Which Lens(es) to use in studio and portrait photography

[devermb]

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Many thanks for the very helpful answers to my basic questions on the differences among the differently named Leica lenses. And now, another question about lenses with thousands of dollars at stake on top of an M9 purchase, but this time particular to the types of photography I am doing now: I converted my living room into a studio using white and black backgrounds. Backdrop is about 2.5 meters wide and 3 meters high, with about 6 meters of space maximum between photographer and subject. Question: which lens(es) would you recommend for taking pictures of people head to toe, arms spread, and stomach to head portrait? I read an allusion yesterday to the possibility that lenses with differing focal lengths take pictures of the same frame depending on the Leica camera. (And here I risk getting in over my head as a beginner.)

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[lars_bergquist]

That sounds like a 50mm lens. 75mm should be about right for half-figure, 90 for heads and shoulders. This is really a simple matter of geometry. Alternatively, borrow any full frame Leica M and try out the different finder frames with the aid of the little lever in front. That would tell you which focal length would be most convenient.

 

This said, respect the Perspectival Danger Zone: Do NEVER photograph any adult human being from a closer distance than about 2 meters / 6 feet. Not with ANY focal length. It is the distance from camera to subject, NOT the focal length as such, that determines perspective, i.e. the geometrical relationships between the different parts of the subject (such as nose and ears ...) The focal length decides the 'cropping' of the subject, that's all. Wide angle lenses are indeed dangerous, but that's because they can tempt the unwary to come in too close. (Babies and infants, with their smaller and flatter faces, can be approached closer.)

 

Still, a 35mm lens can make for an attractive full length portrait of a lady if the shot is taken from a low angle, because here perspectival distortion can make her legs look longer -- popular with both sexes.

 

The old man again

[giordano]

Lars is absolutely right about the need for extreme caution when photographing people from less than a couple of meters away.

 

Let's look at your specific request: "head to toe, arms spread", with a subject 2m tall with arms spanning 2m:

To shoot him with a 90mm lens you have to be at least 7.6m away. With a 75mm lens the minimum distance for a 2m x 2m image area is 6.2m.

 

So it comes down to the good old 50mm. This covers 2m x 2m at a distance of 4.4m. The only problem is that a 2m-wide subject on a 2.5m wide backdrop leaves only 25cm each side, and the area covered by the lens increases as you get further from the camera. So you've got to keep the subject pretty close to the backdrop or his fingertips will go over the edge. By my calculations, the camera can be about 5.0m from the backdrop and still have a few centimeters to spare - but you'll need to align things very carefully.

 

With a narrower subject - e.g. a man without outstretched arms - you'll have plenty of room and will be able to get a full-length portrait using a 75mm lens at about 4.5m.

 

Half-length: no problems, a 75mm or 90mm at 3 to 4 meters.

 

PS: I did the calculations with "Barnack", downloadable from http://www.stegmann.dk/mikkel/barnack/

[Michael Hiles]

Agree 100% with Lars. Perspective is a matter of the distance to the subject. Cropping is done by choosing the focal length. Head and shoulders - probably 90mm.