Why Use Larger Millimeter Lenses for Portrait Photography?

Many people ask us why do you use a 55-200 mm Nikkor Lens rather than using the smaller 18-55 mm Nikkor Lens for Portraits? The answer is the larger lens allows for better quality photographs. This means for one the composition in your photograph is better because less of the background is showing in the photo. It's simple technology, smaller lenes are typically wide-angle lenses that have a wide angle of veiw, capturing a larger amount of unwanted material in your photograph. Larger lenses have a small or short range of veiw which only captures what is desired. Smaller lenses often distort an image by making people's noses or other body feature look larger than they are, and unless you are trying to make something stand out on your client, then this is not what you want. Smaller lenses also make you have to get closer to your client which can get very uncomfortable not only for them, but for you. Remember your clients enjoy their personal space as much as you do. The larger Lenses allow for you to stand back from a distance and shoot full body shots, quarter shots, 3/4 shots, and headshots, all while standing in the same place. This is not only more effective, but can give you excellent candid shots in between times that the client or model thinks you are not taking shots. Even though I prefer larger lenses to take most of my client's photographs I have used smaller lenes for some of them. When It comes to choosing which one is best, go with what's comfortable for you and your client of course. Great photographs can be created by using both lenses, it just takes a little practice to perfect the technique for using the various lenses. Now grab your camera, and give it a shot, leave a comment about your results.