About the Author:
Dustin is a full time pastor/part time photographer from Pembroke, Ontario who shoots professionally but primarily for capturing beauty and sharing it with others. www.dustinabbott.net
When people are starting out in photography, there are certain lenses that are typically recommended. The definition of a “kit lens” for example, is one that covers many of the standard focal lengths from moderately wide to short telephoto. For someone a little more serious, the old standard of a 50mm “normal” prime is the next recommendation. That focal length approximates the field of view of the human eye, so images often look natural and “relatable”. These types of lenses are quite easy to take pictures with; framing is natural because you are, in essence, simply capturing what you can see at the moment. But the single greatest drawback of this approach to photography is that it becomes very easy to take pictures that look, well, just like everyone else’s!
I’ve got the cure for “sameness”: the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 Ultra Wide Angle lens. This is definitely not a “first lens”…or even an only lens, but if you are ready to shake up your photography and start creating some dramatically different images, this is the ticket! I have yet to use a lens that rivals the ability to create unique images that the Rokinon does. It isn’t just the extreme wide angle of view (114 degrees vs. 74-84 degrees from the standard kits lens at their widest), but the incredible sharpness across that huge frame created by this lens. The Rokinon is not on the only 14mm lens on the market, obviously, but its chief competitors costs 5+ times MORE than the Rokinon and offer little to no optical advantages. Some of the very best professional photographers who can afford to use far more expensive optics still choose to use the Rokinon. I myself have made the choice to keep it over a far more expensive wide angle zoom that I own.
My favourite aspect of shooting with an UWA lens is the ability to emphasize the foreground in portrait oriented images. It makes for powerful, unique images that often tell a story. It also challenges you to stretch your creativity. You look at the world in different ways, and in the process create images that will probably be different from any you have taken before. Take a look up at the trees. Go to a favourite shooting spot and see how different it looks with a patch of flowers or rocks emphasized in the foreground. Shoot some spectacular interiors at a church. And one the best applications of this lens is to go out at night with a tripod and be amazed at how many stars your camera can capture! You are guaranteed to add images to your portfolio that are truly unique.
