Wide Angle Infection
Posted on March 28, 2005
It's official. The wide angle bug didn't just bite me, it all out mauled me to pieces. What started out as an innocent enough trip to Kinokuniya to buy Stephen Shore's Uncommon Places turned into an hour long hike around Shinjuku Station trying to remember where Map Camera was. I remembered that it was behind either Bic or Yodobashi Camera and it didn't help that they're at every bloody exit.
The infection flared up on the 4th floor (used Nikon and Contax) and a once loved manual focus Ai-S 20mm f/2.8 was the cure, or at least a soothing ointment of sorts. Next on the Yahoo auction block, my Ai-S 50mm f/1.8. I haven't had a chance to really try out the 20mm aside from a few shots (above) on the end of yesterdays roll, but it would be safe to expect more wide angle stuff from now on.
Leave a comment.
I've heard people say that wide isn't good in Tokyo because of all the power and phone lines, but I can't imagine photography without the wide perspective.
::posted by: Gen Kanai at March 29, 2005 02:02 PM
Gen, I know what you mean. Powerlines across the top of the frame bug me, and I also hate cropping photos unless I absolutely must, but for shooting in tiny Japanese apartments there's nothing better. Erik, wa thank you.
::posted by: mhegge at April 5, 2005 11:20 AM
Concerning the powerlines, the other option is to confront them head on like Osamu Kanemura. Check out his book "Spider's Strategy" the next time you are in Kinokuniya. His prints are a little too contrasty for me, but everything else is amazing.
Here is a a site with some information and a few pictures:
http://www.osiris.co.jp/ss.html
::posted by: john at April 7, 2005 10:58 AM
