In APS-C terms, this would be about 24mm, and for micro 4/3, it would be about 17mm. This is what happens at 24mm from 2 feet away: Now let’s get similar framing at 93mm, which required me stepping back to about 5 feet: Also keep in mind that at wide angles, the angle at which you hold your camera makes a massive difference. The key to using a wide angle lens for portrait photography is understanding lens-to-subject distance. I define a wide angle lens as 35mm or wider. And they look tiny compared to the face — because a wide angle perspective exaggerates whatever is close to the lens. No. See how exaggerated the face is at 24mm, and how pleasing it is at 105mm: At 24mm, I was about 2 feet away. For example, if a portrait of a person's face is taken with a wide angle lens up close, the nose will look huge because it is closer to the lens than the rest of the face. Seriously — those building are probably a hundred feet wide. Thanks for putting wide angle lenses in a clear concise way. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. By now, you have a good idea of how and when to use wide angle lenses in portraits. Let me know in the comments section below — I’d like to know what you think. Portrait Lenses. Let’s look at some more examples of portraits with wide angle lenses. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. And that exaggerates the size of whatever is closest to the camera, which can be the entire head, the face, or body. However, by that same token, be aware of how wide angle lenses can stretch out proportions. Also, if you are framing a headshot, be aware that your subject’s head can look enormous, with the features completely distorted. A wide angle lens forces you to get closer to the subject, exaggerating what is closest to the lens and camera. So I shot it at 24mm. OnPortraits offers portrait photography tips and tutorials to over 20,000 monthly readers in 183 countries. Let’s talk about the reasons to use a wide angle lens. But a wide angle lens is good for portraits because you get a unique perspective you can’t get from a longer lens. But a wide angle lens is good for portraits because you get a unique perspective you can’t get from a longer lens. Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S pictured above is an ultra-wide angle … The first is obvious based on what you just learned. But wide angle lenses can be great for portrait photography — as long as you understand how to use them. Is the Nikon D850 Still Worth It in 2020? Her hands look tiny. Wide angle lenses have a broader field of view than standard lenses, such as an 85mm lens. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. And at 105mm, I was about 6 feet away. And it diminishes the background. Sometimes, you only have so much room to back up, and you just need to get the shot. Portrait lenses are a subset of fixed focal length prime lenses. The size of the hand relative to the size of the face, The size of the face relative to the size of the buildings in the background. With a 35mm-equivalent focal length of approximately 75mm and a fixed focal length, these lenses make it easy to create a beautiful portrait by blurring the background (known as bokeh), helping to make your subject pop with life and vibrancy. This girl was about 5’2″, but by getting low with a 35mm lens on a Fuji X100, she looks much taller: And if you tilt the camera down, the head looks large: As you know, wide angle lenses can create very cool visual effects and give an intimacy you can’t match with a longer lens. In fact, the portrait below was shot on a Fujifilm 16mm f/1.4 lens. Your IP: 121.41.230.164 Why? A wide angle lens required you to get closer to your subject to fill the frame. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. So what is my taste? And it feels like you’re just a couple feet away — which is where I was when I took the photo. How to Use Wide Angle Lenses in Portraits (the smart way), Make an instant connection with "The Cookie Trick", Get easy, natural smiles out of the most uptight people, Crop Factor & 35mm Equivalent Focal Lengths: The Ultimate Guide.