JPSuisse
Well-known
I was wondering yesterday how my photography will develop especially with respect to using different focal lengths.
Ever since I started taking pictures, I've more or less been using a 50mm lens. I just don't seem "to see" in other focal lengths. Of course, the certain architectural work obviously needed a wider angle. Otherwise, in street photography, I prefer using slightly greater than 50mm in "open more spaces" and a little less than 50mm in "tighter spaces."
How long will it take for me to become creative? How did your photography in this respect develop?
JP
Ever since I started taking pictures, I've more or less been using a 50mm lens. I just don't seem "to see" in other focal lengths. Of course, the certain architectural work obviously needed a wider angle. Otherwise, in street photography, I prefer using slightly greater than 50mm in "open more spaces" and a little less than 50mm in "tighter spaces."
How long will it take for me to become creative? How did your photography in this respect develop?
JP
user237428934
User deletion pending
Sorry that I have no answer because such philosphical questions just overburden me. But I have one question to that: what has the use of different lenses to do with creativity?
JPSuisse
Well-known
Ok, sorry. Creativity is not exactly the right word. Let's say ability to better observe the world around us as a photographer and then make the best lens choice!
bmattock
Veteran
Is there some reason you cannot be creative with a 50mm lens?
I started with a 50mm lens, and for a long time, that's all I had. I wanted a telephoto very badly, until I got one. Then I mostly used my 50. I next wanted a 28mm, until I got one. Then I mostly used my 50.
To this day, I prefer a 50. Strangely, I also prefer a 50 on a dSLR, where it is more like a 75.
I don't know if I am 'creative' or not, but I like the 50 and don't worry too much about it.
Al Kaplan
Veteran
I see wide. I discovered that about 7 years after I got serious with my photography when I bought a 19mm lens for my Leica. That was in 1967. For the last few years I've mostly shot with a 15. I still have a collection of lenses to 400mm, and there are times when I need them, but for my own work I mostly go out with just a camera body and the 15.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Ah, that is why I like to use 35mm lens
As for how long, I'll just quote an excellent street photographer saying: "no quantity, no quality"
feenej
Well-known
On and off for many years until I got a rangefinder, then it took hold with a vengence (about three years ago). Started doing gallery shows, weddings, senior portraits etc.
historicist
Well-known
When I first got really into photography, I wanted to buy lots of different focal lengths. Then I did, and found that I didn't really like any of them. I find it almost impossible to use a telephoto, even a short one, and take almost all of my pictures with a 50mm lens (or the equivalent in medium format). 35mm is about as wide as I want to use regularly, and on the odd occasion I like to use a 21mm or similar - still almost everything I take is with a 50mm.
I wouldn't say this has very much to do with the creativity of my photography, but it certainly saves a lot of money on buying lenses
I wouldn't say this has very much to do with the creativity of my photography, but it certainly saves a lot of money on buying lenses
Sam N
Well-known
You don't have to "become" creative. Maybe you just need to unlock your creativity. Your photos don't have to be unique as long as they make you happy. Try a few different things to get the juices flowing:
- pinhole photography or a lomo or some other simple way to change up your routine
- drawing scenes from memory (you don't have to draw well, it's more of an exercise)
- carry a little camera (P&S digital, film, phone, whatever) with you everywhere and take photos of ANYthing you find interesting
- take photos every single day
- look at photo books
- come up with an idea for a project that involves telling some sort of story or documenting something that interests you
- spend a week focusing on a particular color or shape
- pinhole photography or a lomo or some other simple way to change up your routine
- drawing scenes from memory (you don't have to draw well, it's more of an exercise)
- carry a little camera (P&S digital, film, phone, whatever) with you everywhere and take photos of ANYthing you find interesting
- take photos every single day
- look at photo books
- come up with an idea for a project that involves telling some sort of story or documenting something that interests you
- spend a week focusing on a particular color or shape
le vrai rdu
Well-known
A big change when I discovered the 35 mm focal
I think 35 and 50 mm are just ok for me
I look forward buying a 24 mm but 35 and 50 will be my favorites ones for a long
I think 35 and 50 mm are just ok for me
I look forward buying a 24 mm but 35 and 50 will be my favorites ones for a long
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
I never gave gear a second thought until I got a Leica and wanted a 35/90mm lens set. I couldnt afford a 90 for a long time (pre-internet days) so I made due with just the 35mm Cron.
