The Perfect Focal Length?

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In photography, each focal length of lens has a unique visual signature. What is yours? How do you see the world? How do you communicate most effectively. The 50mm lens has taken more famous photographs than just about any other focal length. I'd argue it's nearly essential that any photographer be able to compose with and use a 50mm effectively but what about other focal lengths? Do you own lenses because they are tools that serve a purpose or are camera company marketing departments telling you you need the latest and greatest?
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Ted Forbes
The Art of Photography
2830 S. Hulen, Studio 133
Fort Worth, TX 76109
US of A

Опубликовано:

28 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 1,1 тыс.

@sudipchatterjee 2 года назад

I repeat what I’ve said earlier: this channel takes RU-vid to a whole other level. It is unmatched! Love your thoughts and work, Ted! I agree wholeheartedly that we should focus on the moment rather than the tool. A 50 mm lens with f1.8 is my primary choice, too.

@mudstacker 2 года назад

When I was in photography school in the 60's (OMG I'm old), we learned that the best way to learn any aspect of photography was to eliminate all variables but the one you select to work on. I believe it was Edward Weston who wanted to learn about the range and look of then available films and photo papers. He set up a broken column with a piece of black cloth on top and a teacup on top of that in his studio. Using the same camera and lens, he photographed it for a year varying only film choice and then processing options and then paper choice and then paper processing choice and then.... It was the greatest self-assignment example of my career. Eliminating all but one variable is the best way to really learn to explore that one variable AND to learn to think about how to explore that one variable.

@marsdengriswold4610 2 года назад

1964-65 at Doscher Country School of photography So.Woodstock Vt. Marsden Griswold

@beltenebrosgr1904 Год назад

That is an amazing story! Is that really true? Just asking because it seems like an incredibly difficult thing to actually do, especially at that time... Thank you for sharing.

@raunlohry4000 3 года назад

A while back you challenged viewers to spend a month with one focal length. My choice then was an 85mm, primarily due to the fact that I had just purchased it to upgrade an older 85mm. Today it would be easy for me to focus on a 50 because I use it so often. I periodically will buy new (or used) glass and experiment with it, etc. You know what's on right now? The 50mm 1.8 I bought with the body. Thank you, Ted, for being the art in the Art of Photography. I feel like who you are comes through in each video. It inspires me to focus less on the technical aspects of an image and put more of me into an image. I definitely have a long way to go but am enjoying the journey. Thanks for the inspiration!

@shs1592 3 года назад

Love your analogy - jazz instrumental to camera - thanks Ted really great imagining

@luisbustamante9869 2 года назад

It's interesting to hear of your experimenting with lenses. Stanley Kubrick did that a lot. He was a photographer (as well) who understood the language between art and technology. Nowadays a lot of photographers are camera geeks or artistes with ostensible denial of the technology. It seems that the overall trend has been towards wider angles because they force immersion. This makes the connection with the subject more intimate.

@gpdoyon 5 месяцев назад

I’m newly retired and am going to make traveling a big part of my abundance of time. I’ve been a hobbyist photographer since I was a kid. I’ve owned full frame cameras and got lost down the rabbit hole of buying too many lenses and becoming almost paralyzed with indecision as to which lens to take with me. So, I sold the full frame camera and lenses and bought the Fujifilm X100V two years ago and have been very happy. I found myself wanting more flexibility with respect to focal range now and am seriously considering the purchase of a full frame camera. Once again, thoughts of what lenses to buy has caused me some amount of frustration. I find that I feel best in my photography if I have limited choices. This video helped me decide that I will purchase a 50mm and 28mm lens. Period. Thanks, Ted!

@peterlund4501 3 года назад

Reduction is key. Too many choices and you lose the control and the pictures. The other thing is: don’t move for an hour. Become the part of the place you take pictures and after a while the magic of time and space starts.

@michaelkhalsa 3 года назад

Very much agree. There was some rocks on the beach, that I went every morning for a month for an hour or so to photograph, so as to understand nuances of light and developing. How we see through different focal lengths, changes our willingness to see, and thus not only our photography, but our selves. Recently, have been loving 135mm as if that was the only lens that exists, and then there was a shot that I could not pass up which required a 24mm which I had with me that day, and it is like Christmas again. With the help of photography my eyes even changed from requiring glasses to no longer needing them.

@angelksaxena 3 года назад

beautiful analysis

@aristoioannidis7490 3 года назад

Hey Peter @ Peter Lund. Share your thoughts. Although we may have a number of lens and bodies there is always our "go to" kit. For me, I live on a 55mm f/1.2, either on Canon and Nikon.

@studiosnch 2 года назад

Back when I was doing freelance work for my former university, my colleagues allowed me to use their gear for our project. They had all the gizmos that one can think in 2016, but I settled on almost 80% of my photography with the Canon EOS 70-200mm f2,8 shot on either 70mm or 200mm. Sure, there was a time that I played with the Zeiss 85mm f1,4 in EF mount... but what you said is true. We photographers have a focal length where we see best, truly making the camera the extension of our eyes. Right now my "kind" of focal length is the 40mm. I can't explain it why, but it just works for me.

@Chenrandyliu 2 года назад

Less is more!

@foxtowercommunications 3 года назад

Fewer reviews. More of this, please. Meaningful discussion about how we can improve as photographers. Thanks, Ted!

@foxtowercommunications 3 года назад

PS: As a photojournalist, I have always been about zooms, particularly the 16-35 and the 70-200. Now moving toward focusing on the 50 and 35mm focal lengths. I used to think the 35mm was the most boring. I must be getting old. LOL.

