Laajakuva

Laajakuva is a Finnish term referring to a wide shot used in photography and filmmaking. A laajakuva captures a large part of the scene, including the subject and its surroundings, and is often used to establish location, context, or mood.

In practice, laajakuva is achieved with a wide-angle lens or by stepping back from the subject. It emphasizes spatial relationships and depth, but can introduce perspective distortion near the edges. Photographers and cinematographers manage clutter, lighting, and depth of field to keep the scene legible.

Common uses include landscapes, cityscapes, architectural photography, crowd scenes, and establishing shots in films. It helps viewers understand scale and environment and can set the tone before a medium or close shot.

Technique and planning: to maintain composition, use the rule of thirds, foreground interest, and leading lines; consider depth by including foreground, middle ground, and background.

Equipment and settings: typical focal lengths for laajakuva on full-frame are 24mm or wider; use smaller apertures for greater depth of field. Stabilizing gear such as tripods helps with longer exposures. In video, ensure steady motion; be mindful of distortion and handling edge cases with framing.

Related terms: laajakuva is often contrasted with close-up and medium shot. In Finnish media production, it forms part of standard shot progression and storytelling rhythm.