Choosing the right focal length & how your lens choice influences the feel of your photography

 

 

Choosing a focal length is not always a simple matter of practically, for example when a subject is far away so you need a long lens. Rather, your selection of a focal length – and relatedly, your distance from the subject – can have wide-ranging implications on the feeling and overall story of a photograph. In a new video essay, Jamie Windsor discusses focal length in the context of cinema and photography, shedding light on why choosing the right lens for a specific shot is critically important to the success of any given image.

In his essay, Windsor breaks down different types of lenses, such as wide-angle, normal and telephoto lenses, and discusses their typical uses and the different ways that they can be utilized to help tell a story. "Choosing the right focal length is much more than just creating a flattering portrait or being able to fit everything you want to into your frame," Windsor says. "Your choice of lens changes the dynamic of your image and the psychological meaning that your audience will derive from it," he continues in the video below.

For more great content like the above video essay, head to Jamie Windsor's YouTube channel.

(Via Jamie Windsor)