In the second installment of this 2-part tutorial, Mark Wallace demonstrates the differences between wide angle and telephoto lenses for portrait photography. This video debunks the myth that wide angle lenses distort faces, shows why you should use longer zoom lenses in the studio, even a small studio. Mark also walks through the process of using a 35mm lens for environmental portraits.
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Photos by Mark Wallace
Model: Natasha Palackovich
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If you have questions, please share them below.

Comments
47 responses to “Understanding Portrait Lenses Part 2: Exploring Photography with Mark Wallace”
This class is great. Hope to see another class from Mark.
โค๏ธโค๏ธEverything is so clear and well explained
Thank you! VERY INFORMATIVE.
Very nice Thank you sir
Your argument is specious, false and misleading. You are correct in saying distance causes the distortion but in order to rid yourself of the distortion you have to back away and then crop the image to head and shoulders instead of getting a full frame image with a portrait lens and not have to crop. So you have reduced your 22 mp camera down to 6 mp when you crop down to 25% in order to get a head and shoulders view without distortion. Or you can use a portrait lens and enjoy the entire 22mp sensor which may be the reason you bought the camera to begin with. Btw, same argument for those that think the "nifty 50" is a good choice for portraits.
Did anyone else see the orb fly in from Natasha's(?) right should, just above her head at :42? That is not dust or a fly!
Mark, lol…you are already having such a big hall for photography. When i am shooting at my home – hall, i never get this much of open space back of the model. That is the main problem what we face to use small space and separating the background/backdrop or avoiding shadows of the subject.
Wide angle shots are really nice to use portrait at public and resort like places, that too starting at 35mm which won't create any distortion. Even in TV studios, they use this 35mm prime, but not 24mm.
Yea distortion but it's still perspective,
The film the Revenant was shot on a 24mm, loved the perspective
Look who has a hookah!!! Mark, I had no idea you were a fan of hookah….or are you about to break my heart and say that the hookah is just a prop.
Wheres Nancy ๐ญ
Hasselblad 500C, 150 Sonnar with No 10 extension tube. f22 for head shot gives nose to ear in focus.
You explain things so well, and you are so articulate! Thanks for being a great instructor.
Is Natasha a human or a doll ? ๐
I like your videos. You're a good teacher
Mark what is that adapter that attaches the camera to the light stand? I don't even know what words to use to search for it.
How do you explain the distortion in the corners of an image taken with a wide angle lens?
Is that because of the distance too?
This video is so pointless, you explain brainless things like the watchers are babies, "oh look, her palm is closer to the camera, noo ! that doesn't mean it's bigger that her's head" -_-
Learn physics and remake this video explaining why the distortion happens and what it really is, I'm gonna dislike for now.
Is that an orb moving across the top, from left to right, at 41 seconds in??
Back side what are you using for background
Tell the name curtain aur something else
Simply and clearly explained. By "misnomer", did you mean "misconception"?
Best explanation ever on YouTube , thank you, very informational
In a small studio, wouldn't it be better to have a selection of prime lenses, like say a 10mm, an 85mm, and a 50mm and take advantage of the sharper images at known distances with known lighting qualities?
I did appreciate the demonstration of the difference between small focal length up close and longer focal length further away.
Is it possible to take portraits of group of people (10-12) with wide angle lens i mean to say with nikon 35mm 1.8G. If it is possible then please help me out how to take the portraits of group of people with wide angle lens.
what is the camera stand that Mark initially mounted the camera on. seems you can adjust the camera height easily on that.
what is the camera tripod name that Mark kept the camera in the beginning of the video
Hi Mark. I would like to know what are the supporting stands? are they from the floor to the ceiling? and the heavy duty holders for equipment? could you provide me with more info on those? Thanks, Lubomir
Her stare pierce through my vein…๐
I'm glad I saw her blink…
Too much gear use
Are these full frame focal lengths?
Great video Mark
Chill women. Got it.
sexy
that woman gives some chills
Great tutorial Mark. Simple, clean &a concise. I took the rare step of subscribing to a forum
Where did you get that tripod /
stand?
You did a very good job. Short and simple explanations and the right doing afterwards. And the Pictures Shows that. Keep on. You have one subscriber more from Germany!
Well done Mark… as always. Keep them coming.
nice explanation, thank you sir!
You did a great job, Mark! thanks for sharing!
I have more fun watching the models looking a bit uncomfortable while Mark talks than anything else. (sorry, Mark!). "Where do I look? Look straight ahead. WHAT"S THAT?! Dammit, look straight ahead! Maintain dead eyes…"
You are remarkably Correct @Mark
Blur the pictures at 6:05 but don't have them blurred at 7:30?
I think going back and defining what a portrait is is extremely important. Some could argue that the coffee pics at the end were not portraits. I have been wondering about that for a bit. Is "portrait" simply an umbrella term for any shot of a person? or is exclusively shoulders to the top of the head?
cool video
Very informative! Thanks!!!!! ๐๐๐
He kicked out poor Nancy!
beautiful model, I can't be a portrait photographer, i tends to fall in love with them.