Getting started in photography is generally not easy. The grip of the camera, the discovery of the settings, the choice of the subject, the basic rules of composition to assimilate. There is a multitude of things to think about when triggering.

Getting started is also about making mistakes. That in itself is not a bad thing, we all make mistakes and it is an integral part of the learning process. The most important thing is not to make mistakes, but to realize them and to rectify the situation.

In this article, I present to you some common mistakes with the beginner photographer. Most come from my personal experience but, over time and meetings, I realized that I was not alone to have been there. Whether you are just starting out in the photo or already have some experience, chances are you will find some of you in the following!

Mistakes of the Novice Photographer

1. Automatic photography

Current cameras have an arsenal of automatic settings to assist the photographer at the time of the shooting. When you are just starting the photo, it is a precious help and it brings a certain comfort.

However, as you become familiar with your unit, I advise you to take quickly the control of the settings. If you want to succeed in your photos, you have no interest in letting the camera decide everything for you!

Take the example of focusing: do you really want the camera to choose where to focus? I am sure that you have already faced the following problem: you have your subject in front of you, you press the shutter button but the focusing is done next to it.

As sophisticated as it is, even the best of cameras will not always make the right choice. The focus is therefore one of the first parameters on which you must regain control. To do this, start slowly to select yourself the collimator to be used for the development.

Photographing fully automatically also means closing the door to immense creative possibilities. By letting your device choose the aperture and speed, you greatly reduce your room for maneuver.

In full automatic, I could not have obtained this result or
I would not have done it on purpose!

Want to play on the depth of field and get pretty background blurs? Do you want to freeze the movement of a subject or, on the contrary, transcribe its movement? To fully express your photographic intention, there are not fifty solutions, you must avoid the automatic!

2. Do not check your settings

If you have already passed this first step and you have quit automatic, there is another “danger” waiting for you. Before you start a photoshoot, take some time to check your settings. It is possible that during the previous session you had to modify this or that setting for a specific need and that this setting remained as it was.

A case study concerns the use of an ISO sensitivity that is not adapted to the situation. Here is the classic scheme: you take photos indoors and, since the speed is a bit tight, you increase the ISO sensitivity (for example to 1000 ISO) to avoid camera shake. Then you calmly finish your photos without worrying about this change.

A few hours or a few days later, you take your camera again to take photos outdoors when the sun is shining. And since you have not checked your settings, you are still shooting at ISO 1000!

If you have the eye, you will realize immediately that you have an abnormally high speed. But when starting out, chances are that you will only notice it once in front of your computer, constantly bitterness with the presence of digital noise in your photos or worse, irreparable overexposure. It’s silly, but I found myself in this situation and I can tell you that it served me as a lesson!

This is only an example but it shows that even the smallest oversight can have significant repercussions. I could also give you the same demonstration for the use of an aperture, a speed or an autofocus mode unsuited to the shooting conditions.

But don’t panic, with a little organization, you can get away with it! Before taking pictures, just make sure to check your camera to make sure the settings you have selected will match the situation.

3. Photograph only in JPEG

When shooting in JPEG, the camera automatically applies a set of corrections to your image (white balance, sharpness, contrast, saturation, etc.). This often surprises beginner photographers whom I meet, however, a photo in JPEG format is a post-processed photo! Not by the photographer, but by the camera’s internal software.

After applying these corrections, the camera performs data compression to produce a JPEG file. By favoring JPEG, you, therefore, lose part of the information recorded by the camera’s sensor. JPEG is great for your souvenir photos or if you need to have your photos quickly.

But if you are a minimum demanding, it is in your interest to use the RAW format. As a reminder, a RAW is the raw version of your image, as it was recorded by the sensor. By using the RAW format, you, therefore, become an actor in post-processing and you no longer undergo the corrections applied by default by the camera.

Above: a photo that I developed from a RAW file.
With RAW, it is no longer the camera that decides for me what corrections to make!

Since there was no compression, you also have greater flexibility in post-processing. For example, one of the many advantages of the RAW format is the adjustment of the white balance. Using this format, the white balance is not fixed, so you are free to adjust this setting in post-processing. You can easily solve the most common color problems (photos too yellow indoors, for example)

If the RAW format and more generally post-processing scares you, you can proceed in stages and start by photographing simultaneously in RAW + JPEG. Many devices offer this possibility and it would be a shame to deprive it.

4. Sort your photos on the camera screen

The LCD screen of the Nikon D7100

It was a reflex that I had taken at the start and I quickly realized that I had it all wrong. The camera’s LCD screen is made to preview their photos, but no more.

Even if the definition of screens has improved a lot in recent years, a screen a few centimeters wide is in my opinion not the ideal tool for sorting your photos.

