Telephoto landscapes: isolating details and compressing distance
Wide lenses are not the only landscape tool. Learn how a telephoto isolates patterns, compresses layers and creates intimate landscapes.
Photo by David Becker on Unsplash
Most people reach for a wide lens for landscapes. But a telephoto, from 70mm to 500mm, often produces more original images by isolating a part of the scene.
What telephotos do
- Compression: distant elements appear stacked close together, like rows of hills or a lighthouse in front of a huge setting sun.
- Isolation: pick out a single tree, a church dome or a boat from a busy scene.
- Abstraction: patterns in salt flats, waves or henequen rows become graphic designs.
Where to use it in Yucatán
- The pink lakes of Las Coloradas, isolating patterns and textures
- A big moon or sun rising behind a church tower
- Fishing boats in the haze off Progreso
- Pyramids peeking above the jungle canopy
Technique
- Use a tripod and a fast shutter or remote; telephotos magnify shake.
- Heat haze can soften distant subjects in midday heat; shoot early or late.
- Look through the lens as a spotting scope to find compositions within the scene.
Settings
f/8 to f/11, low ISO, and focus precisely on the main subject.
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Next: Landscape photography basics: light, composition and sharpness
