Best Focal Length for Portraits.

Why is a 100mm lens considered a better focal length for portraits than
longer focal lengths such as 200mm or 300mm?

Cody,

http://www.newswatchmagazine.org/wee...or/7.03.04.htm

http://community-2.webtv.net/AnOverc...otographyLinks

wrote in message
...

Why is a 100mm lens considered a better focal length for portraits than
longer focal lengths such as 200mm or 300mm?

Cody,

http://www.newswatchmagazine.org/wee...or/7.03.04.htm

http://community-2.webtv.net/AnOverc...otographyLinks

Probably because you don't have to stand across the street to get a good
headshot.

--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com

wrote in message
...

Why is a 100mm lens considered a better focal length for portraits than
longer focal lengths such as 200mm or 300mm?

Cody,

http://www.newswatchmagazine.org/wee...or/7.03.04.htm

http://community-2.webtv.net/AnOverc...otographyLinks

Probably because you don't have to stand across the street to get a good
headshot.

--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com

On Sat, 24 Jul 2004 06:43:56 -0500, wrote:


Why is a 100mm lens considered a better focal length for portraits than
longer focal lengths such as 200mm or 300mm?

Cody,

http://www.newswatchmagazine.org/wee...or/7.03.04.htm

http://community-2.webtv.net/AnOverc...otographyLinks

Because a focal length of 1 1/2 to twice the diagonal is the range
where people's features begin to appear in normal proportion and give
you some working room between your subject and camera yet allow you to
have a rapport with your subject. (According to an old portrait book
by Kodak)

Leonardo da Vinci has given the answer centuries ago!

"McLeod" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Jul 2004 06:43:56 -0500, wrote:


Why is a 100mm lens considered a better focal length for portraits than
longer focal lengths such as 200mm or 300mm?

Cody,

http://www.newswatchmagazine.org/wee...or/7.03.04.htm

http://community-2.webtv.net/AnOverc...otographyLinks

Because a focal length of 1 1/2 to twice the diagonal is the range
where people's features begin to appear in normal proportion and give
you some working room between your subject and camera yet allow you to
have a rapport with your subject. (According to an old portrait book
by Kodak)

Leonardo da Vinci has given the answer centuries ago!

"McLeod" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Jul 2004 06:43:56 -0500, wrote:


Why is a 100mm lens considered a better focal length for portraits than
longer focal lengths such as 200mm or 300mm?

Cody,

http://www.newswatchmagazine.org/wee...or/7.03.04.htm

http://community-2.webtv.net/AnOverc...otographyLinks

Because a focal length of 1 1/2 to twice the diagonal is the range
where people's features begin to appear in normal proportion and give
you some working room between your subject and camera yet allow you to
have a rapport with your subject. (According to an old portrait book
by Kodak)

(Skip=A0M) wrote:
Probably because you don't have to stand across the street to get a good
headshot.
--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Good point, I think that probably has a lot to do with it.

Thanks for the replies.

Cody Houston,

http://community-2.webtv.net/AnOverc...otographyLinks

(Skip=A0M) wrote:
Probably because you don't have to stand across the street to get a good
headshot.
--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Good point, I think that probably has a lot to do with it.

Thanks for the replies.

Cody Houston,

http://community-2.webtv.net/AnOverc...otographyLinks

wrote in message
...

Why is a 100mm lens considered a better focal length for portraits than
longer focal lengths such as 200mm or 300mm?

Cody,


Anything from about 75mm to about 150mm can look flattering, but by 200mm
you are beginning to go too far the other way, so to speak: that is having
avoided the over-prominent nose and shrunken ears effect of too wide a lens,
you are getting into the area of flattened facial features. This is not as
objectionabale to most people, so a 200mm portrait isn't 'horrible' but an
85 to 135mm one will look better to most people's eyes. By 300mm you are
really flattening the face quite a lot.

However, 300mm is very popular for a lot of catalogue fashion pictures -
partly because it minimises the background area included in the shot, which
is a help when shooting on a beach, say. In a studio it can also help as
the model can be further from the background, leaving more room for
background lights - but you need a big studio. Look at some of these and
you may find that you feel the model has a slightly 'flattened' look.

Of course, issues of handhold-ability and the need for an enormous studio
also introduce practical as well as aesthetic considerations.



Peter

wrote in message
...

Why is a 100mm lens considered a better focal length for portraits than
longer focal lengths such as 200mm or 300mm?

Cody,


Anything from about 75mm to about 150mm can look flattering, but by 200mm
you are beginning to go too far the other way, so to speak: that is having
avoided the over-prominent nose and shrunken ears effect of too wide a lens,
you are getting into the area of flattened facial features. This is not as
objectionabale to most people, so a 200mm portrait isn't 'horrible' but an
85 to 135mm one will look better to most people's eyes. By 300mm you are
really flattening the face quite a lot.

However, 300mm is very popular for a lot of catalogue fashion pictures -
partly because it minimises the background area included in the shot, which
is a help when shooting on a beach, say. In a studio it can also help as
the model can be further from the background, leaving more room for
background lights - but you need a big studio. Look at some of these and
you may find that you feel the model has a slightly 'flattened' look.

Of course, issues of handhold-ability and the need for an enormous studio
also introduce practical as well as aesthetic considerations.



Peter