You are going to tell me that there are still photos that we can immediately classify in the “failed photos” category. An error in focus, a blurring of camera shake, an obvious framing problem, a parasitic detail … I agree, and there are some situations where the destination of your photo is hardly in doubt. In this case, if you are sure of yourself, go to the trash can.

But for the other photos, those that do not present any obvious defect, I recommend that you wait until you are in front of your computer to perform efficient sorting. This is how you will come to see all the subtleties and that you will be able to really judge the quality of your photos.

5. Photographing with the built-in flash

Surely you’ve already tried taking pictures with the flash built into your camera. And you have probably noticed that the light produced by the flash of the flash does not enhance the subject: subject too bright or unsightly shadows, to name just that.

An example of a built-in flash diffuser

Before firing your flash, try to see if there are no other alternatives. When the ambient lighting is not too low, increasing the ISO sensitivity can sometimes be enough. You will make the noise go up, but between a noisy photo and a photo with an unflattering light, my choice is quickly made … If you are indoors and there is light coming from outside, you can also use a reflector to provide a complimentary light source.

If you really want to use the built-in flash or you have no choice, know that there are accessories commercially available to diffuse the light. For small budgets, there are also a few “homemade” solutions for diffusing light at a lower cost (handkerchief, piece of tracing paper, etc.). It’s not a panacea, but it’s already better than nothing!

I, therefore, advise you to use the built-in flash only as a backup solution. If you regularly need supplemental lighting, the royal way is to use a cobra flash with a swiveling head. You will be able to more easily modulate the light and you will get much better results.

And you, what are the mistakes that you made when you started taking photos and that allowed you to progress? Do not hesitate to share your experiences by leaving a comment!

Portraying someone is stealing a bit of the soul, telling their secrets through their eyes, their story through their scars and their fears through their wrinkles. A portrait is not just a photo, it is much more, it is the image of a person with a soul, with feelings, with so much to tell!

And no matter what camera you use, you are the person who has to know how to transmit all this. And the goal … does it count?

It is important?

In my opinion, and I think that when you finish reading the article you will agree with me, yes it is. It is not that it is essential to use one or the other, in the end, as I said you are the one who transmits and the person portrayed who counts. However, the lens can contribute or distort more than we imagine.

Yes, after seeing these images you also think that the objectives have something to say for their focal length, this post interests you, accommodate yourself and read on…

I will tell you which objectives would be the most recommended for portraits. But first I would like to underline the word “recommended”, and I say this because in the end, as I mentioned before, it is you who takes the picture and decides how to transmit, how to create.

Therefore, although I tell you that a fish-eye, for example, is not among those recommended, you may want to make a different, original portrait and you are looking for precisely the distorting effect produced by the fish-eye.

In that case, you have the last word and who decides, of course. You already know that the rules are to skip them, although for this you must know them and know with what intention you skip them.

The first thing we are going to see is what elements influence when an objective is more or less recommended for the portrait.

Best Canon Lens For Portraits and Wedding Photography

FOCAL DISTANCE

In case you do not know what I mean by this term, I leave you the following summary scheme because they say that a picture is worth a thousand words 😉. If with the scheme you do not clarify at all, do not worry, here is everything you need to know about the focal length of your lens.

The important thing is that you know that the appropriate focal length for portraits is between 50mm and 135mm. If you look back at the images at the beginning, you can see how the face is distorted below 50 mm.

The shorter the focal length, the more you will have to approach the person you are portraying. This is an important factor that you have to take into account. You may be one of those who hide behind a “TV” for shyness, but if that is the only reason you portray “from afar,” your portrait may also be a little “far” from what the subject has to tell.

That is why I recommend that you lose your shyness and if you want to portray strangers who do not necessarily hide behind a telephoto lens, a smile will always help you overcome that shyness and get permission (almost always) from that person.

Another reason for using a telephoto lens is the ability they have to isolate the subject from the background. This is a good reason to use them, but for that, you don’t need to hide 😉.

FIXED FOCAL

Focal can be fixed or variable. The fixed ones are those that, as the name implies, you cannot vary, with them you cannot do any kind of zoom. The variables, on the other hand, cover different focal distances. The former is more suitable for the portrait because they achieve greater sharpness, are brighter and allow a lower depth of field, and are also cheaper 😉.

The disadvantage is that they are less versatile and that to re-frame you will have to move from the site (although the latter does not have to be a disadvantage).

OPENING

A really important element in an objective is the opening of the diaphragm. The greater the aperture, the greater the brightness and blur. Lenses with larger apertures allow you to further isolate the subject from the background and focus on certain details (you can even isolate the eyes from the rest of the face).

In addition, these types of objectives usually work better when it comes to focus. If you are not very familiar with the term, you should know what is indicated by the number “f”, but the smaller the number “f” (or depth of field), the greater the opening.

