A fast lens isn’t essential for portrait photography

Read any portrait photography tutorial and I will bet that when discussing lenses it will say you need to use the fastest lens, i.e. the lens with the widest maximum aperture you can find. Shooting at wide apertures does enable you to blur the background by throwing it out of focus however there are risks associated with shooting at very wide apertures.

Many portrait photography articles would have you believe you need lenses with maximum apertures of f1.2 or f1.4 to get the depth of field you need for a decent portrait but this simply isn’t true. Lenses with an f1.2 aperture are damn expensive, and f1.4 lenses are very expensive and to get the most out of these lenses you need to practice, practice and then practice some more.

 When shooting at apertures this wide the depth of field could be too shallow leading to parts of the photo that should be sharp a little soft. For example, shooting at these wide apertures often results in soft noses, soft ears and soft hair. Stopping the lens down, and narrowing the aperture a little will sort out all of these problems.

The depth of field using f1.8 and f2 lenses is sufficient to capture sharp portraits against a nicely blurred background, and these apertures will ensure all facial features are sharp as well as the hair. If you can get sufficient distance between the subject and background you can get the same type of portraits using f4 lenses.

The learning curve with f1.8, f2 and f4 lenses isn’t any near as steep as with f1.2 and f1.4 lenses, and this is something you need to consider when choosing a lens for portrait photography. 

Canon  35mm f2 IS (full review here)

Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 35mm/ 42mm/ Aperture:- 2 - 22/ Min focus:- 9.4"/ Dimensions:- 3.07" x 2.46"/ Weight:- 11.8oz/ Image stabilization:- Yes/ Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:-$550.00/£445.00 

A mid-priced, mid-range 35mm prime lens with image stabilisation. This lens is well built, has great image quality and is capable of capturing photos that rival that of lenses costing several times more.

For a quick honest and unbiased review, i.e. the pros and cons of the Canon 35mm f2 IS lens take a look at the following video clip, courtesy of Youtube.

YONGNUO 35MM F2 (full review here)

 Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 35mm/56mm/ Aperture:- 2 - 22 /Min focus:- 9.8”/ Dimensions:- 2.9” X 2.3”/ Weight:- 5.4oz / Image stabilization:- No / Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:- $90.00/£85.00

A budget and affordable 35mm prime lens based around the Canon 35mm f2 lens. This lens isn’t as tough as the Canon, and the image quality isn’t quite as good but then given the cost this lens what can you expect? All things considered this is a great lens and gives a lot of bang for the buck.

CANON EF 40MM F2.8 (full review here)

Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 40mm/ 64mm/ Aperture:- 2.8 - 22/ Min focus:- 11.8"/ Dimensions:- 2.69" x 0.9"/ Weight:- 4.6 oz/ Image stabilization:- No/ Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:-      $180.00/£145.00 

A tiny (and I mean tiny) pancake lens capable of capturing some awesome photos. The 40mm focal length may seem a little strange, but give it a go and I reckon you will be a convert. A great portrait lens that is well worth considering.
Below is a short clip explaining the pros and cons of the awesome Canon 40mm f2.8 STM lens.

 CANON  EF 50MM F1.8 (full review here)

Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 50mm/ 80mm/ Aperture:- 1.8 - 22/ Min focus:- 13.8"/ Dimensions:- 2.72" x 1.55"/ Weight:- 5.6 oz/ Image stabilization:- No/ Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:- $125.00/£100.00 

Canon’s budget nifty fifty has been on the “must buy” list for several years now. The build quality is a little suspect, it is a little soft wide open (but that’s not always a bad thing) but it is capable of capturing some great photos. 

YONGNUO 50MM F1.8 (full review here)

Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 50mm/80mm/ Aperture:- 1.8 - 22/Min focus:- 17.7”/ Dimensions:- 3.15” x 3.27”/ Weight:- 4.2oz/ Image stabilization:- No/ Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:- $58.00/£40.00

A very cheap 50mm prime lens that is equally as good as the Canon 50mm f1.8 lens, but a fraction of the cost. This is a very capable portrait lens and one that is definitely worth considering. 

