Using a Canon Wide Angle Lens to Show Location

This picture of a Natal Francolin (Francolinus natalensis) pecking around for food was taken with a Canon wide angle lens — the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom, fitted to a Canon EOS 450D SLR camera.

The camera was placed on the ground and the picture taken using an electronic cable release, so the viewpoint is almost eye-level with the subject.

Although wide angle lenses are not exactly the first choice for bird photographers, what this image shows is how a wide angle can give a much better idea of location and the surrounding vegetation than can a long tele lens with its shallow depth of field and narrow angle of view.

While it usually makes for a more pleasing image when the background’s totally blurred so the subject stands out from its surroundings, there are occasions when it’s necessary to show more of the background and surroundings and that’s when wide angles come into their own.

Exposure details: shutter speed 1/80 sec; aperture: f/5.6, ISO: 400, focal length: 21mm (33.6mm equivalent). See Canon EF-S lenses for explanation of why we refer to equivalent focal length.