Best Canon Lens For Portraits and Wedding Photography

Now that you know the most important elements to consider when choosing a lens for portraits, I leave you a list with some of them. If I name only Canon it is not because it is the only brands, of course, but because most users have one or the other. If you are from Sony, Pentax …

Best Canon Lens for Portrait Photography | 2021 Reviews

1. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Specification:

The EF 70-200 mm f / 2.8L IS II USM is an off-road zoom telephoto lens designed for professional use. It has a robust and durable design, a four-step Image Stabilizer and special lenses.

Its versatility (from portraits to sports) and its robustness, it has become a classic. In addition, being 2.8 it holds a 1.4x or a 2x in good light conditions. Price according to its quality.

It has a fluorine coating that helps reduce dirt and water that adheres to the lens. We have checked it in a real environment, surrounded by nature and dust, and it really works, because although it is inevitable that we have to clean the target after a long session, the truth is that we do not find so much dust attached.

It also has a coating, called Super Spectra, which serves to eliminate parasitic lights and the optical veil, in addition to fluorite elements to correct color aberrations. In general, in making contact their behavior has been very correct in this regard, even working with headlights

It incorporates the usual Canon ultrasonic motor, which means high auto-focus speed, as well as being very quiet, as expected. In practice, all kinds of situations are very effective, with somewhat less success when there is little contrast in a scene or light is scarce.

A zoom lens as versatile as a 70-200 mm allows us to work for various purposes, especially for nature, landscapes, wildlife … which is where it unfolds with great ease and where it offers good results. It leaves us the best sensations when used at its maximum opening.

That f / 4 tells us that it is not the brightest TV (for that we have the aforementioned older brother also recently presented) but it allows us to work in scenes where light does not abound and we can take advantage of it with the effective stabilizer , or, take advantage of its maximum opening to get a nice blur . The result is very good, gradual and with a bokeh that will surely delight wedding photographer or portraits.

2. Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Ultra-Fast Lens

Specification:

With the brightest diaphragm of all the range's objectives, the extraordinarily fast EF 50mm f / 1.2L USM offers excellent performance in low light situations, which makes it the ideal choice for graphic reporters who wish to be able to control Shallow depth of field or take indoor pictures without the need for flash.

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• It has Circular opening that allows to obtain an excellent '' bokeh '' in the background
• Send the distance information to the camera so it can be used by the E-TTL II flash system

This lens has a large maximum aperture of f / 1.2l, which makes it possible to take pictures without a tripod in low light. These large openings can be used to restrict the depth of field, even with such short focal lengths.

3. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Zoom Lens

Specification:

In response to the ever-increasing demand for digital photo quality, the new EF 24-70mm f / 2.8L II USM format is the latest update to the popular series EF optics series. L: Restoring a new standard for superior optics, durable construction, and high performance with professional zoom.

Standard zoom lenses have large apertures throughout the focal length. Featuring the latest advances in optical lens design, it uses Super UD lens elements and two UD lens objectives that minimize chromatic aberration at the wide-angle periphery and reduce color blur. The edge of the subject.

In addition, two types of spherical lenses are combined to reduce spherical aberration over the entire image area and zoom range. Optimized lens coating also helps to ensure outstanding color balance while minimizing ghosting. The lens is also equipped with a circular nine-blade diaphragm for a beautiful soft bottom.

A high-speed processor with ring-type USM and optimized AF algorithm enables quiet and fast autofocus.

Designed for harsh professional use, it has improved dustproof seals and water resistance while coating to accommodate ever-increasing digital photography. Using fluoride on the front and back lens surfaces can reduce dirt, streaks, and fingerprints.

The zoom lock lever locks the zoom position at the wide end for safe transport when mounted on the shoulder EOS DSLR camera.

4. Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

Specification:

The actual magnification of EF 100mm f / 2.8L EF USM macro is 1: 1. In other words, the subject you are actually shooting is the same size as the camera sensor.

This versatile lens, combined with integrated hybrid image stabilization and lightweight design, delivers stunning results in portrait and film creation thanks to its ability to achieve beautiful blur and shallow depth of field.

It's minimum focusing distance is 90 cm (you can get quite close 😉). Compress the facial features and allow the subject to stand out well on the background.

5. Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM

Specification:

A 35mm is a fixed focal length almost unavoidable for a photographer. Focale of excellence for reporting, it can also be quite suitable for landscape, and even portraiture. Canon has, in its fixed focal length range, a 35mm f / 1.4 originally designed for Canon EOS SLR cameras in EF mount, the Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L II USM. Here is our test of this very bright optics and dedicated to professionals.

This Mario is called the King of Objectives, do you want to know why he calls him that? Click on the link and you will know all its "benefits". If your budget does not allow it, you may want to know the one called by the Prince of the objectives.

