Using the Fisheye 15mm Lens to Photograph Tight Spaces

Architecture photography with the Fisheye 15mm Lens and Distortion Correction

Fisheye lenses are known for their superwide style distortion that reminds us of skate videos (or Smashmouth music videos). They also deliver a 170 degree field-of-view that brings a jaw dropping amount of the scene into your camera. 

With the latest update to the Moment Pro Camera App, Fisheye 15mm lens correction means that you can eliminate the “fisheye look” while maintaining the ultra-wide field-of-view. We hung out with Yuriy Manchik to get some tips for shooting architecture and interior spaces with the Fisheye 15mm.

Get the Pro Camera App here. 

Use Leading Lines to Create Perspective

Shoot into a corner to get all leading lines and show as much of the room as possible. Centering yourself with a corner where two walls meet makes the room look bigger and helps the viewer understand the space better. Plus, symmetry is pleasing to the eye.

Get Low

Shoot low so you have equal ceiling and equal floor while minimizing tilt distortion. Yuriy recommends holding your phone around belly button height then crouching down to view the shot from that perspective. Not only does this make for better symmetry in a photo, it makes rooms look bigger and gives your images a much more thoughtful composition.

Embrace the Smartphone

Yuriy says, “When shooting with a DSLR, I often have to drop my f-stop to f/8 to get proper depth of field, which means shooting at very slow shutter speeds and using a tripod. Shooting with a phone means you can shoot wide open and still get everything in focus while shooting handheld.” In short, the specs of a smartphone can really be your friend for indoor photos.

Eliminate Distractions

If something catches your eye when looking at a room, it’ll definitely catch the viewer’s eye in a photo. You don’t want to see errant utensils or colors that aren’t intentionally part of the design palette. It’s okay to move things off the counter to get the shot.

Shoot Details to Tell a Story

Shooting detail shots with different focal lengths can tell a more comprehensive story than solely shooting wide-angle atmospheric images. Especially for journalistic pieces (or AirBnB listings!), including a few favorite details shot without the ultra-wide Fisheye 15mm can guide the viewer’s eye towards the small stuff that sets the space apart.

Photographing Tight Spaces for Unique Photos

Fisheye lenses create unique photos because of their ability to bring so much more of the scene into one shot than a native phone lens (or the human eye) can see. With Fisheye 15mm distortion correction, you get all of the image in the shot with none of the stylistic quirks of fisheye lenses.