Here is the deal in my estimation: The less you carry the more you can trek, the more you can see and participate in the world. One camera, a good pair of walking shoes, a hat. Im good.
Here is the deal in my estimation: The less you carry the more you can trek, the more you can see and participate in the world. One camera, a good pair of walking shoes, a hat. Im good.
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Nh3
Well-known
This is easy. Get a zoom lens 28-80mm equivalent either on a film slr or a DSLR, shoot for a couple of months and then it will become clear to you which focal length you're drawn to.
If you're prejudiced against zoom lenses or SLRs because of some group-think factor then you'll never learn anything.
Al Kaplan
Veteran
Buy a half way decent 35mm lens, an older Summicron or a Canon f/1.8 or 2, and plan on using it for the next 30 or 40 years. See if you can find a reasonably clean 85mm f/2 Nikkor for your longer lens. Keep it for the next 30 or 40 years. Compared to those who are constantly looking for the next magic lens you'll be tens of thousands of dollars ahead of the game over that time span. You'll have a pair of good qualty tools that have stood the test of time and will produce photos as great as you're capable of seeing. If you try to chase a rainbow you'll never catch it. The creativity is within you.
Chris101
summicronia
I finder it easier to shoot creatively with wide angles than telephotos. So there has got to be some formula that relates time-till-creative per millimeter. For example you can be creative with a circular fisheye right away, but take a year to master a 400mm.
williams473
Well-known
As Bill mentioned, a 50 is a good focal length to develop your vision on. There is a lot you can do with it by moving yourself instead of counting on what you see initially when you put the camera to your eye. Try moving around and really working your subject. Shoot a lot and embrace failure, because your failures are as important as your successes.
The 50 is nice because it doesn't distort perspective like a wide angle or compress perspective like a telephoto lens will. I would stick with what you've got unless you find a technical need for another focal length. If you really, really want to try another focal length, the 35 is another good focal length to learn on.
As far as creativity goes, there's no lens or other any other kind of shortcut to being able to use a camera to express your creativity - you just have to shoot a ton of film - keep at it, look at photo books, go to shows, maybe take a class at your local community college or university. You are already creative, but it will take a while to bring your technical skills to the point where you are more concerned with expression than execution.
The 50 is nice because it doesn't distort perspective like a wide angle or compress perspective like a telephoto lens will. I would stick with what you've got unless you find a technical need for another focal length. If you really, really want to try another focal length, the 35 is another good focal length to learn on.
As far as creativity goes, there's no lens or other any other kind of shortcut to being able to use a camera to express your creativity - you just have to shoot a ton of film - keep at it, look at photo books, go to shows, maybe take a class at your local community college or university. You are already creative, but it will take a while to bring your technical skills to the point where you are more concerned with expression than execution.
aniMal
Well-known
I totally agree! Before getting my first M I worked through a lot of Pentax and Canon, but gradually realized that what I was using was medium wide-angle and telephoto. Back then I was doing lots of music/stage photography and having an 85 1.2 and a 135 2.0 was essential, and really helped me with getting the best results.
After a while, though, I worked my way towards less is more. I sold all my Canon gear cheaply, and bought a second hand M2. For the first years I felt that I had to have a 35-50-90 combo, which was great in many ways.
The only thing, was that now I was really getting into seeing the picture and REALLY not bothering about the gear too much. So I realized that I was using my old chrome 50 more and more... I then made a trip to India/Nepal, and actually left the 35 and 90 at home on purpose. That was a really hard decision I can tell you! But it worked beautifully - I really got to know the 50 better than I thought was possible. It IS possible to completely focus on the subject, but it really takes an effort to keep it simple I think...
It also helped a great deal that this was an M2 without a meter, its a very good way to get an acute eye for light.
These days I am kind of re-running my first phase as I had some years off from photography while digital was coming on for real. I also find the small and light CV wides a real boon. But in the end I think I will land on a combination of ultra-wide for occasional shots, and 28 equivalent for 70%, and a 50 equivalent for the rest.
But my best tip is really this one: every time the lust for buying some gear is too great, I try to stock ink & paper instead. And then work with the pictures I have... Which inspires me to go out and get more images that needs printing... And so on...