Related reading:

Below are some links to other portrait photography related articles, posts and tutorials you may find useful/interesting:-

• How to choose the right portrait lens
• Take care using wide angle lenses for portrait photography
• Why I use a zoom lens for portrait photography
• Best Canon fit zoom lenses for portrait photography
• Best Canon branded prime lenses for portrait photography
• Ultra-fast portrait lenses not needed all the time
• Lenses for family photography shoots
• Lenses for baby portrait photography
• The perfect lenses for outdoor infant portraits

Photography ramblings video playlist that may be of interest

Portrait photography lighting

When I bought my first speed light I thought that I would only need one type of light for portrait photography, however I was totally wrong and I openly admit I was a little naïve. As I delved deeper in portrait photography, and portrait photography using a flash in particular I realized I needed a few different types of external flashes to take portraits, and these now comprise:-

Portrait photography lighting - Small speed light

Small speed lights are less powerful than standard speed lights, however they are still very useful and a speed light I think is essential. The small speed lights have all the features of the standard sized speed lights including manual mode, TTL mode, high speed sync mode, stroboscopic mode and first curtain sync. These little speed lights are packed with technology.

These small speed lights typically have guide numbers of 30m or so, so they are perfect when you only need a little burst of light to fill in shadows.

Where these small speed lights really come in to their own is when travelling. These speed lights are tiny and since they fit in the palm of the hand, they take up little room. Their small size also makes them well balanced on the camera, even smaller mirrorless and compact system/bridge cameras.

The small speed light I use for portrait photography is the.....

Godox TT350 (full review here)

GUIDE NUMBER (35MM @ ISO 100) – 36M/ FOCAL LENGTH COVERAGE – 24MM – 105MM/ RECYCLING TIME – 0.1 – 2.2 SECS/ ETTL - YES/ EV COMPENSATION ON FLASH - +/- 3EV/ SLAVE - YES/ VERTICAL TILT – 0 – 90 DEGREES/ HORIZONTAL TILT – 0 – 90 DEGREES/ DIMENSIONS – 140MM X 62MM X 38MM/ APPROX PRICE $USD/£GBP -  $85/£70/ POWER – 2XAA BATTERIES

You may also want to take a look at the quick whistle stop tour around the Godox TT350 speed light, as below:-

Portrait photography lighting - Standard speed light

The standard sized speed light is my general “go to” flash. These speed lights are obviously bigger than the small speed lights, but they are more powerful so you can do more with them. Standard sized speed lights are nicely balanced with mid-size and large dslr cameras, however they can feel a little top heavy on the smaller entry level dslr cameras. Standard sized speed lights are, in my opinion, too big and heavy for mirrorless cameras and compact system cameras however they can be used.

A standard speed light is powerful enough for most situations, however if you want to shoot wide open in the midday sun you will struggle and to overcome this you will have to think outside the box and get creative or use a “high power” flash (as below).

The standard speed light I use for portrait photography is the........

 Godox V860 (full review here)

CLASS – MID-RANGE/ GUIDE NUMBER (200MM @ ISO 100 IN METRES) – 60M / RECYCLE TIME (FULL POWER IN SECONDS) – < 1.5 SECONDS/ MANUAL POWER SETTINGS - 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32,1/64 AND 1/128  /TTL MODE - YES/ STROBOSCOPIC MODE - YES/ HSS MODE - YES/ FLASH EXPOSURE COMPENSATION - -3EV - +1EV/ OPTICAL SLAVE – YES/ OTHER TRIGGER – WIRELESS TTL SLAVE MODE/ SWIVEL FLASH HEAD – 0 DEGREES TO 360 DEGREES/ FLASH HEAD TILT - -7 DEGREES TO +90 DEGREES/ MANUAL ZOOM HEAD – (14) 20 - 200/ AUTO ZOOM HEAD – (14) 20 - 200/ BOUNCE CARD - YES/ LCD DISPAY - YES/ BATTERIES REQUIRED – SINGLE CELL BATTERY/APPROX PRICE ($USD/£GBP) - $199 / £161

Portrait photography lighting - “Powerful” External flash

I only use a powerful external flash as a last resort, and when a standard speed light simply isn’t powerful enough. I typically use my powerful external flashes when I want the speed light to be the primary light source when shooting outside in the midday sun, or when I want to freeze the action using a fast shutter speed.

