Portraits

[pandinus]

Hi guys and girls...

I shoot a great deal of landscapes and a good deal of sports photos, but I'm curious about portraits.

I'm planning on buying a 105mm lense for portrait photography, and macro. Would this be a good focal length for portraits?

Does anyone have any ideas or tips on how to shoot good portraits?
I'd really apprechiate any and all help you guys and girls could give me.

 

[Big Mike]

I'm planning on buying a 105mm lense for portrait photography, and macro. Would this be a good focal length for portraits?

What camera format are you shooting with?

Generally, yes, that would be a very good focal length for portraits, provided that you have enough room to work.

Does anyone have any ideas or tips on how to shoot good portraits?

Lighting is important.
Expression is important, the best portrait photographers create a good atmosphere or feeling with their subjects, so that they can capture natural expressions. (if that's what they are looking for).

 

[pandinus]

Thanks. The camera is a Nikon D100, and the lense I'm looking at is a Sigma 105mm DG lense. I believe it's made for digital cameras.

I don't have a studio, but I have a great deal of ideas for lokations and settings in mind. All the places I'm considering using for shooting portraits give loads of room to work.

In the near future I hope to be able to buy an appartment. There I intend to create a studio in one of the rooms... Some props for people and portrait shots, lighting of course and equipment for shooting macro shots etc.

Could you perhaps point me in the right direction as to some ideas and tips and triks to portraits and people photos?

Like I sayed to start with, I really apprechiate all and any help. =)

 

[Zoso]

A good focal length but my only advice for portraits is get in close, real close

 

[jstuedle]

For 35mm film I like the 105, with digital I like the 85.

 

[GacAttack]

Your camera uses a sub-frame image sensor (the image sensor is less than the full frame of a 35mm film exposure) so you'll need to understand how your D100 receives the light from your Sigma 105mm lens. It will simulate a longer lens; additionally, it will prevent vignetting on cheap lenses because what would have been the corners of a full-frame sensor are actually cropped off by your D100.

Just something to be aware of, especially if you're actually desiring a true 105mm representation.

 

[Garbz]

A good focal length but my only advice for portraits is get in close, real close

With a 105mm the picture will be close, but you'll need a megaphone to talk to your model.

I have a 105 and used it for a few portrait shots, but when this lens is mounted I restricted the shot to head and shoulders only. This is all that fits in on a digital camera body. I actually suggest for a reasonably good all round portrait lens to look at the 50mm f/1.8, and or the 85mm

 

[pandinus]

Your camera uses a sub-frame image sensor (the image sensor is less than the full frame of a 35mm film exposure) so you'll need to understand how your D100 receives the light from your Sigma 105mm lens. It will simulate a longer lens; additionally, it will prevent vignetting on cheap lenses because what would have been the corners of a full-frame sensor are actually cropped off by your D100.

Just something to be aware of, especially if you're actually desiring a true 105mm representation.

The Sigma lense I've bought is made for digital, so luckily I don't have to think to much about the frame size of the sensor. I have a 35-105mm where I keep forgetting this... Thanks for your advice. =)

 

[FidelCastrovich]

Hi guys and girls...

I shoot a great deal of landscapes and a good deal of sports photos, but I'm curious about portraits.

I'm planning on buying a 105mm lense for portrait photography, and macro. Would this be a good focal length for portraits?

Does anyone have any ideas or tips on how to shoot good portraits?
I'd really apprechiate any and all help you guys and girls could give me.

Study light. Study paintings by artists like Rembrandt. Learn to identify shadows and light patterns, and see how they affect the image.
Develop a personal style. Do you like shoulder+head shots? Do you like environmental portraits? Do you like dark, mysterious themes?

About the lens - 85 is considered the perfect portrait lens. a 105 on a crop sensor will be too big. It will flatten the image and de-personalize it. On the other hand, with a 50mm or less, if you get too close to your subject, you will distort their face to some degree.

 

[Neuner]

I actually suggest for a reasonably good all round portrait lens to look at the 50mm f/1.8, and or the 85mm

I agree with this. I've taken note that quite a few on this forum are using the 50mm 1.8/1.4 for portraits and it is quickly becoming a favorite. I absolutely love mine and have gotten excellent results.

 

[pandinus]

I'm looking at a 50mm lense f/1,4, would this be a good alternative?

 

[Neuner]

Alternative? It's faster than the 1.8, but I've heard they are both just as sharp. It's also 2-3x more than the 1.8. I shoot most of my portraits at 2.8-4.0 and currently don't have a need to go as low as 1.4.

 

[Sweetsomedays]

The 50mm 1.4 is the lens I want to get down the road for portraits. My friend has a Cannon but she uses a 50mm and says she loves it, hardly takes it off.

 

[neogfx]

Thanks. The camera is a Nikon D100, and the lense I'm looking at is a Sigma 105mm DG lense. I believe it's made for digital cameras.

I don't have a studio, but I have a great deal of ideas for lokations and settings in mind. All the places I'm considering using for shooting portraits give loads of room to work.

In the near future I hope to be able to buy an appartment. There I intend to create a studio in one of the rooms... Some props for people and portrait shots, lighting of course and equipment for shooting macro shots etc.

Could you perhaps point me in the right direction as to some ideas and tips and triks to portraits and people photos?

Like I sayed to start with, I really apprechiate all and any help. =)

I have the Sigma EX 105mm f2.8 and it's great for portraits. However, as Mike says, you do need a bit of room to work with a 105mm, especially on digital. The focal length, coupled with the aperture size and relative close distance to your subject gives some very effective DOF results.
Having said this, I love the results I get when I use a 55mm lens and get really close and intimate with the subject.

 

[pandinus]

Thanks for your input guys, I really apprechiate it. So far I'm quite content with the results my 105mm lense gives, but I do need more practise at portrait photography. So my portraits will hopefully get better as I get some practise. Again, thanks for all your help I reallly apprechiate it.