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Why the 35mm Might Be the Best “One-Lens” Setup for Photography
What if one lens could do it all — portraits, street, and landscapes — while freeing you to shoot more creatively and intentionally?
In this video, I share why the 35mm prime lens has become one of my favorite focal lengths for photographers who want to capture life with authenticity and emotion. Whether you shoot with a mirrorless camera, DSLR, or even a zoom lens set to 35mm, you’ll learn how this focal length can train your eye, simplify your setup, and make your photography more meaningful.
We’ll explore the pros and cons of shooting only with a 35mm, why it’s a classic for street photography and documentary work, and how it can bring out your creativity by limiting your choices. I’ll also show real-life examples of portraits, travel scenes, and street moments, and how the 35mm lets me stay connected to my subjects while telling a fuller story.
• Why 35mm is the “perfect middle ground” between 50mm and wider lenses
• How to use one focal length to train your eye and improve your compositions
• The storytelling power of including context without losing intimacy
• How physical movement replaces zooming and builds stronger awareness
• Tips to avoid distortion and use depth creatively in your images
• The challenges of shooting with 35mm and how to work around them
• Why limiting your gear can actually make you more creative
* Great low-light potential when using f/1.4 or f/1.8 lenses
* Compact, light, and discreet — perfect for travel or storytelling on the go
💡 Creative Photography Challenge
For one week, shoot only with your 35mm lens (or set your zoom to 35mm).
Pay attention to how your compositions evolve, how you interact with your subjects, and how your perspective changes when you limit your gear.
Send me your favorite image for feedback!
📩 **Email: photos@imagesthroughtime.com
🔗 Watch My 50mm Video
If you missed my video on using just a 50mm lens, you can watch it here:
👉
📞 One-on-One Mentorship
Want to take your photography to the next level?
Book a private Zoom consultation where we’ll review your work and identify what will elevate your photography — technically, artistically, and emotionally.
Contact me at: photos@imagesthroughtime.com
Subject line: One-on-One
🌍 About This Channel
I’m Rebecca Kowalsky, a professional photographer, educator, and storyteller. On this channel, I share practical photography tutorials, creative challenges, and reflections on how to see the world more meaningfully, through your camera and your heart.
Subscribe for weekly videos on:
• Photography composition and storytelling
• How to document your travels with intention
• Prime lens challenges (35mm, 50mm, 85mm)
• Mindful and emotional photography
• Street and portrait photography tips
📬 Stay Connected
Website: www.imagesthroughtime.com
Email: photos@imagesthroughtime.com
YouTube: @RebeccaKowalskyPhoto
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Comments
21 responses to “How ONE Lens ONLY -the 35 MM Can Do it All! – The One Lens Challenge”
When you shoot with one lens long enough, the world starts to reshape itself around that frame.
I’m curious — if you could only photograph life with one focal length, which would you choose, and why?
Many old fixed lens film cameras came with 35mm prefixed. That is their versatility.
Currently I'm shooting on my Sony A6300 (which is APS-C) with a Sigma 30mm f1.4 (a 45mm equivalent). I quite like it, but I think I'd want to try out a 24mm soon (basically 35mm equivalent)!
I love my apsc camera, but the equivalent FL's are a bit of a hassle. To get to 35mm, you need 23mm on apsc and that is already very wide.
Most mature and appropriate narration. Thank you Madam.
I am not exactly new to one lens challenge. My friends and I do weekend photowalks using agreed single prime lens from fisheye to 200mm.
Thank you Rebecca, your video is a great analysis. I believe in using a specific Lens for what is designed for. The 35mm is my story telling Lens, this means environment, context, layers people, places and culture. When I travel, this is the Lens I take plus my travel zoom 24-120f4. This set covers me perfectly.
For me it used to be the 50, now it's the 28. The image tells a story
I am brand new to my camera, and photography. I have really enjoyed your videos. Thanks for making them!
It's hard to take your advice when your face is out of focus…
You must be talking about 35 mm lens on a fullframe perspective and I appreciate your view of using that lens on streets more often to be creative to show more but not less enough to dismiss the environment fitting around the focal point!! But the problem with using a fixed lens that requires proximity to your main subject which is more often than not make your subject aware of you but this even handled if you are able to give some time to bring out what you needing to capture but the major problem is you have to encounter varied people while you travel to different cultures and most of the time you are likely to encounter hostile people to let you take their pictures very happily if they are aware of a photographer!! You have no problem at all to shoot people if you camouflage yourself from the such situations and I think a little heavier alternative is the correct choice to avoid confrontation and today's short faster zoom lenses are you excellent for streets although they're much bulkier to carry about all dayl long, but a f/1.4 35 mm on the contrary isn't weightless at all if you have to carry it all day long in your hand!! I have little belief not to use a zoom on a fixed focal range, at 35 mm for all example, and shoot along in the same way you would if you don't have the zoom option to be creative and developing as a photographer because you can leran to restain yourself switching frequently when you have options ready at hand but the advantageous aspect is that the ambushcade coud be applied easily if you switch to higher focal lengths whenever needing in an instant!! In the times of HCB today's zoom lenses ware a dream to have one and the then photographers had barely any faster lens options wider or longer than the 50 mm and the only best lens in those days were made 50 mm, but they were masters and would probably, in my opinion love to have today's faster zooms to take better landscapes to cozy portraits to street shots and another advantage was that people back then were far more bearing and helping to facilitate photography in general and last but not the least is that they usued to take huge box cameras and tripods with them as you can still watch the hard work in films of Michael Kena shooting landscapes with unimaginable heavy camera and equipments!!
I am new to Rebecca Kowalsky. I totally enjoyed and was really inspired by this video. I put a 35mm lens on my camera as it is small and light and looks great on my retro camera. And I have barely taken a shot in months. I have little experience or confidence with this focal length and have felt rather intimidated by it. When I saw this video listed, I knew I had to check it out..
Well, I loved it and I loved you. I'm now subscribed and look forward to watching more of your videos. Many thanks. This really helped.
Z30 here with a 16-50mm, it is light, discreet and very flexible, the best part is it is affordable, not sure that 1 focal length can do everything
Thank
You for this video it’s so clear and informative
I'm a 28 kinda guy who is totally fine with cropping! 😊
my more than 20 years since film, DSLR and now with the mirrorlrss, I used primes more than zoom and it was nice practical way. I feel my photographic eyes improved. My fav focal length are 50 and 85. I know the distance between me and the subject and take the photos with 50 or 85 in perfect position no moving to adjust the frame like you said 'show up and shoot'
I like the 50mm lens – but it sucks when trying to capture wildlife…
This is nothing but a cheap PR for lens manufacturers. Since when are lenses creating better pictures? Since when does the focal length of a lens create more than a picture?
This video has as much to do about creating pictures than the color of a piano has to do about Beethoven. Outright stupid
Well, 40mm f2.8 Nikon, having macro capabilities as well may make it more versatile than 35mm. Just a thought.
This is a great video! I'm new to all of this but I much prefer the idea of engaging with your environment rather than "snooping on it" from a distance. Just a quick question – when you say 35mm in this context, is this when paired with a full frame camera or for a crop sensor DSLR? Would you recommend compensating with a smaller lens to get the same effect/distance from subject that you're talking about here?
I have lots of lenses from 13mm to 200mm in zooms for my landscape. My prime lenses are 50mm and 35mm for a reason. They are the best primes for street photography. I also have a 100mm prime for macro but that’s a different subject.