chelesphotography Loc: Greenville, NC

I take pictures at trail rides and sometimes groups of 5 to 30 at a time. Usually we will be standing in a field. Do you think a wide angel lens would help with this. The lens I normally use is a 28 - 300mm. What I don't like about them is they look so far away and cropping them doesn't really help. Any suggestions?

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

What camera are you using?

chelesphotography Loc: Greenville, NC

I have a nikon d90, d7000 and I just got a d600.

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

If you are looking to use the D600 for the wide angle shots look at the Nikon 16-35. ;)

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Use the kit lens that came with any of these cameras.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

If you have a camera store that would rent you a Nikon 10-24mm I think you'd find it to your liking.

Klayne1

Canon 16-35L 2.8, If your using a Canon

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

You have three Nikon cameras...use 'Photography' in your name handle... and you need to ask what sort of lens for taking group photographs??

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

Are you posing your group or lining up 30 people in a row? Trying to include lots of background too, or a close crop to the group?

Terry Scott Reed Loc: Reading, PA

I assume the OP must have inherited those Nikons. Everybody knows all you need to do is write lots of equipment checks to become a pro photographer...

UtahBob Loc: Southern NJ

So when you say they look far away is your comment about how small they look in the picture because you had to step back so far to get the shot or because there is compression from using a longer focal length?

I'm not sure that a wider lens will give you what you want since your aspect ratio won't change. Try it with the zoom you have an you will see. You can get the same exact photo at 28 and 300mm by changing the distance to your subjects. Using a 10mm won't change that aspect ratio but only allow you to be closer to your subjects which out in a field doesn't do anything for you other than provide some additional artistic potential.

I think perhaps what you might be looking to do is to change the aspect ratio of the photo. I would start to think about doing a pano that would increase the size of each person in the photo. If you were to shoot in the portrait orientation instead of landscape you could create a photo that was wider than tall. Photoshop will stitch it for you and there are all kinds of pano software out there - many that are try before you buy so you could play around.

Other option is to orient people to fill in the space as suggested - perhaps posing on a hill or shooting from a hill.

Sorry if I missed the boat, but it seems to be what I think you are asking.

MtnMan Loc: ID

The 10-24 mm is a wonderful DX lens. It will work fine on your D7000.

You can also use it on your D600 several ways. If you have your D600 on auto-detect DX lenses you can use it in DX mode. If you override the DX mode and use it in FX mode you'll be able to use it down to about 15mm without vignette.

I don't know if the D600 has two other modes that my D800 has that let you use it even lower mm but they may not be what you want for the group shots. The wider format provided by the 4x6 format is probably more appropriate.

But with a wide angle the people will seem far away if you don't arrange them right and get up close. Perhaps you could post an example and some can help you on composition.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

I would use an 18mm lens like the 18-55. Wider, closer, better looking faces.

To me a wide angle would distort the shot like a fish eye lens does.

chelesphotography Loc: Greenville, NC

I appreciate all the help. Terry Scott Reed I don't really think your comment was helpful. One of the reasons I am hesitant about asking questions on here is someone always wants to just make you feel so low. I didn't post what cameras I have to prove anything I posted it because someone asked. I guess in the future if I ask questions it will also have a clause if your response isn't helpful or nice then don't respond. Thanks for the ones who ARE HELPFUL AND NICE. I wasn't handed my cameras I have worked hard to get them. Working two jobs has helped.

UtahBob Loc: Southern NJ

Hope my comment was helpful (thought provoking) and nice. I saw your other thread just now and originally I suspected you were talking horses rather than cycles but didn't alter my thoughts - my bad for not taking a leap. If you can post a photo, that might help in our suggestions. Another thing that came to mind is use - if on the web/computer and people can zoom than a pano might be perfect but for print then you've got to stay within the bounds of a normal aspect ratio to keep cost down.