Perfect portraits with a prime lens

Alistair Campbell reveals how to get the most from your model shoot using a budget 'nifty fifty' prime lens with a wide aperture

- Alistair Campbell

Photographing people comes easily to some, but can feel daunting to others. Although there are many technical aspects to consider, you also need to build a rapport with your subject. In this photo project, I worked with model Melda (Instagram: @melem.en) and I’m going to show you how can simplify your shoots by using just one single prime lens.

There are many opinions on which lens is the perfect lens for portraits. Usually 85mm is touted as the king (on full-frame). In fact, when I picked up my first camera, a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, it came with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. For a couple of years, this was the only lens I owned and still, to this day, is one of my favourite lenses to use for great people pictures.

A ‘nifty fifty’ on an APS-C Canon gives you a similar focal length to that sought-after 85mm focal length, but on a full-frame body 50mm gives you more space around the subject to include the environment. Plus 50mm lenses are often really affordable: the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is only £109 (or even cheaper second-hand!) and it will still do a splendid job. It’s no surprise why a 50mm lens is usually the next upgrade for beginners who have outgrown the limitations of an 18-55mm kit lens.

Shooting wide open at an aperture of f/1.8 or f/1.4 will create a softer background, which will draw full attention to your model you’re focusing on.