New Lenses: 50mm, 35mm, 24-70mm
When I was first starting out with photography, I had a difficult time learning the technical details of my equipment. I loved the creative process but felt clueless when it came to camera settings and lenses. After begging my mom to buy me a camera for my 14th birthday, I got a Canon Powershot S5 IS bundle from Costco that came with two standard kit lenses.
Fast forward to college, I had upgraded to a Canon Rebel T3i and bought my first prime lens. The nifty fifty. Buying this lens motivated me to get to know my equipment better. I dedicated my time to learning how to shoot in manual mode especially if I wanted to take advantage of what the 50mm f/1.8 could do.
After many Youtube videos and google searches later, I felt pretty confident about what I could achieve with different lenses. I'm now a proud owner of the Canon 50mm f/1.2, Sigma 35mm f/1.4, and the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II. Check out why these are my current favorites below:
canon 50mm f/1.2
F/1.2 at 1/2500 sec with ISO 100
You can't go wrong with the 50mm. It's like the classic jean jacket in your closet. You just need it. This lens works for a wide variety of scenes but it's especially great for portraits. The bokeh (blurred background) is outstanding. The 1.2 was definitely out of my price range when I first started out but the 1.8 was my go to. The wide aperture works great for low light situations and creating soft looks.
sigma 35mm 1.4
F/1.4 at 1/2000 sec with ISO 100
The 35mm has quickly become a new favorite of mine. All of these shots were taken from the same distance and it's clear that this lens adds just enough of the background to put our subject in an environment. This really works great if you're shooting editorials where your focus is on the subject and the background. The 35mm is technically considered a wide-angle yet it gives good depth of field when shooting up close. This can be useful if you're in a tight space and can't physically move back as you would with a 50mm.
24-70mm f/2.8l ii
24MM F/2.8 at 1/400 sec with ISO 100
Another lens I haven't been able to put down is the 24-70mm. It is such a versatile lens that I've been able to bring it with me to events, portrait sessions, fashion editorials, and more. One of my favorite things about it is the ability to go wider than my 35mm. Shooting fashion editorials becomes so much more interesting when you're able to go as wide as 24mm. You can shoot at interesting angles and create an interesting visual story.
While I'm a big advocate of shooting creatively first and thinking about the technical stuff later, it was very important for me to learn what different lenses can do in order for me to know what I need to use to achieve a desired look. Let us know what your current favorite lens is or if you need help choosing your next lens.
Is it the weekend yet?
Arabela