Photography tips

Using a wide angle creatively

View of the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower in Lucerne with Mount Pilatus in the background under a cloudy evening sky.

The effect of wide-angle focal lengths

Working with wide-angle focal lengths between 12 mm and 30 mm allows for a comprehensive capture of the subject. This range is suitable for documenting both expansive scenes and architectural contexts in Lucerne.

Composition with the foreground

Incorporating a prominent foreground changes the spatial depth of your image. Combining a nearby object with the surrounding area creates a direct link between details and the architectural background.

Precision in image composition

When using ultra-wide-angle focal lengths, precise camera alignment is essential. Careful placement of elements within the frame minimizes converging verticals and ensures a cohesive composition.

What using wide-angle photography changes

Low angle view of the Chapel Bridge and the Jesuit Church in Lucerne under a clear sky.
15 mm · f/4.5 · 1/400 s · ISO 400

Spatial depth and dimensions

Using a wide-angle focal length emphasizes the distance between a near foreground and the background. This increases the spatial effect and makes the large dimensions of landscapes or buildings visible in a single shot.

View of the Pilatus peaks with hotel and transmission towers in daylight
100 mm · f/11 · 1/160 s · ISO 100

Managing image sharpness

By selecting a closed aperture such as f/16, you control the depth of field in wide-angle shots. This ensures that both details on the ground and distant architectural elements remain in focus.

Alpine flowers in the foreground with Hotel Pilatus-Kulm and the mountain summit under a clear sky.
12 mm · f/18 · 1/80 s · ISO 200

Integrating the foreground

A deliberately chosen object in the foreground serves as a design element to frame the scene. This technique connects details such as flowers or chains directly with the expansive surroundings of the city.

Three concrete examples

View from a park bench towards Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne under a cloudy sky.
13 mm
Side view of a spinning Ferris wheel against a clear blue sky
13 mm
View over Lake Lucerne towards Mount Pilatus at sunset
15 mm

Key tips

  1. Actively include the foreground at 12 mm to complement the wide-angle subject and emphasize depth.
  2. Use a closed aperture of f/16 to ensure consistent depth of field in wide-angle shots.
  3. Ensure precise camera alignment at 12 mm to minimize converging verticals on buildings.

Photographs on this topic

2 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

Related topics

  • City
  • Architecture
  • Mountains
  • Landscape
  • Composition
  • Camera settings
  • Light
  • Perspective
  • Lucerne
  • Pilatus
  • Lake Lucerne
  • Central Switzerland
  • Evening light
  • Sunset
  • Blue hour
  • Night
  • Snow
  • Rain
  • Fog