First photoshoot question

[nickstanley]

Good evening. I am doing a photoshoot this weekend of a family of four. We will be shooting early evening outside. I have my kit lens (18-55mm) and a fixed 35mm lens. Would it be a good strategy to use the kit lens for more of the group shots and use the 35mm for more candid and close up shots of individuals/couples? Thanks

 

[IronMaskDuval]

Personally, I'd use the 35 for everything.

 

[tirediron]

Personally, I'd use the 35 for everything.

Ummm... that would NOT be my recommendation. 35 is just a bit too wide for a portrait lens unless absolutely necessary. I would use the 18-55 at about 51-52mm (so as to avoid the worst of the distortion at the long end) and stopped down to about f8. You will have to back up a little, but it will produce much less distortion than using the comparatively short 35mm focal length.

 

[paigew]

I would also use the 35 for everything, but that is just me

 

[Designer]

I would use the 18-55mm for everything until the light dropped, then the 35mm.

 

[Gavjenks]

Neither is very good for candids (have to be pretty much right in their face even at 55 to fill the frame with a person). But if it's all you have, 55mm is what you have to use, I guess.

So basically, opposite of the OP: 35mm for group shots, if you can back up far enough, because it will probably be better image quality. If not, fall back to wider range of the kit lens. And for candids, the 55mm end of your kit lens. And ideally something longer than that! 55mm as the longest thing in your lens kit in general is pretty limiting.