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Focal Length & Choosing the Right Lens

12/11/2017

Before we can take a picture, we have to consider the subject we're photographing and the type of lens that will best capture that subject in a flattering way. It is important to know that the lens on front of the camera bends and refracts light as it enters the camera and strikes the sensor. The photographer can chose how much the light is bent and what the effect is on the subject by choosing the right focal length for the job.

This is a crazy cool animation about focal length that I found online when creating this presentation. I embedded it here for you all to see. This animation shows the difference between a 20mm (wide angle lens) and a 200mm (telephoto lens). Notice how the subject's nose appears larger or smaller in relation to his/her cheeks and facial structure. When the camera is wide the subject appears to have more distortion in his/her face. However, when the camera is telephoto at 200mm the subject's face fills out more and appears more natural as if we were looking at him/her face-to-face.

Capturing Movement: Exaggerating Speed

Here is a phenomenal article about capturing speed on video/film >>

Article About Speed

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Body Language & Posing Portrait Subjects

12/11/2017

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When we photograph a subject (any human subject) it is important to remember that their faces and their positioning says a lot about what they're thinking and feeling. It is critical to position your subject in a way that matches or enhances the lighting, environment, and atmosphere you're creating within your photograph; they must work together.

Study the image to the left:

What does this young woman's body language say about her overall mood at the moment?
How can you tell?
What specifically is she doing with her hands, her head, her eyes, and her smile?
What could we, the photographer, do differently to position this young woman in a way that changes the apparent mood?

Again...

What does this image do to convey a similar or different mood?
What is the same or different from the previous image?

Closed off: With crossed arms, ankles, or legs, you look down or away. You wrap your arms around an object. You are trying to hide, hold yourself, and curl up as if in fetal position.
Boredom: Yawning, looking tired, with a blank expression and a slouching or leaning body, you tap your toes, drum your fingers, doodle, and glance at your watch. You don’t seem to be paying attention to someone or something that should be your focus.

Contemplation (as in thinking, judging, evaluating): With folded and steepled hands, pursed lips, intense gaze but relaxed body, you touch your mouth, chin, and the sides of the nose. You seem lost in thought.

Surprise: The upper eyelids and brows rise; the jaw drops open.
Concentration and Attention: Very still, with fixed gaze, furrowed brow, and an open body (as opposed to looking closed off), you lean your body and tilt your head towards the person or object on which you are concentrating. You seem unaware of distractions.

Boredom: Yawning, looking tired, with a blank expression and a slouching or leaning body, you tap your toes, drum your fingers, doodle, and glance at your watch. You don’t seem to be paying attention to someone or something that should be your focus.
Closed off: With crossed arms, ankles, or legs, you look down or away. You wrap your arms around an object. You are trying to hide, hold yourself, and curl up as if in fetal position.

Boredom: Yawning, looking tired, with a blank expression and a slouching or leaning body, you tap your toes, drum your fingers, doodle, and glance at your watch. You don’t seem to be paying attention to someone or something that should be your focus.
Dominance and power: By standing erect and above, with legs spread and hands on hips, you make yourself bigger and higher than others. Your face is disapproving, frowning, sneering. You look people directly in the eye. You invade and occupy their territory, break the rules, and possess objects of power.

Defensiveness and Protection: You cover vulnerable parts of your body, lower your chin, cross your arms, close and then cross your legs. While averting your eyes, you look rigid and try to make yourself small. You use an object for a protective barrier and your arms and hands to fend off things that seem threatening.

Sources

Most of the pictures come from the photographer Sandra Gorska;
http://www.sandragorska.com/portfolio-2#44

These definitions came from the wonderful site: http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/body_language.htm

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Focal Length & Choosing the Right Lens

Capturing Movement: Exaggerating Speed

Body Language & Posing Portrait Subjects

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