also increases. From a mechanical point of view, changing to a longer lens makes the subject appear closer. But this is not the same thing as moving the camera closer. Examine the centre of the wide-angle photograph with a magnifier. You should be able to see that it is identical to the entire telephoto view, though smaller. The relationship between different objects in the scene is the same.
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Equipment
Nikon D800E
80/400 lens
Tripod
Method & Approach
In this exercise I wanted something that would be of value in the picture when zoomed right in hence my choice of a village memorial. Picture taken on the village green of Clanfield (Oxfordshire).
Please see pictures and captions below for visual understanding.
Note – all pictures have been compressed hence there will be a quality reduction when enlarging.
Picture taken Horizontally (Portrait) with an 80/400 lens, with the focal length of the lens set at 80mm.
This picture was taken vertically (Portrait), with the focal length of the lens at 80mm but I had recomposed the picture by physically moving closer.
This picture was taken, with a focal length of 80mm but I had recomposed the picture by physically moving closer. Although the subject is closer it has also narrowed either side from the original composure.
This picture was taken again after moving in to the subject closer and again with a focal length of 80mm.
This picture was taken horizontally (Landscape), with the focal length of the lens set at 160mm.
This picture was taken horizontally (Landscape), with the focal length of the lens set at 400mm.
What have I learnt from this exercise
From this exercise I have learnt not to expect the greatest of results by just changing the focal length of the lens but to move in closer if needs be to obtain optimum subject detail and composure.
stingray493 