Beecher's Handouts /

Focal Length / 17.6 - Portraits

When photographing someone from the neck up, a head shot, use a medium focal length.

The volume of the person's face will be more natural looking.

If you use a wide-angle focal length, the face will appear to be bulging.

Similarly, if you use a focal length that's too telephoto, the person's face will appear to be flattened.

This advice also applies when you're photographing anything up close.

For example, if you're photographing a Tiffany lamp to sell on eBay, a wide-angle focal length will distort to lamp.

A telephoto focal length beyond those suggested below, will make the lamp appear to be less round.

Use these focal lengths when doing a head shot, or when photographing an object up close:

Film Camera	Digital SLR
Use a focal length from 85mm to 100mm.	Use a focal length from 50mm to 70mm.