Out of this world: The wide angle shoot changes your perspective

Landscape photography is where wide-angles tend to be most commonly used. This is down to their increased field of vision. Generally images appear normal but it is still possible to achieve some perspective distortion. This is illustrated by the image of the canal bank. The foreground has an uncharacteristic curve to it and the foreground features are more enhanced. It is also show in the other landscape image shown.

This image illustrates linear distortion often common with wide-angle lenses. The lines of the image disappear into the distance, almost to a point. In the foreground, footprints in the snow appear large.

The foreground of this image appears to have a curve to it, with objects appearing much bigger than those in the distance.

Converging verticals is a common photographic problem and it is more pronounced when using wide-angle lenses. This is also demonstrated in both of the images. It is caused when a camera is tilted upward to include the top of the building. As the camera is closer to the base of the building, that appears bigger and the vertical lines of the image bend inwards toward the top of the image. In the images illustrated, both buildings have spires but it is still obvious what has happened. This can be corrected by using a perspective control lens, which has movable elements, to correct the converging verticals.

Wide-angle lenses have many different uses and there is no limit as to the effects that can be achieved. Ultimately the only limits are those of your imagination and love them or hate them, wide-angle lenses are an important part of photography.

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/wide-angle-photography-technique-4753