Why 85mm is NOT my ideal portrait lens
Вставка
- Опубліковано 23 лип 2024
- When it comes to portrait photography, 85mm is the exception not the rule. It is not my ideal portrait, because it limits my ability to share the story. In this video we are heading to Kathmandu in Nepal and sharing some lovely moments with the local people in Nepal and exploring a little street photography on the Sony ZV-E1. And we’re shooting wide instead of long.
00:00 Intro
01:15 All Day Lens
03:20 85mm on Medium Format
04:32 Portraits And Travel
06:32 Miss Guided
08:28 When You Need 85mm
10:16 Easier Is Rarely Better
12:18 Thanks
#Photography #EwenTube #85mm #35mm #SonyZVE1 #Nepal
SUBSCRIBE TO MY EMAILS
If you want to stay in touch and get monthly updates on my blog posts, photo essays and UA-cam videos, sign up for my newsletter.
ewenbell.com/subscribe
SEE MORE PHOTOS LOTS OF PHOTOS
I made this channel so I can share my photography. If you want to see more of what I shoot, please checkout the photo essays on my website here:
ewenbell.com/thephotos
THE PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG
Jump directly to my blog for loads of articles that delve into the philosophy of photography. It's a lot more than just cameras:
ewenbell.com/blog - Навчання та стиль
You make some brilliant points here, Ewen. Like so many, I’d been brainwashed into thinking 70-85mm was the right choice for portraiture. I see now how wrong that is. I just bought a Voigtlander 50mm lens for my X2D as a walkaround lens (39mm equivalent), but I’m going to start shooting images of people with it, too! Thanks for this. 👍
Marvellous combination for portraits :) I think so many people step into those longer lenses and just can't find the joy. Wide is wonderful.
@@EwenBell You’ve definitely made a compelling case for it. And your images are the proof.
@@peterfritzphoto Thanks Peter, you're very kind :)
This 100% I find when I start going more than 50mm FF I end up having to raise my voice which changes the dynamic. To your point as well it's usually possible to step closer but you can't always step back.
Gracias, hay mucha presión en torno a esas ideas y esa estetica particular. :)
Enjoyed your presentation Ewen. The great thing about photography is that we all see the world differently. I looked back over about 100 of my images just to see what focal length I use the most, and why. Most of my work is candid travel photography where I see something in the moment and capture it before has gone. In summary I found that I look for character and personality and like to move in on my subject without crowding them so end up using the upper range of a zoom with long focal length of up to about 135 mm on average. I concentrate on the eyes and wait till the subject is engaged with life in some way, whether with me or someone/something else. Mostly I establish some form of acknowledgement or consent with body language. The zoom gives me creative freedom and I rely on intuition to frame the photo in the instant. Vive la difference. Love your work. Your presentations just keep getting better. 👍
You'll remember the phrase about a man with a hammer, and how everything looks like a nail :) I often wonder what direction my photography may have taken had I not ended up with certain lenses to work with at certain times of my career.
Exactly this is the reason I am not really wanting to buy a Sigma 90 mm for my S9. I already have the Sigma 17 mm f4 and 45 mm. I used to have a Zeiss Batis 85 mm, a fantastic lens, but I used it really rarely. I think my 45 mm is going to be perfect on the S9 for almost all kinds of situations. Actually, it was this Sigma I series compact lens collection for which I picked the S9.
:)
This one of those mull over videos for me, a think it through and take from it what you will video. It’s important we that are willing to learn from each other in photography, broaden understanding and be open to ideas and opinions, there’s something for everyone in this video. Know your gear, and definitely know your glass. Thanks for putting this out there Ewen.
Thankyou :)
I was part of a large group bike ride through the city the other week and one of the other riders was taking photos. He indicated that he was going to take a photo of me and indicated that I was okay with it... Tried not to 'pose' but made sure he'd have a good shot.
He showed me the photo after and it was just my face with a super blurry background. I mean, great, that's me... But you didn't get the context that we were in a ride of dozens, or hundreds?, of cyclists... Or that we were stopped in the street with a total parade street takeover beneath an elevated train station. You could barely even tell I was on a bike.
The venn diagram of 100km a day cyclists versus award winning photographers still needs some work hey :) Context is a marvellous thing.
I love 35 and it's my go to for many times! Love the new content Even!
Thanks Nicholas! Great to see you over here :)
I couldn't agree more. I started my career using a 35mm f2, shooting for the local newspaper. It was probably the most useful lens I ever owned. I graduated to a 42 mm f1.7 on the Olympus 35 SP. I loved using that lens, but would often revert back to the 35mm and 5omm lenses on my OM2 or OM4 cameras. All these years later, i still find myself working in that focal range. Thank you for sharing your views, its refreshing to watch a video and not want to throw the computer out of the window before the video finishes.
Haaaa yes my goal in life is to avoid breaking everyone's computer! There really is a bit of magic to the 35mm perspective and I like a little magic in my life.
I'm looking at a 35 mm prime lens for landscapes and was interesting to see you using a 35mm lens for portraits and street photography.
There's a reasonably cheap Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 prime lens. But to get optimal sharpness etc. it needs to be stopped down to f/2.8.
What's your opinion on getting a 24-70 mm F/2.8 lens for landscapes and street photography.
That's my other option.
I'd be disappointed with any F1.8 lens that needs to be stopped down to get a sharp result. Maybe there's a better option out there for the R mount?
I might be the wrong person to ask about a 24-70mm F2.8. I prefer faster lenses so that one is a non-starter for me. But for conventional landscapes there's not much need for a fast lens. I think 24mm is very limiting for certain landscapes though. I give more detail on that in this video...
ua-cam.com/video/sBNTmY_VB1k/v-deo.html