Buzz
If you're looking to add a one-of-a-kind style to your photos without overloading them with filters, this advanced technique offers a dramatically wide shot with an almost surreal depth-of-field. Here's how it works.
In this tutorial from Practical Photography Magazine, photographer James Abbott demonstrates how he uses the Brenizer technique to create this distinctive effect. The resulting image resembles one captured with a large format camera. For reference, Abbott uses a 35mm f/1.4 lens (which equates to a 50mm f/1.8 on a full-frame camera).
The process involves Abbott taking a series of shots close to the subject—in this case, a car—and locking the focus on it. He then photographs the surrounding area while remaining stationary. It's akin to capturing a sequence of photos that will later be stitched together to form a panorama, except you'll also need to shoot above and below the subject, almost like creating a photo-sphere.
Staying consistent is crucial. After focusing on the car, Abbott switches to manual mode, ensuring the focus and exposure settings remain unchanged throughout the series of 40 or 50 photos. Once the photos are processed with uniform color adjustments, Abbott uses Photoshop's Photomerge function to merge all the images. If you don't have Photoshop, there are free alternatives to explore.
That's essentially everything you need to know. Check out the video for a more in-depth explanation and live demonstration on how to apply the Brenizer technique for a unique and captivating effect.
