How do you choose a lens for portrait photography?

My friend asked me what lens she should rent for a portrait she was just hired to make for her client. So, instead of just telling her, I’ve made a video to help all of us. 

I own a few lenses that would be great for portraits depending on what the client requires. In the video, you’ll see me break down why or why not to use a lens from 16mm to 600mm. 

I start with the wide-angle lenses. These will emphasize the subject by making them look physically larger than anything that’s further from the lens. Then I jump to the three prime lenses that I have in the middle, the 85mm, 100mm, and 105mm, respectively. These are going to give you the best looking portraits, in my opinion, for those looking for a shallow depth of field look. Next, are the telephoto lenses and teleconverters. Those are lovely all-around lenses that make beautiful portraits. 

My favorite lens for human portraits is the 85mm f/1.2, but for horses, I prefer the 105mm f/1.4. These are my go-to if I’m hired to create a more compelling artistic image with a shallow depth of field. However, if I’m doing work for a commercial client, I prefer to work with the 24-70mm f/2.8 and the 70-200mm f/2.8. I’ll mount one on each pro body camera because speed is king. I’ll be able to quickly get a variety of shots so we can move on to the next wardrobe or whatever we are shooting. 

Hopefully, you’ve found this information helpful. Please comment below or find this posted on Facebook to comment there. See you at the next one!