@mthivier 3 года назад

I smiled when you mentioned your old Nikon F3. Made me think of my beloved old Canon AE1, which I first got in 1977, and accompanied me all through art school, all over Europe, and everywhere else I went. When I finally gave it up and upgraded to digital photography, around 2004 or so, it was like saying goodbye to an old friend.

@MarkUKInsects 3 года назад

I really miss my Nikon F3. But to be honest, I don't miss film too much, even though it was a great educator.

@chillaxsnip3r93 3 года назад

I love my ae1. Still use it to this day

@simonbarnes7124 3 года назад

I was a wedding photographer for 23 years. I decided to trawl through a selection of my photos during the digital era to see what focal length I used the most. 35mm was the most used and I realised that’s probably why my go to camera is the Fujifilm X100T with the 23mm/35mm equivalent lens. Second came out as 50mm. So now I am shooting film cameras for my personal work with 2 primes, my 35mm and 50mm. My street photography is shot exclusively with both these focal lengths. Great video btw!!

@efraguerrero 3 года назад

I stick to one lens, a 35. If I was doing weddings and events I would definitely have several lenses, but for my kind of work, I only want one lens and one camera. BTW, Ralph Gibson is my favorite photographer. I was thinking of buying his course too.

@mrdarryljones1 3 года назад

Thanks for the focus on the “Art” of photography! My 28, 50, 85 trio has just been validated!

@warlordpriest1 2 года назад

25, 50 and 85 here. Felt guilty having so many but those just seem to be the basics that cover most of my needs

@mimoreque1805 3 года назад

I love this "geeky" talk that nobody else like to discuss... Thanks for sharing.

@pedropinho7070 2 года назад

Hi there! Ive just seen this vídeo today but i think it resumes very well a need that i believe almost all photographers (namely the ones using digital) feel… in the journey of life we get trough different stages, we need to experiment, we need to find our way, our path… same happens with photography, when you have tried cameras, Lenses, genres, editing styles and tecnhiques, etc., etc., you start to feel the need for the simple things… a simple camera, a “simple” lens (can be a prime!), not spending hours editing… Thats when i think you are finally ready to give photography a chance, when you become more focused on the subject and less in the equipment…. Less is (most of the times!) more! Congrats on the videos!

@danfarmer_photo 3 года назад

Absolutely love this video. I’m the typical ‘modern’ photographer and have all the gear and way too many lenses. However, as the years go by, I keep noticing that my favourite images from each and every shoot, ends up being my 50mm. This was not intentional, but I could just recognise what I loved, and when I went back through my Lightroom catalogue from the last three years, the absolute majority of shots were my 50mm. Again, not intentional, it is just my thing. That said, I haven’t ever thought about it like this, but I really connect with this as a theory, and through to practice. Thanks again for yet another great video.

@sutirthade 3 года назад

I think you are spot on with this topic - because of many limitation of my situation I have been restricted to a 50mm and a 28mm for a really long time. And now I realize the uniqueness of them and how they render. It's the focal length which makes it the way it is. Also it brings a lot of Consistency with the body of work one puts up over the years

@drmatthewhorkey 3 года назад

Thanks so much. I'm on an intense one-month trip filming the wine regions in France. I find when I stick to my 35 mm lens for the shots, I get closer to the people and think about capturing moments vs always swapping glass. Keep up the great work

@guillaumeschirra7699 2 года назад

Swapping glass. Pun intended i hope.

@markstuder 2 года назад

My first real camera was a rollei 35, Age 16. I still have it. After that the spending spree started. I never could get that feel and love I had with the Rollei. Enter Fuji x100. I have the love again. I did finally get the x100v, for the reliability but the love is still back. At age 65 my pocket book and back are so happy now. Thank you for your great views!!

@erichstocker8358 3 года назад

Absolutely beautiful video. I am so glad you are doing more art again rather than equipment, editing. I like those and learn from them. But I love your episodes on artistic considerations!!!!!😀

@Gepri123 2 года назад

Thank you for these liberating words. I tried the limitation to one lens and one focal lenght - it was indeed the 50 - for myself. I don't know, if my photography went better because of this but my shooting experience was that much relaxter, more mindful and in the end more satisfying. The psychological pressure coming out of my camerabag was completely gone and I loved it!

@agphotographyis 3 года назад

Love the statement of every photographer thinks in a focal length. Beautiful. Love the appreciation of the simple & elegant set up. Sounds like you miss that era of your shooting.

@GoodLifeInSpain 3 года назад

I have been a serious photographer for more years than I care to admit and have a wide variety of lenses. About two years ago, a friend suggested I start shooting exclusively with fixed lens. I did just that...and, wow, my skills got so much better. I recently got a Leica Q2 with a fixed 28mm lens and I've noticed two things about fixed lenses in general. First, they help me avoid being a "lazy" photographer and second, they really makes me think a lot more about my compositions and, in some ways, force me to slow down. If advanced hobbyists and serious photographers want to challenge themselves and really up their game, they should get a fixed focal length lens and stick to it for at least a year. It may annoy the hell out of you at first...but, the results are worth it.

@moidutoiphotography8427 3 года назад

Aw really loved this video, it kinda grounded me and reminded me about what is really important and why I began this journey in the first place. One of the things I love about your videos is that you have an amazing conversational tone, I find myself nodding my head or commenting out loud while watching because it feels as though we are having a conversation as opposed to you talking AT me. It takes a special gift to be able to do that Ted, I just wanted to acknowledge it.

