Why Should I Zoom in for Portraits?

When you’re getting started in photography, even camera settings can be a sack of troubles. Now add to this the fact that sometimes you pull out your camera or cell phone and quickly snap a picture without thinking. In portrait photography, this can spoil your picture—it can deform your subject’s face. So—how do portrait photos look when taken at different focal lengths? And what should you do to keep from ruining your portrait photos? Read on to find out!

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AuthorVit Kovalcik

I’ve been a freelancer since early 2012; photography is my living. I acquired my photography experience, both inside and outside the studio, during the previous years—when I was working all day and taking pictures every evening and weekend. I don’t have just one clearly defined topic; I like photographing people, but also cityscapes and landscapes.

Comments (4)

  1. Many thanks for your tips for the amateur photographers. Thy always help us make better photos.

    1. We’re very happy you like it, thank you!

  2. This is a classic article for me, but my calculator says 50 x 1.6 = 80. I think 50mm on a DSLR gives an approximate of an 85mm portrait lens.

  3. This depends on the DSLR type you are using. For Canon APS-C DSLRs you are right about the multiplier1.6x, but Nikon APS-C guys would have 1.5x and the examples in the article was taken with a full frame camera, i.e. the multiplier was 1x.

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