Wide angle lenses have a number of uses.
In the world of photography, any lens with a focal length of 40 mm or less is considered a wide-angle lens. The curvature of the lens incorporates a wider view of the surroundings than a standard lens, thus allowing the photographer to capture much more image area than a standard lens. These and other unique qualities can be applied to many different scenarios, making wide-angle lenses a favorite tool of the photographer.
Interiors and Tight Spaces
More area is captured in the photograph than in a standard lens due to the wider angle of view; this makes it an ideal lens for shooting in tight areas like interiors where the photographer does not have much room to move around and needs to portray an overview of the space. By creating a visual expansion on all sides of the photo, a wide-angle lens helps to give the appearance of more space in the photo than there actually is.
Vistas, Landscapes and Architecture
A wide-angle lens can fit a lot of information into a photo especially when the photo is not of one specific subject but many at once, like open vistas and landscapes. This is often much more information than the human eye could capture without turning one's head. This enables the photographer to find and illustrate the inter-relationships that the various elements in the photo have to one another. It also allows the photographer to capture a large primary subject as a whole, making wide-angle lenses ideal to photograph building exteriors and architecture, for example.
Exaggerated Perspective and Portraits
Shooting with a wide-angle lens makes objects in the foreground seem much larger and objects in the background appear to be much smaller or farther away than they actually are. This difference in relative size makes the viewer instantly aware of the distinction of the primary subject of the photo as well as the lesser background elements, making the photograph easier to "read." When shooting candid photos, this exaggeration easily grants importance to the foreground subjects in their environments.
Creating Connection with the Subject
Because of the exaggerated perspective that these lenses create, it is often preferable to get closer to subjects than you would with a "normal" lens. A wide-angle lens requires the photographer to become more of a part of the subject, and this closeness can instill trust between the photographer and subject. This trust can open up the photographer to more artistic possibilities for the photos, as the photographer's presence is known and accepted; this can help in creating dynamic candid portraiture where the subject is photographed among his or her surroundings.
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