@richardsimms251 2 года назад

Very, very true. RS. Canada

@ericlarson6180 2 года назад

Early in the pandemic looking to jolt my creativity, I pulled out an old Nikon FE and FM and paired them with a 50mm 1.8 and a 28mm f2.8. I would sometimes go out with one or the other and sometimes carry them together. I was really happy with my results from this experience. These were my only two lenses when I started in photography 50 years ago and are still my favorite focal lengths. If I had to choose one it would be the 28 but I love the look from each of them. I’m finding since my pandemic experiment I am more likely to go out with one of these two primes and my photography is better for it

@Gynra 2 года назад

Back when I started photography, the 50 mm lens that usually came with the camera body was the only lens I could afford, so I guess I served my apprenticeship through necessity rather than choice. Later, it was great to be able to choose from a variety of focal lengths according to the subject matter and the effects I was trying to achieve. A 50 mm is a great focal length, but it cannot do everything: one should strive to use the proper tool for the job at hand. That said, it is always good to limit oneself to a single focal length occasionally to explore what can be done and to get the creative juices flowing. It just doesn't have to be 50 mm all the time.

@lifetimesofamultiplemediam1003 3 года назад

Great upload. Took me years to get there, but I've narrowed it down to two focal lengths; 28mm and 85mm. I can get most things done with just those two.

@johnrflinn 3 года назад

My favorite focal lengths as well. I like the Nikkor 28mm F2.0 and the Tamron SP 90mm Macro f2.5. These are my go to lenses for backpacking.

@lifetimesofamultiplemediam1003 2 года назад

@@carlosmcse 28 and 50 is a great alternative for documentary or on the street. 👍🏿

@lifetimesofamultiplemediam1003 2 года назад

@@carlosmcse I tend to use 35 as a general stand-alone lens when I don't want to carry two. Step in closer and it's like 50, step back and it acts like 28…

@lifetimesofamultiplemediam1003 2 года назад

@@carlosmcse Agree, agree, agree… However, if you're going to carry three lenses, then I'd use a zoom, as too much switching becomes the problem. If I'm going into the unknown, then I'd bring 24-70. If I'm doing a street photography photowalk, then it's two bodies with 28 and 50, (or 85). If i'm just milling about on a general, then I carry 35mm. Works for me… 😎

@photomitch 2 года назад

thank you for this subject, "back in the day" (the early 70s') when I purchased my first 35mm camera, like most it came with a 50mm lens. It become my standard for shooting until I purchased a 35mm lens in 1976. Up to that point about 90% of my shooting was with a 50mm lens. It worked really well for me for various situations, if it be portraits, architectural or landscapes. I still use one from time to time on my range finder camera, I love the versatility of it.

@jimmcd1101 3 года назад

I spend a fair amount of time on the Leica Users forum and usually the people who have all the really pricey lenses and bodies and who go on and on about MTF charts take awful wide open pictures of beer mugs and their pets. Conversely you'll have photogs with a 35 Cron and an M9 that post incredible shots. I think the more you chase gear, the further you get away from the art

@aristoioannidis7490 3 года назад

100%!

@moneybay 3 года назад

chasing gear often become a substitute of poor artistic vision.

@peterlund4501 3 года назад

Depends on when you acquire the gear. If you start and you have everything then and no mentor, then it’s hard to see the picture. When I started as an assistant, then I could have used all the gear but I was so tired that I hardly could enjoy. But I always was alert when the „master“ was using his equipment. When I started teaching, I always reduced the equipment to 50 mm and a manual camera. For all the pupils the same gear. If they could tell me why the needed a 24 mm, they got it. The leading curve was impressive.

@ajphelps16 3 года назад

Very true. We have more gear lovers than actual photographers if that makes sense

@joeltunnah 2 года назад

Gear and art are not mutually exclusive. In fact without the gear, and thoroughly understanding it, you can’t make the art.

@autokrohne 3 года назад

Glad to see you address this type of subject - less about gear and more about how we use it. With all the focus on 28 and 50mm lenses, I must be an anomaly. I find that the 85 - 135 mm range is really how I see the world. I really connect with 135mm. Yet I find that I can adapt to different focal lengths based on what I choose to carry when I go out. I bring one lens on one camera and stay with that. After the first few shots, I see the world through that lens and shoot based on what it does. That does mean that I pass on shots I know I can’t get with that lens. Not quite the focus you are talking about here.

@joeltunnah 2 года назад

I love 135mm too. But you’ll get hate from the orthodoxy!😂 I posted a video of using the 60mm Voigtlander on micro4/3 (120mm equiv), and got several negative comments about shooting street photography above 50mm. It’s strange to me, I think it’s a very inexperienced immature viewpoint.

@ericjhaber 3 года назад

Great video! I've thought about this a lot recently and without much thought, I realize that I gravitate heavily to the 40mm focal length. My contax t2 at 38mm and my (future) 500c/m with the 40mm equiv really produce an image I am most happy with.

@MaliDaviesPhotography 2 года назад

I come from the future, 2022 I’ve started using the cheap 28mm on the z7, you said about some photographers find beauty in the photos from a certain focal length. So true, I’m finding it hard to shoot without it being 28mm the connection and enjoyment I’m getting from this. Love your channel Ted, thank you. So many good videos from over many years 🙏

@ablueslenz 3 года назад

I discovered my visual signature with my Nikkor 35 1.8. “With the 35, I come alive.“🥰 I own several ideal primes and the 24-70 zoom. Yet, I reviewed all my favorite images recently and discovered they were shot with my 35 1.8 either on my D700 or D850 over the course of 10 years. On a different note, John Coltrane is a demigod. His music is played in my house 3-4 times a week. I’m working on a book chapter on his aesthetic “vision” in jazz. Love him!☺️

@michaelcgannon 2 года назад

I recently re-purchased a 35mm lens for my Nikon D3s. . . ahhh it sings! also. I'm currently on the lookout for another D700 what a marvellous machine.

