The Granary

The Granary

Instead of always reaching for a wide angle lens when shooting landscapes, either my Nikkor 24-70mm or Fujinon 10-24mm, I sometimes use a longer lens, my Nikkor 70-200mm. Using a longer focal length, I can compress the scene, effectively bringing distant objects closer. This can result in a completely different photograph to one that may be achieved with a wider angle lens.

I loved the little boat in the picture above, floating quite serenely on one of the many small pools left behind, as the sea retreated along Wells' East Quay during low tide. The mirror like surface to the water, fog hanging heavy above the small fishing boats in the bay, produces a slightly otherworldly scene, and shows the North Norfolk coast at it's tranquil best. Using a longer focal length allowed me to capture the iconic Granary building at a decent size whilst retaining good foreground interest with the weathered boat. By placing the two main elements of the image on a diagonal, one low, the other high, I wanted the eye of the viewer to wander from the boat, up to the Granary building, and along the harbour wall. Compressing the image using the 70-200mm lens has allowed me to achieve this.

Nikon D4 with Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8