Photography must understand the purpose of each focal length of the lens

The purpose of each focal length of the lens (personal opinion, for reference only)

2011-11-02 16:20:34

8mm: extremely exaggerated picture , the use is not limited.

18-16mm: Same as above

22mm-24mm: Unrigorous architectural panorama, or a natural landscape (rigorous ones require a large format and tilt-shift lens to correct the phase difference), city Buildings, large crowds.

28mm: Vast landscapes, crowded scenes, portraits with a sense of group

35mm: General landscapes, buildings or building interiors, documentary portraits

50mm : Partial landscapes, full-body portraits, in fact can be used for any scene and subject matter.

60-65mm: Small macro, suitable for photographing products such as cup-sized objects or rice cookers. This focal length is suitable for purchasing a macro lens.

80mm: Half-length portraits, some close-ups, or highlighting someone in a scene.

100mm: The golden focal length for macro, especially suitable for shooting macro subjects.

135mm: Portrait focal length, suitable for close-ups of portraits. Those particularly beautiful mm and background blur shots on the Internet are all shot at this focal length (usually an 85mm lens is used on an ordinary APS SLR. Due to the conversion coefficient , just enough to get the focal length of 135)

200mm: close-up portraits, large portraits, long-range shots.

300mm: For close-up shots of people in the distance, close-up birds, sports, and long-range shots.

400MM--600mm: wild animals, football games, etc.

1200mm: Astrophotography, dangerous wildlife, games in large stadiums

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The focal length of 50mm is the best and worst, and the effect seen by the human eye It's close, so it doesn't have the impact of a wide angle, nor the shock of a telephoto, but there are more top-notch works shot with a 50mm lens in history than all other focal lengths combined.

50mm cannot have the impact of the picture itself, so 50mm must win with content. Composition, color, connotation, and story are all extremely important, so it can usually produce great works.

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35mm is the favorite for photojournalism , quasi-wide-angle, which can accommodate more things than what the human eye can see, but does not include a lot of irrelevant things like a super wide-angle with a focal length of 28 or shorter.

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135mm fixed focus, generally this kind of The lens is called "Beauty Head", you know what it means.

The 50mm lens is a standard lens. Ordinary fixed-focus lenses are generally 50mm lenses, which are the most commonly used. They can be used for traveling and shooting general scenes.

The two lenses you mentioned are both zoom lenses. The one below 50mm is a wide-angle lens. The farther down you go, the wider the angle. The one above 50mm is a telephoto lens. The one above 50mm is a telephoto lens. The farther up you go, the farther the shooting distance is. Hyperfocal or macro shots.

Both of your lenses can be used for ordinary shooting or artistic shooting. If you want to take wide-angle shots, such as wide-angle shots of buildings and roads, you can use an 18-70mm lens, which is the photo you usually see with the bottom bent downward and deformed. The minimum can reach 18mm, which means that the effect of a fisheye lens can be achieved. The photographed objects are extremely exaggerated, just like a fish eye. The photographed objects are round, and the objects in the middle are protruding outwards. If you want to take artistic shots, use this lens to focus on wide-angle shots.

Then the 70-300mm can focus on telephoto shooting. For example, when taking pictures of people or objects on the top of a mountain, flowers on the top of a tall building, people or objects standing above the ground, etc., you can adjust the focal length longer to bring the distant objects closer and see them clearly. Clear, close-ups are useful. But when zoomed in, the depth of field becomes smaller. For example, when taking a close-up of a person's face, if his face fills the entire space, other things and other things around him will be missing or blurred. This means that if you take a long shot, If you place something in the background, it will blur the environment, so it is mainly used to emphasize a certain point. The photographed things will have a strong visual impact.

In addition, your lens has reached the level of hyperfocal and macro shooting. You can also use this lens for macro shooting, such as shooting flowers, a petal of a flower or dewdrops on a leaf. Everything can be captured clearly with this lens.

The zoom ranges of your two lenses are very large, so there is a lot of room for you to use them. As for how to shoot and what to shoot, it depends on you. It can be said that with these two With just one lens, you can shoot as you like. I hope my little opinion will be useful to you.

1. Expression functions of short focal length photography lenses

(1) Since the shape of short focal length photography lenses is characterized by a large viewing angle, it is suitable for shooting distant views with multi-layered scenes. And panoramic pictures, you don’t need to move the camera very far to capture the panoramic or medium shots required for the plot. In order to save money in modern film and television shooting, shooting is usually done in a relatively small real scene or in front of a set in a studio. A short focal length photography lens can make up for the lack of width of the set or real scene. If coupled with a tilt angle, it can even more The audience leaves a deep visual impression. Short focal length photography lenses are helpful for expressing multi-layered scenes such as magnificent mass scenes, vast fields, spectacular buildings, and complex depth scheduling. However, due to its small image magnification, it is generally not used for shooting close-ups and close-ups.