You may be wondering why not just use a powerful external flash and adjust the flash power as necessary. There will be situations when one of these flashes is too powerful and will over expose the photo, even when the power is dialed right down to its lowest setting. Okay, you could try using a wider aperture, but this is no good if you want to stop the lens down is it? Similarly, you could try and increase the flash to subject distance but what if you are shooting in a tight space and can’t increase the distance?

A powerful flash unit is an essential bit of kit and it is definitely worth having one, and the one I use is the......

Godox Witstro AD360 (full review here)

The Godox range of speed lights and external flashes are awesome photography lighting solutions. Godox products are well made, powerful but controllable, user friendly and also affordable. Check out the following video footage of several honest and unbiased review of Godox photography lighting equipment. 

Related reading

Below you will find some links to other portrait photography tutorials, posts and articles that may be of some use, or interest to you. Please do take a look and feel free to comment as necessary.

• Best Canon fit zoom lenses for portrait photography
• Best Canon branded prime lenses for portrait photography
• Ultra-fast portrait lenses not needed all the time
• Lenses for baby portrait photography
• Tips for daylight portraits
• Portable lighting kit for portrait photography 

Photography ramblings video playlist that may be of interest

Bird photography tips

There’s no denying it, bird photography is a challenge and whilst it is easy to okay bird photos capturing great photos of birds is another issue altogether. To consistently capture great bird photos you have to practice, practice and then practice some more. To consistently capture great bird photos you have to know you camera and equipment inside out, and know what settings you need and how to dial them in as quickly as possible.

Bird photography isn’t easy but below are a selection of links to bird photography related articles, posts and tutorials that may help you improve your photos of birds and take them to the next level. Please do feel free to head on over and take a look.

“Best budget tele lenses for bird photography” A long reach tele lens is essential for bird photography, and whilst it is possible to go and spend a few thousand on a tele lens there are some cheaper and budget tele lenses on the market that are ideal for bird photography, as explored in this article.

“You only need two lenses for bird photography” There seems to be a common misconception you need several different types of lenses for bird photography, however this is not true. In reality, there are only two different types of lenses you need for bird photography, as explored in this article.

“Using a small speed light for bird photography” A speed light is essential for bird photography and whilst you may want to go straight in and use the most powerful speed light you can find it may not be necessary. There are times when a small speed light is all you need, as explored in this article.

One of the best small speed lights out there is the Godox TT350. Check out the following short video clip, courtesy of Youtube, showing what the Godox TT350 is like:-

“Using a flash for bird photography” Using an external speed light instantly improved my bird photos and I think it could do the same for you. Don’t believe me? Take a look at this article and see for yourself.

Godox have some excellent flash photography equipment, and I have to say Godox are my go to company of choice. TO see some of the excellent speed lights and flashes in the Godox range check out the following short video clip, courtesy of Youtube.

“Do you really need a 400mm prime lens for bird photography?” The 400mm prime lens is argues to be one of the best lenses for bird photography, and particularly for taking photos of birds in flight. This is all well and good, but do you really need a 400mm prime lens to capture great photos of birds? This is explored in this post – take a read and see what you think.

How about a 100 - 400 zoom lens for bird photography? Check out the following short clip exploring the pros and cons of the Canon 100 - 400L IS lens:-

“What camera for bird photography?” If you want to get the best bird photos possible you need to use the right photography equipment, and this includes the right camera. When deciding on a camera for bird photography there are specific features you need to look for, and all of these are revealed in this post.

 “What lens for bird photography?” Use the right lens and I guarantee your bird photos will instantly improve. If you want some ideas on what lenses you should use for bird photography take a look at this article.

