24 21 September 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Technique MAKING THE MOST OF 50MM
Brett Harkness
Brett’s photography covers everything from
high-end weddings to portraiture. He’s well
known for his fun and cutting-edge approach.
Seewww.brettharknessphotography.com;
Instagram@brettharkness, Twitter@
brettharkness; FacebookBrettHarkness.M
y first-evercamerawasa Pentax
MEwitha fixed50mmlens.This
set-upforcedmetogetclosetomy
subject,andit alsotaughtmethe
artofcomposition.It’salltooeasynowadaysfor
photographerstoputona zoomlensandforgetto
movetheirfeet.I actuallythinkusinga zoommakes
composinga shotharder,astherearejusttoomany
options.Gettingusedtooneortwolensescanturn
youintothephotographeryouwanttobe.It certainly
didwithme.It changedthewayI lookattheworld.
If I’mshootinga weddingthena 50mmlensallows
metoincludesomeoftheenvironmentaroundmy
subjects,whilestayingcloseenoughtocontinue
engagingwiththem.It alsoplacesmeinthethick
oftheactionandencouragesmetomovemyfeet.
WhenI havetoworka bitharderit reallypushesme
creatively– sopickupyour50mmandgiveit a go.
Weddings
UK wedding photographer Brett Harkness
explains why over the past eight years
a 50mm lens has become his staple
Keep things
comfortable
If you’re confused about
which focal length is right for
you, then try a 24-70mm
if you have one, or borrow
one. This is what I did years
ago. I would shoot one job
on 24mm, then 35mm,
then 50mm, then 60mm,
and then 70mm until I
went back to 50mm as
the focal length I was most
comfortable with. A lot of
my friends swear by their
35mm lens – I do use one,
but I fi nd that the 50mm
and I have created a style
that suits us.Save your back!
I’m not a big fan of carrying half of the camera shop around with me when I’m
shooting a wedding, and I’m often running around London, so I like to keep my
gear to a minimum. A 35mm or 50mm lens is ideal; no heavy zooms required!Embrace the bokeh
My Canon L lens has the softest bokeh of any lens I’ve
used, and that’s the main reason why I love it. Yes it
can be soft, but there is a special quality to this softness.
I often shoot at f/1.2 or f/2, but my preferred aperture
for most jobs is f/3.5. At this aperture the subject will
be sharp, while the background will have the desired
softness. Shooting anything with an aperture of f/1.2
is not for the faint-hearted, but it can give a wonderful
ethereal look to your images.ALL PICTURES ON PAGES 24-25 © BRETT HARKNESS