is a portrait lens a portrait lens?

[musthavemuzk]

i have the following lenses.
18-55 USM kit, nifty MKI, and an 85/1.8 is on its way.
plan is to buy 1-2 more lenses for now but have not totally made that call.
canon 70-200/2.8 L, tamron 28-75 are two that are high on the list. as i like to shoot action, preferably racing action. though i have seen all kinda of pics from these lenses i think they would work for a number of things.

typically people portrait lenses are in the 50-100 range. is it the same for car portrait lenses? as i have a few pople asking me to do photoshoots of their cars. i have read the threads here about how to shoot cars as well as a few other things online and in books about how to shoot subjects.

seems that the same focal lengths for people do not have the same effect on cars. seems shorter lengths work better for cars. well not all cars but for car closeups with not much for background in the pic.

what focal lengths do you shoot cars at?
what do you prefer?

Monty

[bikerider]

Half the fun in photography is breaking the rules........to do it creatively and consistantly is the challenge. I've done motocycle and car shoots with a variety of lenses, from wide to telephoto, I think it's the enviroment that makes the rules here. If you can find a place with natural light and plenty of room, experiment with your lenses!I have attached a pic taken at 300mm, F5.6.

[grego]

Actually they sell a lot of portrait lens around 200mm as well.

70-200 covers everything. A lens is more of what you make of it than anything as previously mentioned. It's how you push it to your creative limits.

[musthavemuzk]

i figured as much on the creative side of things.
asi check photo.net frequently and there are an aweful lot of people portraits done with the 70-200 glass. many i really really like.

i was thinking of the fact that a person is alot smaller in physical size than a vehicle. as well as you would shoot a person typically in the vertical position whereas a car in the horizontal position.
so i was curious on the thoughts of others.

at the car shows i have been too i have used the kit lens alot and mostly in the 18-24 range. this is mostly due to space constraints.
those shots are here http://monty.soundillusions.net/index.php

but had there been room i would have likely taken the nifty out and did the shots that way.

so i guess just take a lens out, put it on the body, and go to town. see what grabs you for a shot.

thanx

Monty

[Andy_T]

According to everything I've read and seen here, the 85/1.8 should be a hell of a portrait lens.

Best regards,
Andy

[PhotosGuy]

is it the same for car portrait lenses? I might use a longer lens for a profile shot, but prefer a wide angle for angle shots.
Cars have "best sides" just as people do. Find the spot you think is right. Squat down a bit. Raise up a bit. Move around a little, When it looks OK, then frame it in your cam & that's the focal length to use.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Samples%20-%20Rides/

[rdenney]

typically people portrait lenses are in the 50-100 range. Is it the same for car portrait lenses?

There are three advantages to longer lens when making portraits: 1.) A longer lens requires a longer working distance, and that longer distances provides a pleasing perspective where the nose is no longer emphasized. 2.) A longer lens allows a larger subject against a smaller piece of background, and this is useful to make sure you get a pleasing background. 3.) A longer lens produces greater magnification which in turn reduces the apparent depth of field. That makes it easier to get a soft blur in the background.

Of these, 2 and 3 are as useful for cars as for people. But 1, which is the biggest reason people use longer lenses for portraits, may or may not apply to cars. Some cars look better when the closer parts of the car are exaggerated as you'd get with a very close cameras position (necessitating a wide-angle lens). This makes them more aggressive looking. But a car with classic lines will look better from a greater distance, where the lines become the dominating feature.

I once photographed a car for sale on ebay using a lens that was 2.25 times normal. It emphasized the classic lines of the car. That would be about 65mm focal length on a 20D. But I also photographed a Big Dog motorcycle with a 20mm lens from very close to show the detailing close up and to make it look more towering and aggressive.

Rick "who thinks composition and perspective dictates focal length" Denney

[mbze430]

usually I don't use anything longer than 200mm because the working distance is pretty far, and you will start to need to talk a bit louder than normal to get the pose. LOL

At the beach however this is usually what alot of the pros do. They get a long 300+ to shoot full lenght. This really squeezes the entire body to look slim. Get a walkie-talkie or a cellphone to communicate with the light people up front...

[musthavemuzk]

I might use a longer lens for a profile shot, but prefer a wide angle for angle shots.
Cars have "best sides" just as people do. Find the spot you think is right. Squat down a bit. Raise up a bit. Move around a little, When it looks OK, then frame it in your cam & that's the focal length to use.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Samples%20-%20Rides/

exactly what i was thinking as well as what i was getting from this thread.

it does seem that cars and such have more latitude for lens and angles used to take the shot.
but if you are willing to break the rules a bit that is a false statement. as a portrait can be any view/angle/whatever of a subject....provided you do not take the traditional definition of portrait. right?

thanx for the input on this.
always good to get other peoples take on a question of yours.

Monty