Pixiq

Choosing the prefect lens can make a major difference in your photographs.  At the start of my career I had a nikon body with a 50mm lens and I shot everything with it.  I didn't understand the importance of having the right lens for different project.  

I fell in love with photographing people and learned how important it is to use the right lens.  In the example's here I show two of my favorite lenses.  The 85mm and the 100 macro.  The camera I am using is the Sony A900, which is full frame.  Both are great portrait lenses but their is a stricking difference and to really see the difference in your own lenses you should take the time to do this simple test.  The advantages of doing this test will teach you more than you could imagine.  You'll really get a sense of how your lenses work and how different each handles the same exposure.  The more you know about your individual equipment the better you'll be able to select the right gear for each shoot.  Notice how the 100 macro slims the face of my subject ever so slightly, but this small difference will make your images stand out from everyone else.  This is not a rule but simply what works for me.  Many photographers have different styles of shooting but this one works for me.  Find what works for you and stay true to your style.  Better yet, but don't take my word do the following test.

1)  Take your favorite lens and photograph a friend in the same location at the same exposure.  Lets start with F4.0.,  and for the sake of this test use aperture priority mode.  The test is better if you use a handheld light meter to ensure you have the correct exposure, but for those who don't have a meter you can still conduct this test.  Make sure you're in a location where your light will be consistent for the duration of this test and that your ISO stays the same.

2)  Photography your subject from your widest aperture to your lowest.  Example F 2.0 to F 16.0.  Do this for each of the lenses you own.  I like having the visual reference in the image as shown here, but you can also see how each image was shot in your meta data.

3)  After you're shot each of your lenses through the range you can compare them side by side.  I love Lightroom for editing as it gives me the flexibility to make collections for each lens and to then compare them side by side.  By the end of this test you can view all of your lens shot at 5.6 side by side.  So if you have five lenses you'll have five shots to compare and notice the difference.  This test is time consuming but once you have it complete it will sever you for years to come and you'll gain more knowledge about your equipment than you've ever dreamed.

Learn more tips on how to photograph women in my new video, Ten Ways to Photograph Women available as a download by CLICKING HERE.

Good luck!