Which lenses for this shots?

[Isedo]

Hi guys,

I'm in photography about 6 months and I have a Canon Eos 350D with a 18-55mm and a 50mm f1.8.
Recently I had a problem while shooting a model in a hotel room: I never had her full body in my camera.
I tried to use the 18mm but it was too destorted and with the 50mm i shot just half of her body.

Can anyone say which lenses to use toobtain this kind of shots and from which distance to shoot?

6 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
17 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
http://www.photoforum.com/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=21126

The photos used for the exemple are from Paolo Vigato and not mines.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks,
Isedo


http://www.photoforum.com/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=21126

 

[FlyingFly]

Why not just half of body?

Distortion with 18mm is not due to lens quality but a perspective result of near distance. To shoot full body, the only way to eliminate the distortion is to step backward a few feet. From that distance you could shoot with 35mm or so for full body.

If there is no space on your back, you could bring a small double extension ladder with you to shoot from above. This usually gives you more distance and also gives an unusual point of view.

You can also let your model sit on window sill (if it's broad enough) instead of on bed to give you more space and create a backlighting style picture. You may need reflector or flash to illuminate model's face.

If there were no space, anyway you would have to cut partial body out of your image to avoid distortion. I think it's also a good idea to keep just most interesting part in your frame.

 

[Isedo]

Thanks for your kind reply my friend.
Can u say which is the best lens to make photos like I linked?
From which distance is possible to shot them?

 

[AlexColeman]

Just back up, or sell the 18-55 and get a good zoom.

 

[OldClicker]

"...or sell the 18-55 and get a good zoom." Why would that help? Isn't the distortion just from the focal length used, not the quality of the lens?

Isedo - If you tried everything from 18mm through 55mm on the 18-55 and nothing could give you full body and acceptable distortion, them you just have to find a way to be further away.

TF

 

[ANDS!]

The 18 shouldn't be giving that much distortion depending on where you are at. And most definitely an 18-55 should have given you SOME focal length that allowed you to get this young womans body in the frame. You don't need another lens. 18 TO 55. 24-30 should be enough to get her, and put her entire body in the frame.

 

[FlyingFly]

The photos you linked are sophisticated in lighting and post processing, especially the first and third ones. You may need some studio lamps, reflectors to achieve like that. Post processing may be also required to smooth skin and tune its tone.

If you're going to shoot portrait of such style, you'd better buy some books to learn skills for portrait lighting as well as post processing. I think it's really more essential than buying a lens.

 

[Isedo]

Thanks for all of your replies guys. Very useful to me.
I'm in post production over 8 years so I know how to smooth skin and thinks like that.
I'm new in Photography and of course I don't know so much about studio lighting. I have to learn all of this.

I'll post later the images I made so you can tell me what you think about.
Thanks again to all! You are very kind!