@absolute1020 2 года назад

That's so true, I got a Leica M system with 35 , 50 , 90 , then I got a Hasselblad system with 80 , 100 , 120 , 150. In the beginning when I own them, I always go out with at least 2 lens, later I wanted to focus on one focal length and really think about it before taking the shot. yes, there's always moment I wish I had the tele lens with me for certain shots, but it doesn't change anything, by the time I change my lens the moment was gone. Now I only go out with one lens with me, and really USE it , building up my experience on that particular focal length and learn from the mistakes. Recently I got myself the Rolleiflex 2.8F, I'm really happy with its 80mm and its flexibility compared to the Hasselblad . When you watch a lot of Photography related channels, 80 to 90% are gear reviews, I mean I have no problem with it at all, after all, RU-vidr need views, subs, we all need money to support our hobbies . but please photographers , focus more on your work, your technique , your photograph

@scbeer1 3 года назад

For the last couple of years I have been shooting mostly through a Nikkor 55mm Micro. I got tired of going to Airshows and taking the same photos everyone else was taking of planes in the air and started shooting close ups and macros of the aircraft parked on the ramp. It’s a whole other prospective of familiar aircraft to capture!

@winedemonium 3 года назад

I'm always so pleased when I see you fired up and back to basics - back to the art of photography. I understand the why of the gear reviews, and share the enthusiasm for some of the new stuff. But essentially its much more about the sort of thing you discussed today. It's what got me tuned into your channel almost 10 years ago! I hope that your big 50mm assignment with RG leads to a book and some prints we can buy to support, and enjoy with you. Big thumbs up from me Ted. Also, please do circle back to discuss what you have learnt about the 50mm fl in this exercise. you touched on it here, but I'd love to see you really drill down on it.

@blakegirouxphotography 2 года назад

My favourite lens due to its signature is my 85 1.8 G lens from Nikon. It has a nice look without correction and I usually shoot it at f/2.8-f/4 to exaggerate the effect for most of the photo. I have tried the more expensive 85mm lenses from many other brands, but this one just has that magic I love

@stephenvictor8961 2 года назад

I am really heartened with your personal evolution and what you bring to your videos. Trust me, I was blown away with you in the past and now even more so. Thank you for doing what you do how you do it. I am relatively new to photography. I ended up buying more lenses (expensive ones) than I am interested in using. Slowly I’ve sold them off wanting more and more to work with just my 50. There are a couple others I like… nonetheless, I understand focal length signature and I am learning to see. Your work is growing me. Thank you. As an aside, when I can I will get a Leica M10 Monochrom. It fits my nature in a similar way I wear high quality old style, old technology, watches. Thanks again.

@romelgivargis7973 3 года назад

Really good contemplation here. I use 23mm (35mm equivalent) almost exclusively. It suits my shooting style and the field of view is perfect for observational/walking around photography. Keep the awesome content coming!

@timwra 2 года назад

Do you use a Fuji X100 series camera or an APS-C interchangeable lens camera with a 23mm lens attached to it?

@findermanimages Год назад

Well, well, well... this video has summed up my past week. I had not taken a photo with my Fuji camera gear in such a long time. I had bought too much equipment over the past few years that the choices became overwhelming. At the start of the week I decided to sell everything and just keep one body, a secondhand X-Pro 2, and one lens, the Fuji 35mm f1.4 (50mm equivalent) - also bought secondhand. The reason for this is straightforward: it's a focal length I am comfortable with and also a set up that has given me some of my best and most enjoyable work. Today I took it out to snap a few shots and was automatically at ease. I didn't need to think or worry about having brought the wrong kit or kick myself for poor lens choice for the occasion. I now only have one system and will adapt to take the photos the kit is capable of.

@Dan-C-71 3 года назад

I was a photographer in the Marines in the early 90’s and the standard issue camera was the Nikon F3, you could beat the crap out of it and keep shooting. Then along came the F4 with all it’s bells and whistles, and a little bit of dust was all it took to ruin your day. I live near the Morton Arboretum and on a couple trips this year I took just one lens to push the creativity a bit.

@germantalavera799 3 года назад

Absolutely agree. As a sax player, I really enjoyed the saxophone analogy. This got me to think about the equivalences: 85mm is baritone, 50mm is tenor, 35mm is alto and 28mm is soprano, at least that’s how I perceive them. I think that, in the same way that in Harry Potter the wand chooses the wizard, the lens also chooses the photographer. I like your channel because you are one of the few people on RU-vid who talks about the artistic approach of photography from a theoretical perspective.

@PushPullPp 2 года назад

I dig your equivalents!

@indy311c 3 года назад

I admit, I'm a tech nerd. I love the gear, the gadgets and such. I have a literal mind and I don't pretend to be an artist but I hope there's still room for people like me in the photography space. We're all doing our best to create and be creative. And the paths we take can be different. But I feel they're all valid. And if nothing else, we make the gear cheaper. Lol

@helmet212 3 года назад

Yeah man buying gear is so pleasing. But we must acknowledge that it is actually a disorder, CBD? Just look around, shopping makes people happy. Very very happy. But the real purpose to acquire any gadget, gear or tech is to get better on it. Filling shelves is no use. This is not a critique but I think it is very important to acknowledge the problem to start addressing the issue.

