Focal Length

28/4/14

This was an interesting project to do. Up until this point I had been using my faithful Canon 1000D, with mediocre results. I felt it was a good time to change cameras (to my husband's Canon 5D mk2) because this was a technical exercise which would help me understand a little more about the camera and how my lens focal length results differed on a full frame camera. 

I have 2 lenses (24-105mm and 70-200mm). Up until now I had been using my 24-105mm inside the house for portraits because the distance needed between the subject and the camera was smaller and when multiplied by 1.6, the equivalent focal length became 38-168mm compared to 112-320mm. It would be an interesting exercise to review the results and see if I could improve my images by understanding what effect changing the focal length had on facial features and proportions.

Focal lengths looked at:

32mm 50mm 70mm 105mm 115mm 200mm

All images taken at 1/200 F8 ISO160

 32mm

50mm

70mm

105mm

115mm

200mm

At 32mm facial features are more caricature like (large forehead, large nose, wide eyes). the proportion of my daughter's head and body in the frame was larger when compared with 200mm. The look of this image was not flattering. 

50mm was more acceptable to me. At this length, her neck looked longer although her facial features such as her nose still looked quite large in comparison with longer lengths. 

From 70mm up to 200mm, the features became better proportioned. The shoulders became slimmer and the neck became longer, making the sitter appear taller and slimmer and the result is certainly more appealing to a teenager. 

I considered the distance I could stand away from the subject. At 32mm I felt the camera was in my subjects face, and with a stranger this could feel like I was invading their personal space.  At 200mm, I had to step back quite a long way, but my subject had space around them.  

Focal length also raises the question of truth and believability. I think it is important to represent my subject truthfully and for them to be happy that I have represented them as they see themselves.

This exercise  confirmed to me that the 70-200mm lens I own was a good choice for portraits. Although these images are unflattering, they illustrated a point and made me more aware that if I use a shorter telephoto lens indoors, I need to use it from 70mm onwards.