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Super Angulon 21mm 3.4 for portraits ?


Estevao69

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What's with the "portraits must be shot with a long lens" rubbish. Way to conform! There's more than just "head and shoulders" type portraits. I would think that a portrait is a portrayal of a person? In that case, the SA is excellent. Jeanloup Seiff is famous for using a 21mm Super Angulon for some outstanding portraits (He also used a Rolleiflex and a Hasselblad with the 2.8/80mm). I use mine for everything, but I think it is best for photos of people in the 1-2m range. Most of the shots I have like this are of my family, which I don't share online, so I'll link to some portraits from the SA thread on RFF:

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2450780&postcount=1034

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1354151&postcount=293

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1787773&postcount=607

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1349171&postcount=274

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A 10mm can be perfect for "environmental" portraits.

 

But let's stick to the real definition of portrait and the physics of how lenses render.

 

It's all photography 101, really. Usually documented in the first chapter of any photography for dummies book.

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A 10mm can be perfect for "environmental" portraits.

 

But let's stick to the real definition of portrait and the physics of how lenses render.

 

It's all photography 101, really. Usually documented in the first chapter of any photography for dummies book.

Real definition of a portrait? Where's that laid down?

If you want a conventional portrait for a corporate headshot with no obvious distortion, flattering the subject, sure, use a 90.

If you want to use your imagination, take a different look at someone, show something different about them, use whatever lens you wish.

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A 10mm can be perfect for "environmental" portraits.

 

But let's stick to the real definition of portrait and the physics of how lenses render.

 

It's all photography 101, really. Usually documented in the first chapter of any photography for dummies book.

If you want to photograph like a novice, then sure, do what the photography 101 course tells you. Some people are able to progress past the basic settings and take some original and exciting photos.

 

Regarding a longer lens, I find that there is no intimacy, the subject and artist are too far away and most of the time it shows. But hey, if you just want to keep doing the same thing over and over again then go for it.

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A 10mm can be perfect for "environmental" portraits.

 

But let's stick to the real definition of portrait and the physics of how lenses render.

 

It's all photography 101, really. Usually documented in the first chapter of any photography for dummies book.

 

There's nothing like convention.

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I am a novice and always will be.

 

As are most of us if we compare ourselves conventionally with the great masters, but there's no need to stop trying, to stop using your imagination and experimenting a bit is there?

 

Even if you don't want to, it isn't helpful to advise others to follow old rules all the time.

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If Debussy stuck to conventional rules of harmony, he's never have liberated the 7th chord from it's tired function as dominant! This is not to suggest one break rules without first understanding them.

 

David

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As are most of us if we compare ourselves conventionally with the great masters, but there's no need to stop trying, to stop using your imagination and experimenting a bit is there?

 

Even if you don't want to, it isn't helpful to advise others to follow old rules all the time.

I am a novice and will eternally stay so. I was an expert, once upon a time, and it was boring and pointless.

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