@Bils1280 3 года назад

Great Topic! When i started my transition from photography to videography, i intentionally went out with only one lens rather than my whole bag for a documentation style video idea. To get the coverage you really start to get creative. It helped me a lot, to get more out of each lens and adapt back to my photography. What´s important to mention, i´m a hobbyist and did not experiment while trying to match expectations of any customer.

@archeryandstuffwithstevela3423 2 года назад

Still love my D7200, most used lens, is the DX 35mm 1.8. Approximately 52mm in full frame terms. So often I’ll try looking at a scene with 3 different lenses, then end up back at the 35mm. Love your take on things.

@Thunderbird1337 11 месяцев назад

Absolutely agree. I was recently on a city trip in Lissabon and I only took the 50mm f1.8 with me. It was great, I didn't miss anything. I realized that I don't really need a wider angle in 95% of the time, even for landscapes. Only in very few cases a wide angle gives really a benefit.

@lausteofraigneau 2 года назад

I agree 100%, Ted!!! Started photography on film 25 years ago, then quiting for a while… (student budget). Got back to it in 2011 with my iPhone, then the Fuji X100T (still my digital camera) and progressively came back to film photography with…. a Nikon F3 and a 50mm f/2. My main and everyday camera ;-) Simplification forces us to focus on the essential, photography… Please, let’s go back to photo assignments!

@edgardomanuel7524 3 года назад

Another good stuff from Ted. I think after many years of experience in line with one's interest there will be a tendency to minimize the tools of the trade. I enjoyed the vlog. Thank you.

@joeltunnah 2 года назад

According to his interviews, HCB above all hated obvious lens “effects” (signature). That’s why he shot a 35mm occasionally, but nothing wider. The 50mm also has the background to foreground size ratio similar to what you see with your eye, so he could accurately visualize the image without putting the camera to his eye. He also used a 90mm for portraits. Eugene Smith sometimes carried 6 Leicas with 6 different focal lengths attached. He would have adored today’s zooms. I think once you get to a certain level of experience you just know how a scene will look in a certain focal length and framing. Spending time with each for a while to get that familiarity is a good idea. I think a nice f/2.8 24-70 zoom is probably a more economical way to get that education. But it’s heavier, less romantic and nostalgic.

@hurleygreen927 Год назад

GLAD I FOUND YOU...this topic really hits close to home for me! As a Nikon D 750 camera guy, I lost my beloved 50mm 1.8 lens, and when I went back to my camera store guru, he told me that all he had in stock was a classic Nikon 55mm macro lens, but with only MANUAL focusing! I threatened to go online and get another nifty 50, but he told me he would let me take this macro manual lens and shoot with it for a week: I did, and fell in love with it once I got used to manually focusing! Now I use it for a walkaround lens, to go along with a versatile 24-70mm zoom lens for everything else! Thanks again for this video!

@jonnysalud 3 года назад

Really enjoyed this! I know gear reviews pay the bills, but nice to see more OG AOP stuff lately.

@torbjornlingoy8991 Год назад

I thinner you are absolutely right. Twenty years ago, when I was a analog photographer, I sold all my gear and bought a Leica mp with a summilux 50. I was released, felt great and used that equipment for the comming ten years. 50 mm is my absolutely favorit focal lenght. Thank’s for a always interesting and stimulating channel 😊

@jimd7699 3 года назад

Videos like this is why Ted is one of my absolute favorites on this platform. You are forward thinking, thought provoking and challenging in your message. Thanks Ted for this great video and allowing us to contemplate the visual signature. Well done!

@jezjoseph 3 года назад

As a photographer learning about all of this ... And not taking enough time to limit .y options ... Simply trying everything and always taking out all lenses I've made it difficult to register the different nuances of these various signatures ... I've started thinking before leaving for that day what am I likely to shoot and limiting myself to one lens per day or per roll and I am forced to create within the confines of that piece of equipment ... As a sax player and fellow Coltrane fan you have really hammered the message home as I've never attempted to play more than one saxophone at once and despite being a Coltrane fan I know myself to be an alto player .... Thanks for an incredible insight into this topic ....

@duaneparker5070 2 года назад

This video is the perfect example of why I love your channel. Your videos are a masterclass on expression and communication. Just love it.

@babyboy1971 Год назад

I’m 51, and I started learning photography at age 13 on a Nikon FE and all I had was a 50mm and it was great. I remember the series E lenses! I shot a whole wedding on just a 50mm and it was fantastic. I recently shot a family session on only a Fuji X100V (35mm equivalent) and it was fantastic. I shoot almost all my paid portraits & headshots on an 85. Now, after discovering Garry Winogrand, I’m saving for a 28 to expand my street work and personal projects. Primes are my weapon of choice and I love working in one focal length. Great photos btw, I love your work.

@amiralmamri2881 3 года назад

I resonate with this video a lot. I sold my Sony last year and am getting a Fuji x100v for that reason. I’ve been spending too much time worrying about gear instead of the art of photography itself.

@alfredbarten4901 Год назад

Right on about the saxophone. I’ve played soprano, alto, tenor - now only play tenor! I’m a retired architect. We went through school rendering our designs in their entirety, thus it was only natural to photograph buildings the same way. A close friend and biology professor took a Signet 35 I gave him to Europe and came back with some terrific architectural shots. None were of the entire building. Ergo, 50mm is just fine for a lot of architectural work (not all). These days I shoot a lot of film and use vintage cameras that only have a fixed normal lens. Where I have a choice, I use 40mm because I can crop it to different final formats.

