16-35 f4 IS on the way :)

[monkey44]

Just got a 16-35 f4 IS shipped -- due to arrive Friday in time for a trip to the Gulf Coast and Central Florida...

Most of my career has been wildlife nature, sports with long lenses. So, have not done much with UWA ...

Anyone have any tips for this lens on a 5DM3 for outdoor shots ?? Thanks BD

 

[privatebydesign]

Get low.

Images with no foreground interest look fine through the viewfinder but are very boring back on the computer, so work the juxtaposition of foreground element and background.

 

[mackguyver]

The IS makes this a great lens to learn wide shooting with because you can experiment off tripod and still get good shots if the light is decent. Like Private says, the foreground makes or breaks the shot, so walk around and try lots of angles and use the camera high and low to get nice compositions. If you find one you like, lock it down on a tripod and finalize the shot. The real key is patience and practice, and don't get discouraged, the shots will come. For man made stuff, keep it level to look realistic, or tilt it up or down to get the unique perspective you can only get with wide lenses. For outdoor shots, flowers, foliage (palmettos work well here), and water can make interesting foregrounds, and if you find some really tame wildlife, get up close and shoot the animal with the environment. Just don't get too close to some of the wildlife here in our state .

Also, if you get up this way, be sure to check out St. Marks NWR, Ochlockonee SP, and St. George Island SP. If you want to get way off the beaten path, check out Aucilla Sinks WMA. It's a few miles of dirt roads to get there, but it's truly wild and there are some really unique geological features. Finally Apalachicola National Forest has some really unique savannahs with wildflowers and carnivorous plants. There's no cell service there, however, so keep that in mind.

 

[geekpower]

the thing i'm finding with it, is that subject isolation via shallow dof is not really possible, so it becomes really important to plan your shot, and to try to get an angle that eliminates clutter, so that your subject still gets the attention it deserves and isn't lost in a sea of tiny details. leading lines can help with that too.

 

[Harv]

Watch for your feet and your shadow in the shot. ;D Been there, done that.

 

[monkey44]

QUOTE:: "Also, if you get up this way, be sure to check out St. Marks NWR"

Yes, been there several times - great place ... Cedar Key pretty interesting too ...

QUOTE :: "Aucilla Sinks WMA" ... have not heard of this one ... will check it out. My 4x4 gets me pretty much anywhere I want to go -- if it won't, I probably don't want to go there.

Looking forward to some fun with this lens -- yes, keep the feet out !!!

QUOTE :: "...patience and practice, and don't get discouraged, the shots will come."

HA .. patience !! Once waited FOUR DAYS on the banks of a pond to get a shot of an Osprey coming up with a fish ... he kept diving and rising behind different trees and bushes - like he was teasing me ... got the shots tho', long wait, always worth it ... ;D

 

[Hjalmarg1]

Watch for your feet and your shadow in the shot. ;D Been there, done that.

Agreed. Make sure that all your frame has interesting subjects (foregroud and background) since most of the image will be in focus due to wide angle DOF. Considering/calculating the hyperfocal distance with wide angle lenses is lot more important than with telephotos.