Experimenting with different focal lengths can take your work in unexpected directions. If you’re used to a 35mm lens, switching to a wider angle might feel like a dramatic shift, but that’s where the creativity happens.
Coming to you from Sean Dalton, this engaging video dives into the intricacies of using a 24mm lens for street photography. Normally comfortable with his 35mm lens, Dalton decided to switch things up by using the a 24mm lens to challenge his usual style. He took the lens to Bedugul Market in Bali, where the environment is bustling and full of visual chaos. It’s the perfect setting to test the strengths and weaknesses of a wide angle lens. Dalton found himself facing a new set of compositional challenges—trying to isolate subjects in a scene that wants to show everything.
Using a 24mm lens changes how you approach composition. Dalton points out that with wider angles, you can’t just exclude elements from your frame like you might with a 35mm or 50mm lens. You’re forced to be more thoughtful about what you include and how you organize it all within the shot. This can be frustrating, especially if you’re someone who prefers clean and minimalistic compositions. In the video, Dalton talks about how difficult it was to hide distracting elements in such a busy market scene. However, that’s also what makes this focal length powerful—it captures more of the environment, providing deeper context to your subject.
The challenges of using a 24mm lens become apparent when trying to achieve that perfect balance. Dalton struggled to keep his compositions tidy, as the wide field of view often cluttered the frame with elements he’d rather omit. But that’s where the 24mm shines. It’s not just about isolating a subject; it’s about incorporating layers and telling a broader story. When used well, it can highlight a subject while showing the environment that shapes the story around them. Dalton shows this in his photos by capturing the bustling energy of the market and the people within it. Each shot feels rich in context, with multiple layers contributing to the overall narrative.
One of the most valuable takeaways from the video is Dalton’s discussion on adapting your mindset to the lens. He emphasizes how shooting wide forces you to slow down and think more about each frame. You have to be more intentional, whether it’s figuring out how to place your subject within a chaotic scene or finding ways to incorporate foreground elements to create a sense of depth. It’s a stark contrast to using a narrower lens, where eliminating distractions is a matter of zooming in or moving closer.
If you’ve always stuck with tighter focal lengths, experimenting with a 24mm can be both humbling and inspiring. It’s a great way to see more of the world around your subjects and push yourself creatively. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Dalton.
There is no ‘best focal length’. There may be a best focal length for a particular situation, but even that is highly debatable. Just because you happen to favour a particular lens means pretty much nothing in creative photographic terms all it means is you like that lens, and that’s as far as you can go. Photography is so humungous in its scope incorporating so many diverse and radically different genres that it is impossible to make any kind of generalization or claim that so and so is best. It’s the type of statement that when thought through makes no sense. Omitting or incorporating elements in a scene don’t always have to be determined by focal length especially where space is not an issue. Taking a step forward or backward will achieve that. Where space is not an issue the same shot can be had with either a 35 or 24. Granted there will be small optical differences. In certain situations where space or room to move is a factor then of course optics rather than physical movement will come into play.
Deciding how to shoot a scene wide or tight depends on what the photographer wishes to achieve. Wide can introduce more chaos and uncontrolled visual clutter that can loose the subject or it can place the subject in some context. Or shooting tight can omit the chaos and isolate the subject. There is no right or wrong way it all depends on what the intentions of the photographer are. There is no right or wrong, best or worst. I get a bit frustrated when various influencers make this claim or that claim. My advice to any new photographers would be to experiment, don’t follow any rules and ignore those who claim this or that is best, as it may be best for them but not necessarily you.
Who said anything about ‘best focal length’? The guy was simply talking about his experience.
Okay I’ll try it tomorrow on my way to work. Who knows it might work