Saturday, August 31, 2013

Choosing Lenses For Wedding Photography


Wedding photography has gained popularity over the years due to the increased pressure on bride and grooms to host the perfect wedding. Wedding photography depends on perfect timing and having equipment that matches the needs of the couple.

However, once you have gained enough experience in the field, you should start thinking about getting the best and latest equipment for wedding photography. If you start to carry out research and speak to different wedding photographers, you will realize that different individual prefer different brands and consequently, different lenses- depending on their style and mode of working.

It goes without saying that if you want to excel in the field of wedding photography, it is essential that you purchase a good portrait lens. Portrait photography depends on the distance between the camera and the subject as well as the lens' focal length. It is of common knowledge that if you take a close up of the subject with the help of a lens with a wide angle, the subject will practically protrude out of the photograph and its surroundings will look miniature. Therefore, if you want to achieve this kind of an effect, it is recommended that you use a wide angle lens and shoot from a short distance. This concept is called foreshortening and is very popular among wedding photographers.

However, in case the bride or the groom do not like close up and therefore, do not wish to see minute details of their faces- you cannot use these lenses. Therefore, it becomes necessary to involve the couple into your plans so that both the parties are happy in the end. You should explain how positioning the camera in a certain manner will add different angles to the photograph and make it look completely different.

A study was carried out recently which compared photographs taken from different focal lengths. The verdict was that portraits with wide angle lenses added a softer character to the photographs whereas photographs that were taken from a distance gave the subject a harder look.

While selecting the lens for wedding photography, you must first figure out whether you are on a budget or if you are willing to splurge on the best, that is, more than $1000 on a Canon lens. Even though these lenses are extremely popular, if you are on a budget, other lenses are made by Canon which are not as expensive. While choosing a lens for wedding photography, it is also important to figure out whether you will be using more than a single camera on the main day. Instead of wasting time changing lenses, a majority of wedding photographers carry two cameras.

A number of wedding photographers also rely on fixed lens solutions. These have gained popularity over the years because the quality of the photographs is enhanced and there is no need for the photographer to add color to them with the help of editing systems like Photoshop. However, fixed lens solutions lead to other limitations and therefore, hamper the photographer's personal style. For those interested in these lenses, the 24mm F1.4 L, 85mm F1.2 L, and the 135 mm F2.0 L and the 50mm F1.2 L are recommended. However, one can also combine these for best results. Fixed lens solutions are generally popular amongst wedding photographers who have gained enough experience to develop a unique style.

No comments:

Post a Comment