@regis_red 3 года назад

I'm not a photographer but a 3D artist, I've set up my software camera to 50mm lens (you can change that obviously), but for some reason I feel like if I were a photographer I would go primarily for a 50mm lens...

@markdemarte6744 2 года назад

This is kinda funny. I couldn't stop watching your video because about 6 months ago I put 3 of the 4 lenses I own for my Sony a7r 3 on a shelf and decided I would keep only my 50mm lens on my camera. That focal length was the same as was on my very first camera, over 45 years ago. After shooting for about a week, I fell in love with this lens all over again. I love how it lets the camera see what the human eye sees with hardly any distortion. I feel like once again I am gaining a personal connection with my subjects as if I gained a passport into a scene as a member instead of a visiting reporter.

@tjwphoto 3 года назад

I've been shooting 50 all of 2021, new camera system and only lens. I'd like to add 100-105 macro, then 28 or 35. I used to have 24-85 on a crop sensor. I shoot mostly nature and travel. Recently expanding into street photography due to pandemic limitations. I love your giddy excitement in the middle of the video. I could see your inner child.

@nboydops5618 2 года назад

Thanks for this. I'm not a good photographer but I want to enjoy taking and processing photographs. I like 50mm but I could never understand why it was described as how we see the world. I tried 28 and 35 but I couldn't get enthusiastic about them. It wasn't until I got a tatty old Pentax 24mm (full frame) that suddenly I was seeing the image through the camera as had seen it in my mind. That seemed to give me the freedom to take pictures that were not what I see, but what I had imagined. This video has inspired me to get rid of all the equipment that has brought me dissatisfaction and concentrate on, and improve, what I really enjoy. Thank you.

@golfkhakis 2 года назад

Preaching truth here my guy. We all get caught up in the shiny objects. I know I did. I had 5 lenses at one point. Now I’m just one body, and 3 primes; 24/55/135, and I love the freedom. It’s never a decision; I know what prime I’m on for each given day. I almost wish I could be on just 1 prime, but I think I have it perfect with these 3. Love the perspective in your chat man.

@LukeBowmanMusic 6 месяцев назад

Man, this is so great. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately (option overload in the modern world) and you put it into words so eloquently. Came for the photography chat but I’m also going to apply this to my guitar playing tonight and leave the pedalboard at home and see what I can do with just a guitar and an amp! Thanks. Subscribed to your channel!

@vincentoliver Год назад

For some time now I have gone out and captured photos with just one lens. Although I confess that I have 19 Nikon lenses, from fixed focal lengths to zooms (almost all manual F lenses that have been Ai converted). For me I am torn between the 35 and 50mm lenses, probably the 50mm f2 lens is my go to lens, have had this lens since 1972 and it still produces cracking sharp pictures. The point I agree with is that you don’t need the latest camera/lens to capture great photos, you just need some get up and go and continue to shoot whatever interests you. Thank you for your excellent videos.

@RickGTI2019 Год назад

Your a great speaker, not mono tone, but lively. As a retired photographer, who had many cameras and lenses, I’m down to a Leica m6 and a 50mm f,2 lens. It’s how I started and how I will finish. Keeping it simple is much more creative and fun ! Thanks, Rick….. 📷

@yelonhesli 2 года назад

If you're interested in art, this video is an excellent analogy. But for me as if you If you're interested in art, this video is an excellent analogy. But for me as a Jazz lover, "ex-saxophonist" and now with this feeling of changing equipment in photography, this video hits you very hard ❤️

@mawavoy 2 года назад

The saxophone analogy is spot on, the various differences in tone is do to the physics of sound resonating in a certain size tube. Similarly, various resolved images are the result of the physics of light moving through a tubes of various lengths , the focal length.

@gregpantelides1355 Год назад

Hey Ted, I'm doing the same thing but with a 35mm lens. When I started photography I gravitated to 28mm and tried to get EVERYTHING in and as a result had very cluttered compositions. Switching to the 35mm prevents this and so I am must ask myself "Where is the story?". This has led to more focused compositions. It also has the added benefit of being able to "see" in 35mm before I raise the VF to my eye. I really appreciate your channel and the wisdom you share with all of us! Thank you.

@ghffrsfygdhfjkjiysdz 2 года назад

Love this channel! Great work and insight. One thought i want to offer on the subject of focal lengths is the choice between 2 methodologies: composing the picture vs formatting a picture. Of the two, composing the picture is harder one and as the wording suggest it deals with composition of objects in the photo. To get good at this it is important to remove other variables, which is why sticking to 1 focal length helps. This 1 focal length may be different for different people. On the other hand the act of formatting the picture deals with everything else other than composition. Size of the background, depth of field, color saturation, sharpness etc. So, when composition is set or is outside of photographers control, like 90% of sports or news reporting, then photographer can spend the time end energy to format the picture with depth of field, subject size (focal length) etc. I am an amateur and every time i use a zoom lens i always find myself second guessing my choice of focal length instead of worrying more about composition, but when i shoot prime lenses, i have the mental resources available to think about composition more.

@dansuzukiphotography 3 года назад

Oh, man...only 15 minutes? I could watch this all night long. Thank you!

@nicolacenni 3 года назад

A much deeper message in this video . I really like the discussion.

