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Position:Home>Visual Arts> Why is wide aperture lens required for Portrait photographs?Question: Why is wide aperture lens required for Portrait photographs!? I was looking around for tips on Photography, and I found a gentleman recommending using a wide aperture lens for Portrait photograph!. My question is what's the reason behind this tip!. Thanks in advance!.
You can read the exact answer here (user : electrosmack1): "http://answers!.yahoo!.com/question/index!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hey, sorry for not really elaborating on why a wide aperture would be best for portrait work!. The aperture is measured in f-stops!. In my example, the 50mm f1!.8, f1!.8 is very wide!. An even wider f-stop would be f1!.4, and wider than that would be f1!.2!. A wide aperture creates shallow depth of field (DOF)!. Shallow DOF causes anything not in the focal plain to be out of focus!. The wider the aperture, the shallower the DOF!. This out of focus area is called, bokeh!. With a wide aperture edges become subtle, the DOF is very shallow, and the bokeh is very pleasant!. This, as stated above, helps hide blemishes and creates an overall "soft" feel!. Among a few other reasons, this is why a wide aperture would be ideal for portrait photography!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Traditional portraiture uses a soft focus obtained with either a large aperture or a diffusion screen over the lens!. This practice hides skin blemishes, age lines etc!. to some extent; it's flattering!. For the same reason lights are usually wide sources, like umbrellas or you can bounce small source such as strobes; that softens the shadows!. Of course you can develop your own style!. Karsh liked lots of contrast and took no pains to flatter his subjects!. Annie Liebowitz can't be bothered with tradition!.Www@QuestionHome@Com It creates an out of focus background which isolates the subject!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Let me show you samples: (Click on ALL SIZES to see larger version)!. Canon 100 mm f 2!.8 Macro at f 2!.8 http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. Canon 50 mm f 1!.8 at 1!.8 and 5!.6 http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. On the other hand, the opposite (smaller aperture) Canon 16-35 mm f 2!.8 (can't recall the aperture--but it wasn't at 2!.8 for sure)!. See everything in focus!? http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. Another, Canon 17-40 mm f 4 http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. Canon 24-70 mm f 2!.8 http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!. This will make more sense: http://www!.flickr!.com/photos/little_pook!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |