What lens to use to photograph a vineyard

[ccommins]

I have an opportunity to photograph a vineyard & a winery. At first I was so excited, now I find myself

starting to have a melt down. This is big for me, I could get a wine label or posters for the winery from this,

so heres my question I have a 35mm 1.1.8 G Nikon DX and a Tameron 28-80 1:3.5-5.6. I lean toward the

35mm. Which one would be the best to use or is there one that would be better. Also going to use 60mm

and 105mm for the macro for the closeup of the grapes. Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.

[frank_scheitrowsky1]

<p>As with all questions about photography that are not simple requests for facts and figures, the answer is, "It depends." It all depends on your personal vision and the look you want to achieve.</p>

<p>Take both.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>That question is unanswerable, without seeing what you plan to shoot. Your choice of focal length is driven by your intended shooting position and the perspective you want, and how much background you want (angle of view). A sweeping landscape shot that doesn't feature foreground objects (like a vine, or a bottle/glasses, or the property's main house/structure) is very different than shooting <em>something</em> on the grounds that is intended to be seen in the context of the grounds. You get the idea. <br /><br />Regardless of the composition (and thus the focal length that best serves it), what you really want is to bracket your exposures and shoot with a variety of apertures for both selective and deeply inclusive depths of field ... and to use the lowest ISO you can and to <em>use a tripod.</em> A solidly mounted camera, shot without bouncing it around (do you have a remote release? if not, try the self timer or ideally the mirror lockup .. you don't mention what camera you're using) will have more to do with clean results than will the differences between any two lenses that you use stopped down to f/8 or so.</p>

[tom_harvey3]

<p>As other folks have said, it depends. Depends on the size of the buildings, the vineyard's situation geographically, exposure to available light and a number of other factors. Wineries around where I live (Pleasanton CA) have tasting rooms that run the gamut from the size of a large home kitchen to cavernous.</p>

<p>Some of the more opulent wineries farther south (Paso Robles, for instance, Firestone comes to mind) are situated on a hill and you may actually have to rent a tilt/shift lens, while others are a bar in a barn which would dictate completely different gear.</p>

[tom_harvey3]

<p>I see you're a Pennsylvanian, there's still hope. I'm a Pennsy expatriate.....</p>

[frank uhlig]

<p>Ok, what pictures do you see, can you visualize, interest you in the vineyard?</p>

<p>Go and see for yourself and then decide how to take the pics. The scenes will be mostly static, so use s tripod for max resolution etc. etc.</p>

<p>The equipment does not really matter; your vision does. And your ability to compose an alluring picture nicely. Good success!</p>

[vick_vickery]

<p>I would tend to show up at a basically architectural job like this (you'll probably be shooting the buildings, vats, barrels, etc., as well as the fields and grapes) a little over-equipped...I'd have a view camera outfit for the architectural subjects, and both my Hasselblad and Nikon outfits for details; all of these kits have a large range of lenses from wide to long. But thats how I normally work anyway. I'd also show up with way too many lights just in case I needed them, too. I tend toward overkill, but my truck will hold it all and I won't have to compromise because I left needed equipment at home. A scouting trip prior to shooting would probably prove very helpful.</p>

[sarah_fox]

<p>If you're shooting an image that will end up on a label that's only a few inches by a few inches, you could almost shoot with a disposable camera, as long as you get the exposure right and keep the sunlight out of the lens. Resolving power almost doesn't matter. Forget the tripod, as it's not worth the trouble. Seriously, just shoot a pleasing, well composed picture, and it will have more than adequate quality for a label.</p>

<p>If you're shooting a poster, you need a sharp lens, a tripod, MLU, and a cable release. Don't forget to turn off the VR if you have it.</p>

<p>And as others have said, the best focal length depends on what you're shooting. It's a compositional decision you have to make yourself, and nobody can really advise you about that.</p>

[James G. Dainis]

You don't need lenses, you need ideas. Getting the "WOW" factor in there is going to depend more on composition and lighting than on the lens. A polarizer in the lens to reduce glare on the leaves and give them a richer color would help. Shooting a vineyard in bright sunlight would not be a good idea. Around sunset, the magic hour, when there is warm even lighting around would be a good time.

 

I would look at a lot of photos of vineyards on the web to get some ideas. Then you should have a better idea of what lens to use. Bring them all, anyway. You would most likely need the wide angle for indoor shots and the sharp 60mm or 105mm for outdoor shots with some compression.

[steve m smith]

<blockquote>

<p>If you're shooting an image that will end up on a label that's only a few inches by a few inches, you could almost shoot with a disposable camera, as long as you get the exposure right and keep the sunlight out of the lens. Resolving power almost doesn't matter.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>If there's an opportunity to get some work from this though, it will be viewed initially much bigger than label size.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Forget the tripod, as it's not worth the trouble.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I would take the tripod.</p>

 

[Spearhead]

<blockquote>

<p>If you're shooting an image that will end up on a label that's only a few inches by a few inches, you could almost shoot with a disposable camera</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Successful wine labels are often printed in promotional material, in ads, on posters, etc. at larger sizes.</p>

[mark_pierlot]

<p>I visited the organic farm in which I have shares the other day, and did some of the same kind of shooting you'll likely be doing at the winery, everything from wider angle scenics to close-ups (of tomatoes and eggplants, in my case). I took only one lens on my full frame body, my EF 24-105/4 IS L, and found it to be amply sufficient from a <em>compositional</em> point of view. Of course, the images I took are for my own use; I wasn't trying to please a client. I found the 24-105mm range to be well suited for the images I wanted. I certainly would not have wanted to be restricted to a single prime.</p>

<p>So by all means, Carol, take the prime <em>and </em>the zoom, as well as a tripod and remote release. While it is true that it's your vision that will ultimately create the images, you don't want to be hampered in realizing your vision by your gear.</p>

[mark_drutz]

<p>The Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 VC would be good for both indoors and outdoors. It's a grape lens.</p>