Does lens preference fall on personality-type lines?

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I was wondering about the degree to which how we interact with our world impacts on what lenses feel natural to us. I have a number of different sized lenses to choose from: from the cv15 to the pen zuiko 250 (400mm equiv). I usually shoot 50mm. Is someone who shoots 28mm dominantly more of an up-close interacting type - always with a group? Is a 90mm shooter an observer socially - maybe even a bit of a loner? Silly question, I guess.
 
It's an interesting question. I think another factor might be how much the photographer is willing to submit to forces beyond his/her control. I like to be in control (I hate flying) and find myself gravitating toward 50's because wide angles force me to admit the world's order. I prefer to re-order.
 
I shoot with a 50 for speed but sometimes I wish I had a faster long lens, because even when I'm up close I keep my distance emotionally & try to detach myself from the scene (to "not be there")

Not a silly question - I think it's a very interesting one. I find that some street photogs who shoot a 21mm lens are more willing to get involved and maybe even prepared for the injuries that might occur as a consequence of getting so close.
 
I think the lens choice does depend on your personality. I recently acquired a 21mm lens and for the first time I'm happy with a lens that see's the way I see. I like the 28mm but I felt it was just too tight, 21mm for me has hit the mark and will probably be my most frequently used lens, but then it helps that I mainly shoot people in tight spaces (crowded markets etc...) and I haven't got a problem with getting up close and personnel with people I don't know, dealing with the issue if people feel I'm invading there space or capturing an image off somebody who doesn't want to be photographed.

I find a 50mm lens way too tight and rarely use that focal length. 50mm is the longest lens I have. Other's though will find the 50mm the perfect focal length.
 
xxloverxx said:
Not a silly question - I think it's a very interesting one. I find that some street photogs who shoot a 21mm lens are more willing to get involved and maybe even prepared for the injuries that might occur as a consequence of getting so close.
Click to expand...

I've had one bad experience as I tried to photograph some Tambay (people sitting at the side off the street). One off the guy's said no, so I just put the camera down however he was trying to impress his buddy's and pulled out a .45 pistol. Instead of saying sorry or running away I walked over to the guy and threatened to stick the gun where the sun doesn't shine...

Everybody's different...
 
As a yuong guy I was deeply impressed by a buddy who made phantastic portraits with his Exakta and the 20mm Flektogon. (He studied visual art in Dusseldorf and is since more than 30 years one of Germany's best still photographer).

So for me a 28mm lens on my NikonF was the body cap for more than 85% of my pics. Mainly street and people. I was young, the cities except Belfast were friendly to us and no paparazzi hassle happened except in St. Tropez, Antibes and Nizza....😎

28mm and portraits? No worries at that time, the 50mm came into the game only in dim light because it was a bit faster......

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/435425089/in/set-72157594175682729/

Now and 40 years later with 62 years and the change in all areas, the 35mm lens is the successor of my old 28 mm 'behaviour'.
I'm not so comfortable now with too close contact to people but on the other hand my 90mm Tele-Elmar had in 4 years only 3 shots to solve....

A new experience is the 21mm VC - my 'wide thinking' is really good supported by this little gem together with the Bessa R4A....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/4025952198/in/set-72157622617514618/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/3841510135/in/set-72157621975498333/

In general I want say that for streetphotography wider lenses tell much more about the 'story' as longer lenses but sometimes a shot with longer lenses has more impact by the subject, but it's not so easy.....

Bernd
 
I have recognised that I prefer 45 /50 / 55mm because it is closest to that which I see ...
I have a problem with even slight distortion , and maybe 50mm lenses are te most corrected ?
Also , it helps my Autistic glitch in containing part of the scene .
Over the years , I now see in 50mm snapshots - with or without a camera !
This helps enormously to focus upon a space without distractions .
Having said this , I do like the 67mm which my M 8 derives from my 50mm lenses .
 
I like taking photos with a 50mm, but very much like wide over telephoto. I don't know that is has anything to do with personality. I have no problem using telephoto if it will get me the photo I want. Lenses are tools. But I will have a 50mm or shorter most of the time.
 
I've always loved 50mm - I'm not a withdrawn person, I'm very social and friendly. However, I have a HARD TIME shooting photos of people/street.

I used to hate the 35mm focal length... however, recently I forced myself to use it exclusively for about 3 weeks and got shots that I was surprised at and that some other people said were some of the best I've done. I've come to love it and 50mm almost feels to tight at times now.

I think it's an interesting question, but I also think it's a "comfort zone" question. We get used to what we shoot with A LOT. Sometimes we should challenge ourselves outside that comfort zone.
 
IN(TF)P

28mm

PS: I think its more of an aquired taste than personality thing though. After forcing myself to use 35 for 6 months, 28 sometimes feels too wide.
 
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INFP

35mm or 40mm is my most comfortable range.

I also really like 50mm though. And 28mm. And 21mm. And 15mm.

I dont think personality has any correlation.
 
Interesting take on the focal length choice. As Roland said, taste is probably the main reason for choosing a focal length over others, but the "taste" that you actually feel comfortable is probably affected by your personality at some level, I guess.

I shoot 50mm a lot, and part of the reason is that that's the most comfortable distance between me and the subject while achieving the framing I want without cropping. With 50mm, I can stand right outside of someones personal space. And that distance varies depending on where you are and what the subject is (and the result you want).

All shot with 50mm, candid, scale focused hipshots. I wouldn't feel comfortable getting closer than this, and if I withdraw more, I can't get the picture I like.

4264945695_f62140c4ac_o.jpg


4198875777_050b8d6341_o.jpg


4272326794_8b02ccb401_o.jpg
 
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mgd711 said:
I've had one bad experience as I tried to photograph some Tambay (people sitting at the side off the street). One off the guy's said no, so I just put the camera down however he was trying to impress his buddy's and pulled out a .45 pistol. Instead of saying sorry or running away I walked over to the guy and threatened to stick the gun where the sun doesn't shine...

Everybody's different...
Click to expand...

Yes, but did you have a big lens?
 
my main camera and lens if a mamiya RZ 6x7 and 110mm (works out to about 60mm on 35mm format), i tend to like to be right in with the subject, as i choose subject matter thats interesting for me and i may not know a huge amount about, and working closely you learn more. For 35mm format i tend to stick to a 35mm or 50mm on slr for 80% of the time and on rangefinder 35mm for 99% of the time, with these wider lenses i tend to stand off a little bit more, don't know why.
 
Good grief,

I must be suffering from a multi personality disorder (or, 'au contraire' I'm enjoying a multi personality order?)

There's vintage lenses in one kit (38 going on 65, I guess) and theres modern lenses in the other (38 going on 18?)

There's lenses that are mainly sharp (I got days like that too) and there's lenses that I predominantly use for out of focus shooting (whenever I feel a bit fuzzy).

Then there's lenses for 6x9 to help me get the bigger picture.

I guess there must be at least five of me in here 😛


In general, I like to re-order as well. Looking forward to shooting a model session again, once spring returns. Often, I choose 35 or 50 for those, but this spring I'm also planning to use 28 and 90, just whatever I feel like.
 
I think this applies to people's shooting style (then that can be said about their personality). I like 35mm when it gets me the shot I want, but I know that most of the shots I take I'll prefer 50mm, so it becomes a matter of taking a few steps back.
Lens choice comes down to when you head out the door, you have a little idea about what type of shots you want to take that day and you choose.

You could say that a person who uses a 28mm is concerned about how people interact with other people, while someone with a 50mm is concerned about that qualities of that person individually.
 
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