@costafilh0 5 месяцев назад

I totally agree! Making a living from it is very difficult, and t having to shoot everything everywhere and being master of none prevents us from really getting to know each piece of equipment, aspect of photography and our own art. On a personal artistic level, I find no reason at all to play with everything at once instead of taking time to enjoy, learn and get good at it.

@markusbolliger1527 2 года назад

Thank you so much for this very precious statement! I agree - but not to 100 percent ... My favorite focal lens also has always been the 50mm: The Leica Summicron 50mm F2.0 when I used to shoot Kodak Tri-X film with my Leica M6, and now the Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S, which is an outstanding lens. It's perfect for general use, people, street photography and so on. But there is a BUT: Because I am also a nature- and landscape photographer, I need other lenses too, mainly 24mm, 105mm Macro, and a 70-200mm. And for some sceneries I even need the Nikkor Z 14-30mm at 14-20mm, just to emphasize or even overemphasize the foreground, given that it is worth to be included into the image. With only a 50mm I couldn't shoot impressively enough all those awesome scenes in nature. Nevertheless from time to time I go on excursion with only the 50mm, and it's always a great creative pleasure. Kind regards from Switzerland.

@CarmineTavernaPhotography 2 года назад

HEY, thank you for sharing your years of experience with the RU-vid family 👪

@tomfoord8860 2 года назад

I had an instructor who said to use one focal length for a year. One of the problems with zooms is that it's harder to anticipate what focal length to use, because you haven't spent the time to learn how it affects your photo. I recently bought a 40mm for my Z6II and brought it on vacation in order to learn about it. The zoom lens has stayed in the bag. Thanks for another great video!

@pounceonyou1958 2 года назад

I own only one lens, a 50mm F1.4, for 8 years now, I believe I have done my time on one focal length. There certainly is al lot to learn about mastering a particular focal length, for instance the angle of the lens to subject combined with distance to subject also with the consideration of cropping in post, I have done some amazing portraits, landscapes, music events and even a whole wedding as a second photographer which I absolutely enjoyed due to it being way less pressure just having one camera and one lens to be concerned with. I can highly recommend doing time on only one prime lens with fast aperture at least from a portrait length or a wider angle of your choice.

@jonwolfson9842 Год назад

What a great, great video. I've been struggling with this very issue for a long time. I shoot a sony. I have an 85 1.8 which I rarely use, a 55 1.8 which I love but...rarely use, and a 24 gm which is basically on the camera body all the time. It is, as you know.wonderful. And I have never felt it was right for me. My favorite focal length from when I shot film was a 35 and yet..I don't have one for the A7. I am going to try the 55 for awhile, like you. Then I will try the 24 in crop and see how I do. It'll get me taking the camera out more, not dragging the other gear around. By the way, I am a musician and recording engineer for a lot of years. Your analogies are spot on. Really connected with those..so..much appreciation.

@robross2170 3 года назад

My first cameras had very basic controls and not the highest quality, so getting results I liked took time and education to get to the place I wanted. I got a handful of lenses at one point, but have recently sold most everything off. I have 1 mirrorless camera and a Nikon FE. I decided I wanted to go back to more basics by getting that FE, having had the opportunity to learn what having all the settings in the world can do for me. I have wanted to drop the FE and get a rangefinder film camera, a Canon P or 7, so that I can really simplify the process and focus on what I'm putting in the frame. I appreciate these types of videos and look forward to a photo assignment!

@richardra4702 10 месяцев назад

Makes great sense.! I'm a drummer & I appreciate the PARTICULAR SOUND of each instrument (old or new..)... Now, I'm a beginner photographer/Cinematographer just trying to SEE what I'm looking at..?? Love your channel & getting an inciteful look at the Art.!! Thx.!!

@ytr8989 2 года назад

I use my 35 DX all the time, which is a 50mm focal length on an FX lens. I will change lenses when need to. But 50 has been my go to lens

@davidbutlerstudios 8 месяцев назад

Great video as always, Ted! I can say that I feel like I am wearing someone else's leather boots every time I use anything other than my 120mm (on the medium format system). For the past decade or more, I have tried to switch it up to help push myself into new photographic experiences, but I always end up feeling like lost star floating in a large universe, searching for the comfort of the tighter focused compression, and finding my way back to my "visual signature". I always love your perspective on things. -DB

@reganross9592 2 года назад

Ted, there are gear guys, and there is you. You teach about the value of the art and for that I am grateful. Your worth as an artist has nothing to do with your gear.

@andrecoelho2450 2 года назад

You're absolutely right! I started photography with a 50mm f1.8 Nikon series E. After almost 20 years of photography, this focal length and this particular lens are my favorite. The saxophone analogy is great!

@ubeeh Год назад

First time visitor - I love that concept of limiting oneself (at the same time collecting all kinds of lenses, and it seems that I am coming back to 50mm all over again). And yes, I do love the 28mm, too, but I have come to love this focal length only recently when I got a Ricoh GRIII.

