In this article, I’ll discuss . But first let’s understand what exactly focal length is. Simply put, it’s the distance between your camera’s lens and the image sensor, usually measured in millimetres.
It’s very important because this distance influences how much of the scene your camera captures and how your subject appears within the frame. From wideangle to telephoto lenses, I will help you understand how choosing the right focal length will significantly improve your . Selecting the right lens for your portraits is crucial.
A lens that’s too wide or too long can dramatically affect the outcome. For example, using a wideangle lens (like 24mm) makes near objects appear larger and distant objects appear smaller so this is why a wideangle lens used for close-up portraits can distort facial features, making noses look larger and ears smaller. On the other hand, a very long lens (like 200mm) can compress features too much, resulting in facial features lacking depth and dimensionality.
– full-body, headshots, or environmental. Typically, on a location portrait shoot I’m aiming to get a mix of all of them so I frequently change lenses as I work. Choosing the wrong focal length can make your subjects uncomfortable with how they look in the photos, so understanding the impact your choice makes is essential.
Full-body portraits often benefit from a 35mm to 50mm lens, offering a balance between subject and background. Headshots are best captured with 85mm to 135mm lens.