I like wide.

Do you?

For people. Yes, wide angle portraits. Wide angle fashion and glamour shots.

*le gasp*! "No way! I only shoot telephoto!"

I don't know, maybe I just suck at telephoto photography, but for portraits I find it boring. I can't be creative with composition, and it's up to the model to make it look interesting.

With wide angle, you have more DRAMATIC perspectives, which is pretty cool.

Of course, it's more difficult to make the shot look good, you have to be careful of distorting figure too much, making the model look fat or ugly haha. But when carefully used, wide angle... I think... is *very* interesting for people photography.

I shot with a few fashion photographers and they absolutely love their 24-70L (and the nikon one) on full frame... and I see them using the 24-50 range without fear! And the shots come out dramatic and cool.

So I ask you, do you like wide? Can you make it look good? Or sticking to telephoto for "safety".

Try it. I dare you.

Frankly, I prefer doing portrait work using my 12-24.

If used properly and not too extensively, it can be very interesting.
Different point of view, different perspective.

But around 20-40mm is what I would use if I was doing paid work.

Close-in perspective is typically not as flattering to a person when viewing a portrait of himself/herself as a portrait taken from a little more distance. That's why the classic recommendation for a portrait lens is about 1.4 to 1.8 times the focal length of a "normal" lens for any particular camera format.

If you are doing something that is not a typical portrait - not intending to be a conventional formal representation of a person, that is - then breaking the "rule" is fine. You will soon find out if others appreciate your finished work.

Like I said, I prefer using the 12-24 when I'm with friends or relatives. It can be funny
and suprisingly good.

But if I do paid work, I will prefer the 70-200. You have more working distance between you and the subjet. Peoples don't really like portrait shoot at 12"


Here's an exemple of a 12mm portrait. I wanted to have a huge subject separation that can't be done using a longer focal. But you have to be carful on your placement to maintain de distortion minimal.

Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

nice shot, but the proportions are nuts.
thats one big hand!

It's what I find amusing... you can "play" with the proportion, the dof....

I find it more challenging than doing a portrait qith a 85mm+ lens

Horses for courses. Any focal length can give great results - in the right circumstances. You need more rapport with the subject to use a wide angle. It can be fantastic with the right background. I took some "dispersed group" shots in a castle recently with a 10-22 and I'm very pleased. For picking characters out of a crowd I use a 70-200 f2.8. Not only is the focal length important, but the ability to open wide and blur distraction is essential - impossible to do that effectively with a true wide angle. I have also used a 28-135 a lot as a less costly, more portable alternative when travelling.

Mike.