@smallbatchsessions6892 2 года назад

I’m starting to shoot with the Nikkor 55mm f/1.2 much lately. Not so much the focal length but the creativity I can do with this lens itself. I love primes and carry a bag full . And struggle when working to use just one . 28mm is actually one that’s on my cameras more than any other . It’s just so darn useful and I think it’s much how we see . Our fov with our eyes. Our mind see close to far depending upon our engagement and what’s happening. With our feet the 28 can do all this . I use 28 for all my video gimbal work . I’ve been shooting a small room interview and using 28 and 40. The same room taking photos I have on the 55 f/1.2 . I love the new Sigma 65mm f/2.0 I series. What a great focal length . I see in multiple fov as situations change in real time . My job is live music. Photography, videography and capturing it with the emotions of the sounds that illicit it . I have tried the just one focal length and then as the sounds and the shows move through their progression I see so much emotion coming at me in at all these different fov . I’ll rotationally shoot in these different focal lengths. It’ll vary from show to show and there is always one focal length that’ll dominate at the end . That’s me

@nellatrab 2 года назад

I so agree with your thinking! While I still have my Nikkormat Ft with an 50mm/f1.4 on it...these days I often attach a 35mm/f1.8 to my full frame digital mirrorless camera. It gives me a bit wider view than my 50mm. I can still get good portraiture framing. I often use just this particular lens, set my camera to JPEG and monochrome which forces me to get it right in camera! As a side note, I love to add some retro grain in post 🙂

@rsyalom 2 года назад

I rarely make it to the end of these type videos. This time no problem interesting take. I often cary a bag with 3-4 lenses. But pretty regularly, I will put the Sony A7R3 in a single camera, bag with the just the lens attached, either a Leica40mmcl, a 50ml Voigtlander or a vintage 55 lens. Really good to work unencumbered. Thanks, Reid Yalom

@IsaacOtto 3 года назад

@PneumaticTube 2 месяца назад

I'm drawn to the 28 and the 85. I love the subtle distortion of the 28, and the compression & subject/background separation of the 85.

@nicholasmoolenbeek63 3 года назад

I loved this video! When I started out making photos, I gravitated to the 50mm because it always seemed like the best value for money, especially where aperture is concerned! And what was a first a necessity of cost, has now become part of my photography needs; anytime I get a new camera the first lens I buy is a 50mm, for the exact reason you outlined in this film! Thanks Ted

@copywriter9 Год назад

You nailed this video,Ted! You are so right on with your analysis. This video in my view is the most important if not the absolute best on this subject! Myself and others have the utmost respect for all your valuable info.

@rezzab 2 года назад

Music, I'm a jazz musician been playing since about 1958, I have a few clarinets but the one I use most was made in 1929 I've been palying since I was given it in the late 1950's in fact it's on a stand next to where I'm sitting I just pick it up and have a blow when I feel like it!

@DrazenCika 2 года назад

The music analogy is so true - there are many ways to play around and spend time with gear setup instead of playing....

@sbai4319 2 года назад

I think you are absolutely right about this. I am working more with primes 35, 50 (I have two) and 85mm. Working with one or only a few focal lengths helps to build a cohesive look to your photos. For me, each of these focal lengths has a purpose, a look and a visual tone. Yes I love music and photography.

@hoagyguitarmichael 3 года назад

Great episode. As a musician and a photographer I am so glad you brought up the analogy. There are so many more, gear vs talent, digital vs analog, processing/mixing vs live capture, it goes on and on. Ralph gave me the sam advice about shooting with a 50mm exclusively for a couple of years, but after about 6 months I did some tracks for a friend and he paid me with a Leitz Wetzlar Elmar 135mm f4. I am beginning to think that may be my signature-still experimenting.

@davidfleischmann1844 Год назад

I agree! I run a A6000 and have 2 lenses. A 35 mm and a 85 mm. And all the times I start with the 35 and capture myself switching to the 85 mm relatively quick. I just love my 85 mm!!

@barnzuardo 2 года назад

I agree with everything you said re the 50mm lens on a film SLR, which is all I used for my first 3 years with my first SLR a Pentax Spotmatic II back in January ‘73. I’m a working professional using all sorts of DSLRs and lenses, but just by chance, today I’m taking some b&w portraits of a photographer friend on a recently purchased mint condition Nikon F801S which I believe is numbered an N801S in the USA (I’m in Sydney Australia). . So it was great seeing your video just now confirming what my photographer mate and I think of the 50mm film SLR setup as well. Keep up the good work! Ian - Sydney

@miketaylor1403 3 года назад

Since 2018 when i put down my iPhone and picked up a camera again (for the first time in ten years) I've shot exclusively with one camera and a single 28mm lens. I'll usually transform in Lr and maybe crop in a touch if the image is helped by it, but that's pretty much it. I took this decision after watching some of the videos available on this channel. I'm always striving to improve, but the feedback these days is that my work is the best I've ever done. I really can't recommend this approach enough.

@joshmcdzz6925 6 месяцев назад

As a musician who recently started dabbling into photography, you're so right.. Coltrane had that tenor sax for years, Paul Chambers had one DBass those jazz greats weren't infected with the GAS disease but improving themselves.. I noticed it's all changed these days especially in the world we live in now with many options and distractions.. we've got to be very disciplined.

@tompoynton 2 года назад

I spent a year in New Zealand back in 2004/05, right on the cusp of the digital age, and had only an Olympus OM-2 and a 50/1.8 with me the entire time. Now you’d think in a country with such spectacular landscapes etc I’d miss having a 35 or 28 looking over my negatives still today I’m happy with everything I took, and I still use both to this day.

@zongliu5062 2 года назад

I have watched this video many times and I am sure I will watch it again and again. It is so amazing and also very comfortable to watch. Thanks!

@longgoneblues 3 года назад

Thank you Ted for yor competence and passion and, as a non speak english native, thank you for the clarity of the exposure and perfect speech that make your videos almost completely understandable to an everage english's connoisseur like me. Too many you tube videos in english language are incomprehensible to me due to inflections, poor diction, regional accents, truncated words... it's not your case. Now than it seems you decided to add subtitles to your videos I can say they're ready for an universal diffusion!