This lens has a beautiful optical formula composed of 14 lenses divided into 11 groups. It integrates two aspheric lenses to limit, among other things, geometric aberrations (spherical aberrations and coma). There is also a UD (Ultra Low Dispersion) glass and a BR (Blue Ray) composite glass to limit chromatic aberrations. The flare and the presence of ghost images are limited thanks to the Super Spectra treatment.

It is an ultra-bright lens (maximum aperture f / 1.4 and minimum f / 22) with a circular diaphragm with 9 lamellae and the autofocus motor is provided by the USM motor (Ultra Sonic Motor). The minimum focusing distance is 28 cm which gives it a maximum magnification ratio of 0.21X.

This very long length has the merit of providing some advantages. For starters, the grip is very comfortable: we have plenty of room to grip the lens with all the fingers. It also allows a constant-space design depending on the focus distance. The front lens is always fixed which is a plus for potential use with a polarizing filter. This design is in favor of protection against bad weather and bad shooting conditions (rain, humidity, dust) which is also ensured by the presence of a seal at the mount. No worries about extreme terrain use!

The lens gives the best of itself at f / 5.6 and the overall performance is very slightly behind at the f / 1.4 largest aperture.

6. Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM AF

Specification:

The EF 85mm f / 1.2L USM II lens meets the highest Canon standards for precision optics. The L Series is the flagship range of Canon EF professional lenses, combining outstanding optical performance and extraordinary functionality with a dust and moisture-resistant construction.

Large aperture f / 1.2
The maximum aperture at f / 1.2 ensures fast shooting in low light conditions without the need for a flash. This very large aperture also allows very precise control of the depth of field for portrait photography.

Excellent background blur
The circular aperture creates an aesthetic and consistent background blur when isolating subjects with the full aperture.

Fast and Quiet Autofocus Focus
Ultrasonic Annular Motor (USM) uses ultrasonic vibration to drive extremely fast autofocus focusing on the near-silent operation. A fast processor and optimized AF algorithms further accelerate autofocus. On the other hand, this high torque AF motor stops the focusing lens group without inertia or hesitation. Manual and permanent retouching of the point is possible in autofocus.

Super Spectra Treatment Super Spectra
treatment and optimized lens shape eliminate the possibility of internal glare and ghosting, which can occur with digital cameras due to the sensor's potential reflection. This treatment also provides a natural color balance and enhances contrast for vivid and true-to-life images.

Transmitting Distance Information to the E-TTL II System
The lens transmits camera-to-subject distance information to the camera's E-TTL II flash system for optimal flash exposure metering in all shooting situations.

7. Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM

Specification:

This CANON 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM Super Wide Angle zoom provides a wider view, faster aperture and close focus.

Developed to succeed the famous 16-35mm f / 2.8L USM II, the Canon 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM lens is set to become the favorite wide-angle zoom lens for professionals.

The release of the Canon 5D Mark IV and its high resolution of 30 million pixels resulted in the design of this new ultra-wide-angle lens Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM.

Among the novelties to note, a revised optical formula with always 16 lenses now divided into 11 groups and a diaphragm 9 slices, which should ensure a fluid bokeh and accurate.

The constant f / 2.8 aperture guarantees outstanding performance in low light conditions and depth of field control over the entire zoom range. The fast autofocus is controlled by an annular USM (Ultrasonic Motor) engine that is virtually inaudible and features the latest autofocus algorithms developed by Canon. A permanent manual focus is also available. Like all lenses in the L series, it is weather resistant.

What is Canon's L series?
The letter L indicates that this lens belongs to the prestigious series of professional EF lenses: the ultimate in image quality and ease of use with added weather protection and reliability.

The lenses of the L series are designed from special optical materials such as fluorite and ultra-low dispersion glass (UD or super UD).

What is the USM engine?
The USM (ultrasonic) engine is the world's first engine operating on the principle of ultrasonic oscillations used to drive a quasi-silent focusing. It is faster than the human eye.

A USM lens also stops without inertia at the exact moment when the camera detects that the camera is in focus.

What are fluorite and Super UD lenses?
Canon was the first manufacturer to develop the Fluorite lenses and UD glass elements needed to correct chromatic aberration. This aberration results in a different point of convergence for the wavelengths of different colors or in the variation of the refraction of the different rays of light which pass through the lenses of conventional glass. Due to their special diffraction properties, Fluorite lenses and UD glass elements correct these aberrations and ensure optimal sharpness, high contrast, and accurate color reproduction.

Conclusion:

So far the article today, but before I say goodbye I have to tell you that there are many more factors to consider when making a portrait in addition to the objectives. If you really want to master portrait photography, you can't miss the last blog post in which we tell you everything you need to know to get stunning portraits.

If you found it useful, I would appreciate it if you shared it on Facebook, Google + or Twitter. If you think so, someone else may also find it useful 😉. Thank you and see you next time!

Top-Rated Canon Lens For Portraits and Wedding Photography