“How to photograph birds in flight” Photographing birds in flight is one of the most challenging aspects of bird photography, however it is also the most rewarding when you nail it and get ‘that’ shot. For some hints, tips and tricks on photographing birds in flight take a look at this post.

“Quick and easy bird photography tips” For some quick and easy hints, tips and tricks to improve your photographs of birds take a look at this post. 

A good birding lens, and one that is often overlooked is the Canon 28mm - 300mm L IS lens, and a quick review is as follows:-

Photography ramblings video playlist that may be of interest

The must have Godox lighting equipment

I’ll start this post explaining how I discovered the Godox brand, and why I use Godox speed lights and flashes…….

I was booked to do a photography shoot and a week or so before I ended up damaging my Canon 580EX speed light to a point beyond repair. At the time I was poor, very poor, but desperately needed a speed light for the shoot. I needed a speed light that was as powerful as my Canon 580EX and also had all the features (TTL and HSS modes) and the only options was a Yongnuo speed light or a Yongnuo speed light.

In my part of the world Yongnuo and Godox speed lights are only available on line therefore it was going to be an internet purchase. After looking at both the Yongnuo and Godox speed lights they both seemed similar and I ended up ordering the Godox speed light because delivery was free.

My intention was to use the Godox speed light for the shoot, save up and when I had enough money buy another Canon 580EX.

The Godox was meant to be a short term fix only. I wasn’t expecting much from the Godox, and when it arrived I was pleasantly surprised. The Godox speed light felt well-made, the buttons were a nice size and everything was in easy reach. Changing the mode and adjusting the settings was quick, easy and intuitive. The single cell battery was powerful and held enough juice for several hundred full power pops. I wasn’t just pleasantly surprised by the Godox, I was very impressed.

I was so impressed with the Godox speed light I ended up buying three more (for a ganged 3 light set up plus an on-camera fill flash) and the set up cost less than a single Canon 580EX. Since discovering the Godox speed light I haven’t looked back and I have purchased many other Godox flash units too.

The Godox speed lights I own and use comprise:-

Godox TT350 (full review here)

GUIDE NUMBER (35MM @ ISO 100) – 36M/ FOCAL LENGTH COVERAGE – 24MM – 105MM/ RECYCLING TIME – 0.1 – 2.2 SECS/ ETTL - YES/ EV COMPENSATION ON FLASH - +/- 3EV/ SLAVE - YES/ VERTICAL TILT – 0 – 90 DEGREES/ HORIZONTAL TILT – 0 – 90 DEGREES/ DIMENSIONS – 140MM X 62MM X 38MM/ APPROX PRICE $USD/£GBP -  $85/£70/ POWER – 2XAA BATTERIES

I wanted a small speed light that was powerful, had manual/TTL/HSS/stroboscopic modes and had a built in wireless receiver for travel photography. There are a few speed lights that satisfied my needs, however I chose the Godox TT350. All of the speed lights are very similar, but I know the Godox brand, I have experience with the Godox brand and I trust the Godox brand so it made sense to buy the Godox TT350.

The Godox TT350 doesn’t disappoint and I have no regrets buying it. 

"Quick whistle stop tour of the Godox TT350, courtesy of Youtube"

Godox V860 (full review here)

CLASS – MID-RANGE/ GUIDE NUMBER (200MM @ ISO 100 IN METRES) – 60M / RECYCLE TIME (FULL POWER IN SECONDS) – < 1.5 SECONDS/ MANUAL POWER SETTINGS - 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32,1/64 AND 1/128  /TTL MODE - YES/ STROBOSCOPIC MODE - YES/ HSS MODE - YES/ FLASH EXPOSURE COMPENSATION - -3EV - +1EV/ OPTICAL SLAVE – YES/ OTHER TRIGGER – WIRELESS TTL SLAVE MODE/ SWIVEL FLASH HEAD – 0 DEGREES TO 360 DEGREES/ FLASH HEAD TILT - -7 DEGREES TO +90 DEGREES/ MANUAL ZOOM HEAD – (14) 20 - 200/ AUTO ZOOM HEAD – (14) 20 - 200/ BOUNCE CARD - YES/ LCD DISPAY - YES/ BATTERIES REQUIRED – SINGLE CELL BATTERY/APPROX PRICE ($USD/£GBP) - $199 / £161

The Godox V860 was the first Godox speed light I bought, and I am so glad I did. Although I didn’t realise it at the time braking my Canon 580EX was the best thing that could have happened. If I hadn’t damaged my 580EX I would never have discovered the Godox brand.

