Developing Skills

If I were to Travel the world with one Camera and a 50mm Lens, I am confident I would create some visually interesting images.

Being a Prime standard focal length, the 50mm is not normally used as a Landscape or Environmental optics. That’s why we have a Wide Angle.

The Image above was created using my 50mm 1.4.

I was standing on my street corner and saw this wider view, the 50 mm only gave me the frame of the Blue Bin from where I was standing.

That image was created in Portrait Mode and I took around six frames with an overlap . All six frames were then stitched as a panorama in the computer. The overlapping frames gives the computer enough detail on the edges of each frame to ensure accurate stitching.

This is a very useful skill to have in my tool box. It means I can create no matter what.

Framing and Composing are required skills no matter what Lens is on my Camera.

I was thinking today about my core subjects and the correct Lens for each.

This is what I discovered:

Landscape, Cityscape & Environment/Urbanscape - 16mm/18mm

The Classic Frame of 35mm can cover any subject - I like to use it for contextual moments and documentary images / people within the context of the narrative.

Detail Shots to flesh out my photo essay would be created at 50mm

Portraits begin at 70mm but 85mm is the sweet spot.

I would not use a 50mm for head and shoulders because of facial distortion. However, by standing back around 5 metres, it is perfect for a full length or three quarter image. This framing invites a little context to the frame but that’s ok.

The classic headshot with an 85mm is gorgeous.

So, while I love using Prime Focal length, 1 absolutely stand by the versatility of using a zoom Lens. The epic 24-70mm F2.8 and the 28-70mm F3.5-4.5D are my favourites on my Nikon Bodies

On my Fuji, I use the 18-55mm F2.8-F4. That Lens is SUPERB. In FX terms it equals 27-82.5mm F2.8-F4

Those Zooms covers the full range of my subjects except WildLife. For that, I need my 70-200mm

My Coach Bryan Peterson inspired me.

He encouraged me to train my vision in accordance with all the Lens I use. I know exactly what Lens to use for ANY GIVEN Subject.

Creating Images begins with Vision.

Thanks for reading

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them”.

Elliott Erwitt