Why Use WordPress for Websites? WordPress is simply the most powerful way for any business owner to take control of their own website, update and maintain it. WordPress users can take advantage of countless useful plugins that extend the functionality…
01
Feb
2010
Andy Lim
The Author
Andy Lim
Andy Lim got started in photography after leaving design college, and has given several public talks on the subject of photography.
SimpleSLR Workshops
Photography workshops from beginners to advanced levels.
SimpleSLR Guides
Author of best-selling e-book series.
Photography Tips
Author of useful and practical tips on GoodPhotography.info website.
Emotion in Pictures
Accomplished professional wedding photographer. His brand attracts clients worldwide with his unique flavor of wedding and portrait photography.
For simplicity, we can refer to lenses with short focal lengths (less than 50mm) as wide-angle lenses. Lenses with longer focal lengths (more than 50mm) are called telephoto lenses. Zoom lenses offer a range of focal lengths in a single lens for convenience.
Lenses of different focal lengths can be used to create different perspectives. For example, you might want to use a wide angle lens to exaggerate several bouquets of flowers in front of a florist standing behind them. The florist would appear to be smaller than the bouquets, because objects closer to a wide angle lens appear larger than objects behind them.
Consequently, a telephoto lens can be used to make a small backdrop appear larger than the model in posing in front of it. This is because telephoto lens compresses the perspective and makes distant objects appear larger.
Wide-angle lens.
Typical Focal length: 28mm
Exaggerates perspective. Foreground objects look larger, background objects look smaller. Plenty of depth-of-field.
Angle of view is wide, the subject appears smaller.
Standard lens.
Typical Focal length: 50mm
Natural perspective. Medium depth-of-field.
A 50mm lens simulates the viewing angle of the human eye.
Telephoto lens.
Typical Focal length: 200mm
Flattens perspective. Background objects look larger. Shallow depth-of-field.
Angle of view is narrow, the subject fills the frame.
Need more guidance on basic photography skills?
My hands-on photography guide for beginners will answer most of your questions.
Limited Time Offers!
It’s a proven fact that most people learn the fastest by watching how things are done, and doing it themselves after that. This series of crash course video tutorials by photography instructor Michael Andrew does exactly that. Specifically for Canon…
If you’re a beginner who doesn’t dare venture into full Manual Exposure mode, you’re not alone. Just the very words “Manual Exposure” whispered brings a chill to many novice photographers. But once you get used to using Manual mode and…
Natural light black and white portraits have a timeless beauty, yet are deceptively hard to master. In order to make use of shadow and natural light to create depth and drama, we have to first understand how light interacts with…
This was taken from a series of portraits done recently. Both images below were shot with the couple standing in EXACTLY the same spot, using the setting sun as a light source. What I want to point out is the…
Evan Sharboneau uses only an entry level DSLR, a Nikon D50 to create the mind-blowing photography tricks you see on this page. He reveals his secrets in his very detailed tutorial, Trick Photography and Special Effects, a three-module e-book series…