Tag Archives: 50mm

Not too shallow

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Michael Willems

I hear people say sometimes that “you cannot shoot portraits at wide open apertures”. So then how this available light portrait, shot on a full frame camera with a 50mm lens at f/1.2 (yes, f/1.2!)? Well yes, it is shallow, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Learning, Technique | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Nifty Fifty

Posted on July 5, 2010 by Michael Willems

Everyone should own a fast 50mm lens, I keep saying. “Fast” meaning a prime, large aperture lens (like a 50mm f/1.8, or even a 50mm f/1.4, like this one:) One student asks a good question about this: “I recently attended … Continue reading →

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Portrait using two flashes

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Michael Willems

Here’s an impromptu portrait I took on Tuesday, of a lovely student who kindly volunteered to be the subject, in the Flash for Pros course: And here’s how I did this: Camera: The camera was a Canon 7D Lens: I … Continue reading →

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Posted in Gear, Light, Picture of the day, Technique | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Again, why "fast" lenses?

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Michael Willems

A tip for newcomers to SLR photography. I often hear: “Why do I need so-called “fast” lenses – like the 50mm f/1.8 lens Michael keeps talking about? Surely my 18-55 lens also covers 50mm?” Well yes it does. But: Less … Continue reading →

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That look over the shoulder

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Michael Willems

One common sexy model look is the “look over the shoulder”. Like here, in this shot of Nemo, a somewhat Rubenesque but nevertheless pretty model: In an “over the shoulder” pose women can look over either shoulder, but for men, … Continue reading →

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Misc

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Michael Willems

Backgrounds and sharpness and white balance: oh my! I thought I would chat about some of the things that go through my mind when doing a portrait, like this one last night: Questions like: What camera and lens? In this … Continue reading →

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Snap

Posted on January 7, 2010 by Michael Willems

Photography is about composition/subject + moment + light. I reckon I got several of these right here: From earlier this year. Using a 35mm lens on a 1.3 crop camera (meaning it’s 50mm), set to f/2.8 at 1/160th second. Moral … Continue reading →

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Eye

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Michael Willems

Portraits? Then use a 50mm f/1.8 lens (affordable, fast, sharp) and shoot in Aperture (A/Av) mode with it wide open (preferably by window light). Look at this recent available-light shot of a student: This gets you the dual advantages of … Continue reading →

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Do I need a fast lens?

Posted on October 4, 2009 by Michael Willems

When students ask me “should I really buy a fast lens?” (For beginners, that’s a lens with a low “F-number”, like f/2.8), my answer is “it depends.” What are you shooting? Landscapes (no need for a fast lens, since you … Continue reading →

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f/1.8 lens, stopped down, shot with f/1.4 lens, open

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Michael Willems

I have many times recommended 50mm f/1.8 lenses, and I’ll try to inspire you once more to go out and get one right now. Most manufacturers have a cheap lens like this: As you will have heard me say many … Continue reading →

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Posted in Learning | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments