If you’re feeling frustrated composing street photos with your 28mm lens, you’re not alone. And if you’ve ever wondered why, today’s featured video from photography educator Gil Kreslavsky offers some answers, plus a tried and tested framework to work with it.

While 28mm is one of the recommended focal lengths for street photography, Kreslavsky noticed that once the excitement of acquiring this lens wears off, most photographers — even seasoned pros — couldn’t handle it. Many street photographers love the idea of shooting with a wide-angle prime lens, but later on, they notice that the photos aren’t really working. The quick answer, he adds, is that this wide angle lens requires a different approach.

“The 28mm focal length requires you to be on top of your compositional game and really know what is happening in your images,” he begins his explanation. With a lot more of the scene included in your frame, you have to be mindful that the background does not take away the viewer’s attention from the main subject of your image.

So, what do you do? The quick answer is to level up your composition game. Move the focus away from subject placement, and pay more attention to the elements that come with the environment. Make sure to watch the video until the end for his tips on how to work around this challenge, along with some examples to help you better visualize his pointers.

If you’ve already tried Kreslavsky’s tips on using 28mm for street photography, why not share your results and experience in the comments?