For every type of photograph there is a lens. Whether you want to photograph a bird in flight, an insect on a flower or a full-on portrait there will be a lens that will suit the subject. However, you want your finished image to end will depend on how you use the lens to effect, whether its wildlife, landscape or product learning to use the lens will take a lifetime and we’ll always learn something new, some new technique.
For the subjects in this blog, you’ll only really need a small number of lenses, the studio is small enough to be able to keep that number limited and not be too costly to get started up. So, we’re not looking to invest a huge amount to have every type of lens required for all genres of photography, just three or maybe four would be more than enough.
The biggest piece of advice is to first consider how much you can afford. Lenses can cost a huge amount of money and if we are looking to collect all the possible types you might need, and you’d probably never ever use them. So just as considering a camera to buy what you can afford and most likely to use. There are many articles covering which lens you would need so I’ll just tell you what I am currently using, and if I find one that would be useful, I’ll add into a blog.
Particularly if you are on a limited budget, it would always be best to look at used equipment. There is an awful lot available around the online markets so its always worth shopping around. For the mainstream camera companies there is a huge number of used lens of all kinds and looking for the one you want can be confusing. So, some research would be a good idea even though it can be confusing, but don’t invest until you are sure you know what you want and will use.
I personally use Canon equipment, the mirrorless range is good and provides all you need, but there is no definitive best to buy, look around and see what you like, talk to other photographers and see what they like and use.
So, having thought about what to buy what would be ideal lens sizes for using in a small studio like mine?
The size of the space is a big factor and the distance between the subject and what will be in focus will dictate how far back from the edge of the shooting area will be, which is why a smaller size lens will be ideal.
In no uncertain preference or order the types of lens would be a good size for using will depend on personal preference of make and budget, and if you are starting up shop around either one line or on local stores, if you can try them out and don’t go for the best and most expensive just because you can, if you find you don’t like the lens or it doesn’t work for you it can be costly.
Some I have used and those that would be standard sizes are;
Small zoom/telephoto
18-55
24-70
24-105
70-200 (though that would need more room to shoot)
Prime
Anything from 10mm up, and the nifty 50mm is always useful
Look at macro lens up to about 105mm
Wide angle lenses are often small prime too
There is a huge selection of lens as much as there are cameras and all will produce different results, start small and as you get more confident you can expand your stock.
So, buying a camera and lens is probably the most important start in photography, the brand you start with would be the one we usually keep, often because the initial outlay of equipment will often dictate the cost of buying new equipment or replacing an entire line. Once you have decided where you are going, you can build up the kit as you need to, while there are several brands to choose from, there are also many lenses built by other non-brand companies that are often cheaper than, but you may have to balance out the quality of the make, sometimes the price is too good to be true, but research what is out there, and several companies produce high quality glass well worth investing in.
Working in a small space requires some change of thought over what would be “normal”, as we are working in distances of inches to the subject and so the normal thinking, let’s use a couple of lenses against small figures and see how the use of a lens can change how the subject can be used.
On a pretty standard lens for a lot of different types of photography the 24-105mm zoom is a small lens but perfect for landscape, portrait, product and many other styles. There are a few other lenses that can be used, but it can be very useful, and used lenses are pretty common and reasonably priced. As with buying any piece of kit research what is around how much you can afford, and if you have a somewhere nearby that sells used kit they are usually very helpful and often will allow you to try out in the store before you purchase.
You will find that as you get closed to the subject and use a lower f number the more of that subject in the frame will be out of focus, but that is the point, it will give the narrative more of a story and give the eye something of interest to look at.
Some lenses that have a single focal length are called Prime Lenses. They have a huge range of size and use and can be very useful in this kind of studio work. Often, they are fast lenses, in other words the f number is often quite low, lets in a lot of light and are used by a lot of photographers. They also have a small focal length and so a narrow gap between the subjects you are taking.
One I use a lot is a prime macro lens of about 90mm. when looking at macro lenses there are a couple of well used rations we see, usually 1:1 or 2:1. This tells us what size the picture will be, the sensor that picks up the image will be the same size (1:1) as the image you take, with 2:1 macros it will be twice the size of the image at the sensor, giving very close image to the subject you are taking. Macro photographers take amazing insect images, and that microscopic width of focus call for some specialised software to get the best pictures.
You don’t have to use them for just taking pictures of small insects and its worth exploring what you can do especially with a small focal length.
For instance, this 90mm macro is used to focus on a small subject, and while the amount in focus is small, you can use that to give a sense of movement with the figure at the back.
And using the macro lens to highlight the subject also shows the details, but also the blemishes of a figure! So a balance between what you’re seeing and how it looks is important.
It also can help to bring the subject forward into the picture by showing a background so that it helps to highlight the narrative of the photograph.
A wide-angle lens can bring a different viewpoint in a photo, and again focus is limited but can produce different aspects on the subject as well.
The subject of the right lens is exhaustive, many people will give you advice, and I’ve found the best is to try with what you can afford, Photography can take a huge amount of investment and if you end up not using because you get confused with the amount of gear you need , you will waste you money. This blog I for those who are just trying or can’t afford to shell out tons of money but want to try out and enjoy taking a few photos. So, give it a go, if you have a few bits of gear try them out, a camera and a couple of lenses can open a fun alternative to taking photos.
Over the next couple of blogs, I’ll be looking at the subject itself, how to prepare a background for your photo subject, and later how to use your phone for taking great pictures!
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