THE LENS LIBRARY / ESSAY 01

Focal stories

Choose a lens by the relationship you want to photograph.

THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

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10 GUIDES / PRACTICAL BY DESIGN

10 guides

Keep a fixed focal length and change distance to include useful surroundings.

Check working distance before committing to a tight portrait lens.

Move until the subject and surrounding shapes have the intended relationship.

Increase focal length while maintaining a clear line of sight.

Keep faces away from extreme corners and avoid shooting too close.

Keep enough foreground to establish position without exaggerating near objects.

List likely working distances before choosing the lens with useful coverage.

Change position until repeating elements align cleanly behind the subject.

Find the minimum focusing distance before choosing a tighter crop.

Decide which additional context earns its place before switching lenses.