The V860 is an awesome speed light. It does everything the Canon 580EX does but at a fraction of the cost, so you get a lot of bang for the buck with this flash. Okay, the Godox V860 isn’t as bombproof as the Canon 580EX, but given the cost differential this is to be expected. I can guarantee that the Godox V860 is very well made and will provide years of trouble free service. 

Godox Witstro AD360 (full review here)

The Godox Witstro AD360 is basically a super large speed light. Whilst it has a hot shoe attachment I would not recommend putting this flash in the hot shoe because it is too big, too heavy and would be too top heavy and make an unbalanced and unusable set up. The Godox Witstro AD360 is an off camera flash solution only.

The Godox Witstro AD360 is a powerful light that is perfect for outdoor use in the midday sun. It is also a great flash to freeze the action using HSS and fast shutter speeds. The power of the AD360 is something else, and you have to see it to believe it.

The Godox Witstro AD360 is powered by an external battery pack, so the set up isn’t light and carrying it around can be a bit of a faff. That said, it is a good flash for lighting on location and this is what I use it for. 

Godox Witstro AD200 (full review here)

The Godox Witstro AD200 is the newest member of the Godox family, and what a member it is. The AD200 is as powerful as three V860 speed lights in a package that isn’t much bigger than a single speed light. The AD200 is powered by an internal single cell battery, so there is no power pack and no power cords with this – making it very portable.

There is no hot shoe foot on the Godox Witstro AD200 but it is so light you can simply hand hold it if you don’t want to use a light stand. The AD200 has a wireless receiver built in which means you need the Godox X1 to fire it. This is an additional cost, but it’s not that expensive.

Please feel free to check out the following footage about the Godox lighting equipment.

Related reading:

Below are links to other flash photography articles, posts and tutorials you may find useful/interesting. Please feel free to head on over and take a look.

• Basic flash photography kit
• Is a ring flash something you should buy?
• What flash or speed light for travel photography
• Using a flash for bird photography
• Affordable flash photography equipment
• What speed light for indoor flash photography?
• Lighting for candid wedding photography lighting

Photography ramblings video playlist that may be of interest

You don’t always need a sharp lens for portrait photography

Many photographers are obsessed with sharpness and want the highest amount of detail and sharpness in every photo. The quest for sharpness ultimately results in spending hundreds, if not thousands of pounds on the “sharpest lens” out there. Okay, there are times when sharpness is key and very important but there are also times when it is possible for a lens to be too sharp, and portrait photography is one of these times.

Portraits should be flattering and show the model at their best and using a really sharp lens, such as a macro lens, won’t achieve this. Sharp lenses and those that record a high level of detail show will capture every spot, pimple, blemish, variation in skin tone and imperfection and this will not result in a flattering portrait photo. The best portrait lenses are a little soft as this leads to more pleasing and flattering portraits. This is particularly true when taking portrait photos of women and children.

Softer lenses are cheaper and more affordable than sharper lenses, so when you use a slightly soft lens you will have a monetary gain in addition to capturing better portrait shots. It is a win-win.

Soft focus lenses for portrait photography

Yongnuo  35mm f2 (fullreview here)

Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 35mm/56mm/ Aperture:- 2 - 22 /Min focus:- 9.8”/ Dimensions:- 2.9” X 2.3”/ Weight:- 5.4oz / Image stabilization:- No / Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:- $90.00/£85.00

Canon 35mm f2 IS (full review here)

Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 35mm/ 42mm/ Aperture:- 2 - 22/ Min focus:- 9.4"/ Dimensions:- 3.07" x 2.46"/ Weight:- 11.8oz/ Image stabilization:- Yes/ Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:-$550.00/£445.00 

