{"id":151113,"date":"2022-03-17T00:01:35","date_gmt":"2022-03-17T00:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/?p=151113"},"modified":"2022-08-02T15:11:20","modified_gmt":"2022-08-02T14:11:20","slug":"the-best-lenses-for-portrait-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/buying-advice\/the-best-lenses-for-portrait-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"The best lenses for portrait photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andy Westlake shows how to choose the right portrait lens for creating extraordinary photographs of people<\/h2>\n
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In principle, you can take perfectly acceptable pictures of people with any lens. But if you want to make your portraits stand out from the plethora of everyday smartphone snaps, then picking the best lens for portraits will pay off<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Conventionally, this often means choosing a short telephoto with a focal length in the 85mm to 135mm equivalent range and a large maximum aperture. Indeed the term \u2018portrait lens\u2019 is often used to describe such optics, which deliver head-and-shoulders shots with both a flattering perspective and a nicely blurred background.<\/p>\n

However, there\u2019s more to photographing people than this. With couples, for example, the wider view of a 50mm prime may be a better option, while for environmental portraits that show people in the context of their surroundings, a 35mm lens is often preferred. Going wider still with a 24mm can deliver striking results for full-body shots. It\u2019s all about understanding how to use the properties of different optics to achieve your desired result.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\"Wideangle\t\t\t

Wideangle lenses are great for adding context to your portraits. Sony Alpha 7R III, 24mm f\/1.4, 1\/2000sec at f\/1.4, ISO 100<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

Depth of field and bokeh<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For portrait lenses, wide-open sharpness isn\u2019t essential; indeed a little softness will often be flattering. But one genuinely desirable characteristic is the ability to concentrate attention on your subject by throwing the background out of focus. As most readers will know, this is done most easily using a long focal length and a large aperture, which generally means using a prime rather than zoom.<\/p>\n

But the flip-side is decreased depth of field, and shooting portraits with just one eye in focus isn\u2019t always a desirable look. So it\u2019s worth understanding that by separating your subject from the background and using a longer lens, you can use a relatively small aperture to increase depth of field while maintaining a high level of out-of-focus blur.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the degree of background blur that counts though, but also how it looks. This is where the concept of \u2018bokeh<\/strong><\/a>\u2019 comes in. This much-abused word originates in Japanese and is used to describe how the aesthetic quality of the blur differs between lenses, even if they have the same physical specification. Some may deliver smoother blur, while others might do a better job of keeping objects in the background recognisable.<\/p>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\"Using\t\t\t

Using out-of-focus foreground elements can add interest to an image. Sony Alpha 7R III, 135mm f\/1.8, 1\/400 sec at f\/1.8, ISO100<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

Vintage lenses are often more characterful, earning descriptions such as \u2018swirly\u2019 or \u2018soap-bubble\u2019 bokeh, and some photographers enjoy experimenting with them to exploit such effects. Certain companies such as Lomography and Lensbaby recreate this kind of effect in updated designs.<\/p>\n

For many photographers, the first step towards better portraits is likely to be an inexpensive 50mm f\/1.8. Once your ambitions and budget expand further, though, there\u2019s a whole host of lenses to try. In this article you\u2019ll find our recommended fast primes for shooting portraits<\/strong>, covering a range of types and price points.<\/p>\n

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Wideangle Lenses<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 12mm F1.4 Asph<\/a> (MFT)<\/strong>
\nPrice: \u00a31,099 | www.panasonic.com\/uk<\/a><\/p>\n\"\"\n

Micro Four Thirds users interested in shooting wideangle portraits with shallow depth of field should consider this compact, lightweight optic. It provides the angle of view and depth of field control equivalent to a full-frame 24mm f\/2.8, so won\u2019t deliver especially blurred backgrounds, but as we\u2019d expect from a Leica-badged lens, there\u2019s very little to complain about in terms of image quality.<\/p>\n

The weather-sealed barrel also includes an aperture ring, but this only works on Panasonic cameras, and not Olympus. If the price is too steep, Olympus makes the lovely little M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm F2 that costs around \u00a3579.<\/p>\n

4.5 out of 5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n