Humans are built to see the world in wide angles. Perhaps that's why wide-angle photography is so comfortable and appealing.

Think about how you feel when you look at a wide seascape; nothing but water. Some psychologists describe this context as the oceanic experience, where we feel small or lost in relation to the huge vista before us.

I get that oceanic experience when I look at a water shot like this one. I immediately think about all of the wildlife I can’t see swimming under the water, who might be in the boat, will they catch a fish? And why are they the only boat out there?

The scope of the wide shot - in this case, a small boat in a vast ocean - can make you feel alone and unimportant or powerful and peaceful, depending on your mood. A photographer can propose a story through viewpoint and perspective. It’s up to the viewer to interpret that photographer’s vision through the filter of their own imagination.

What follows are some of my favorite wide shots. I hope they invite introspection and allow you to contemplate where you fit into the world.