Yongnuo 50mm f1.8 (full review here)

Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 50mm/80mm/ Aperture:- 1.8 - 22/Min focus:- 17.7”/ Dimensions:- 3.15” x 3.27”/ Weight:- 4.2oz/ Image stabilization:- No/ Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:- $58.00/£40.00

Canon 50mm f1.8 (full review here)

Focal Length – Full frame/APS-C:- 50mm/ 80mm/ Aperture:- 1.8 - 22/ Min focus:- 13.8"/ Dimensions:- 2.72" x 1.55"/ Weight:- 5.6oz/ Image stabilization:- No/ Price (approx.) $USD/£ GBP:- $125.00/£100.00 

This doesn’t mean you can’t use sharp lenses for portrait photography, however if you do decide to use a sharp lens to capture portraits you may have to apply make up to the subjects to even skin tones and conceal spots, pimples, blemishes etc. You won’t have any problems applying makeup to teenagers and adults, but it will add some time to the shoot. Applying make up to children is a different matter (especially youngsters) and as for babies, I would never apply any cosmetics for a photo shoot. In the case of babies I would only ever use a softer lens, and would recommend any other photographer does the same. 

Here's a short video clip re the Canon 50mm f1.8 and whether it is still the best choice you may find interesting. Please do feel free to check it out. 

Related reading:

Below are links to other portrait photography related posts, articles and tutorials that you may find useful/interesting. Please feel free to head on over and take a look.

• How to choose the right portrait lens
• Take care using wide angle lenses for portrait photography
• Why I use a zoom lens for portrait photography
• Best Canon fit zoom lenses for portrait photography
• Best Canon branded prime lenses for portrait photography

Photography ramblings video playlist that may be of interest

Dusting the cobwebs off the Canon 8mm - 15mm f4L fish eye lens

I was recently stuck in a bit of a "photography rut" and was struggling to get motivated. All my landscape photos were starting to look the same and I was struggling to have fun. After a few moments pondering what to do I took the decision to blow the cobwebs off the fisheye lens and take it on a two week tour of Ireland. 

Now I am back from my travels my love for the Canon 8mm - 15mm f4L fisheye has grown and my landscape photography 'mojo' has returned. 

If you are interested to see the fun and games I had during my time in Ireland with the fisheye lens please feel free to take a look at the short video footage above.

Photography ramblings video playlist that may be of interest

The 40mm f2.8 STM pancake lens - Canon's best budget prime lens ever

There was a time when the Canon 50mm f1.8 lens was Canon's best budget prime lens however things have changed and this accolade has changed hands. The best budget prime lens for Canon cameras is no longer the nifty fifty but the 40mm f2.8 STM pancake lens. 

After seeing some photo galleries of images captured with this lens, and seeing it in action at a camera club meet I took the plunge and ordered my very own 40mm f2.8 STM pancake lens, and what buy it has been. This little lens has been on one of my cameras since the day I bough it, and I don't see it coming off in the near future. This lens really is that good. 

For a full run down on the pros and cons of the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM please feel free to check out the short video clip above. 

If you want a small and discreet prime lens for your Canon camera the Canon 40mm f2.8 STM lens is right up your street. This really is an awesome lens, and one that comes highly recommended. 

Photography ramblings video playlist that may be of interest

Quick and dirty review of the Canon 28-300 f3.5 - 5.6L IS lens

The Canon 28-300 f3.5-5.6L IS lens is the most under rated lens in the Canon's L series line up, and I struggle to see why. This lens has more critics than fans, which based on my experience with this lens seems very unfair.

All things considered the Canon 28-300 f3.5-5.6L IS lens is an exceptional lens in every way, and one I highly recommend. If you need more convincing, or are just interested to see exactly why I rate this lens so highly please feel free to check out the short video footage above.

The Canon 28mm - 300mm f3.5 - 5.6L IS lens is a great "one size fits all" lens for those times when you can only have one lens with you. Okay, it may be a little big and heavy but the focal range is superb and the image quality is awesome. 

Photography ramblings video playlist that may be of interest