(2) Taking advantage of the strong perspective effect of short focal length photography lenses is essential for photographers to create art. When shooting a conversation between two characters from an outside reverse shot angle, using a short focus lens can create a greater spatial distance between the two characters than a standard photography lens while maintaining the same scene, thereby expressing the psychological gap between the two characters. . In the American film "The Graduate", the male protagonist is seen with his parents, relatives and friends using a long focal length camera lens to narrow the distance between the characters to show the care of the elders for him. On the contrary, he and Mrs. Luo are The shot of "hanging out" together uses a wide-angle lens, implying that the psychological distance between them is just "hanging out". (Figure 2-1) (Figure 2-2)

(3) When shooting portraits of people at close range with a short focal length photography lens, it can produce a special perspective deformation effect, which can express the abnormal state of mind of the characters at close range. ,mood. For example, most of the characters in Zhang Yimou's film "Speak Well" were shot at close range with short focal length photography lenses, making the characters' noses bigger, cheekbones bigger, ears smaller, and half of the characters shot in profile. At the same time, one eye close to the camera becomes too large and the other eye becomes smaller, which fully expresses the distorted and abnormal psychological state of the characters in the film. For another example, many scenes and shots in the German film "Professor Mamen" were shot with wide-angle lenses, such as scenes where Mamen was arrested, Mamen's daughter was besieged by her classmates for no reason, etc. The skewed subjective shots all It is deformed, implying that after Hit Jin came to power, everything seemed to have lost its normalcy. The former Soviet film "The Wild Goose Flying South" is known as a poetic film, and its photography style is famous for its emotional photography. Emotional photography does not aim at true reproduction. The camera participates in the play with strong subjective emotions. For example, the heroine Weronika wanted to commit suicide after being criticized by the work unit leader for her love setbacks. She ran wildly on the railway line. A close-up of her was shot with a wide-angle lens (the actor held the camera and took the shot himself), intentionally exaggerating the portrait with a loss of form. to reveal her regret and grief at this moment.

(4) Compared with a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens, when shooting the same scene, it can not only highlight the subject character, but also show the characteristics of the environment. Therefore, using a wide-angle lens to shoot a close-up of a person can not only see the person's face clearly Expressions can also explain the environment where the characters are located, thereby achieving the purpose of using the environment to highlight the characters and explain the content of the event. At the same time, explaining the relationship between the characters and their environment can increase the authenticity of the event. For example, the reporter’s live report on the Macau handover ceremony was shot with a wide-angle lens, which allowed the reporter’s facial expressions and the environment behind the reporter to be seen clearly. This is a commonly used technique in news reports. Almost all the close-up shots in the feature film "Citizen Kane" were shot with a wide-angle lens. The intention was to use the environment-a luxurious residence to highlight the inner emptiness of the protagonist Kane.

(5) The wide-angle lens can complete the tasks of sneak shots, snap shots, and snapshots at close range. Because the wide-angle lens has a wide angle of view and a large depth of field, you can get clear images without looking at the viewfinder or out of focus, which is very beneficial for candid photography. In news and feature photography, when the shooting scene is chaotic and there are many people, reporters can raise the camera with both hands and use estimated focus and framing methods to shoot, so that the subject is not easily noticed and it is easy to take candid photos. Candid photography is not only used to prevent filming, but is also frequently used in feature films. The candid shots are real and natural. But not everything can be photographed secretly, so you have to pay attention to your sense of proportion. In addition, in sports photography, shooting with a wide-angle lens can produce very stable images. If the amount of camera shake is equal, the shake in a picture taken with a telephoto lens will be very noticeable, while the shake in a picture taken with a short focal length lens will be reduced. Therefore, when shooting on the shoulder or handheld in news photography, try to shoot with a wide-angle lens to keep the picture stable (especially the fixed picture). This is also the basic skill of the cameraman.

(6) Utilize the characteristics of wide-angle photography lens with large depth of field and strong perspective effect to express the effect of depth space. Part of the image in the picture is clear (for example, the subject is clear), while the other part is blurred (for example, the background is blurred), forming a contrast effect between virtual and real, resulting in the beauty of virtual and real. This is a commonly used method. The depth of field lens (the entire picture is a clear real image) is also a method of expression. For example, in the film "Citizen Kane", in order to emphasize the depth effect, a wide-angle lens was used to shoot, so that the subject, foreground and background are all within the depth of field, and form a larger image perspective effect. While emphasizing the depth space, it also highlights the subject. , while explaining the relationship between the subject and the environment, making the content of the picture more realistic.

(7) Wide-angle photography lens can be used for stunt photography in film and television works.

Due to its large depth of field and large perspective ratio, wide-angle lenses have special uses when shooting stunt models (dynamic or static). Some stunt scenes in film and television works are completed on-site. For example, a large number of model shots in the American film "Titanic" were shot with wide-angle lenses. The three necessary conditions for shooting models to achieve realistic effects are low angles (elevation angles). , slow motion (high speed) and wide angle photography lenses.

In addition, when it comes to showing movement, since the wide-angle lens exaggerates the speed of subjects moving vertically, this characteristic can be used to enhance the sense of speed of vertical movement, for example, when shooting cars and people. In scenes such as front and rear chases, it is used to enhance the sense of speed and create a thrilling atmosphere.

2. Performance functions of long focal length photography lenses

(1) Used for long-distance shooting and candid shooting. If you want to show close-ups of small objects, such as eyes, school badges, rings, etc., or show close-ups of distant objects, short focal length photography lenses are powerless. These tasks can only be accomplished with long focal length photography lenses. Because long focal length photography lenses have the characteristics of narrow viewing angle and high image magnification, they can bring distant scenery closer. For example, when you want to take a close-up of a person's eyes, or a certain detail, or depict the inner emotions of a character, a long focal length photography lens has the advantage of special functions. In shooting practice, some subjects are far away, difficult to approach or cannot be approached at all, and can only be photographed with long-focus photography lenses, such as sports competitions, birds and animals, close-ups of the sun, boats sailing in rivers, and forests. beasts and certain explosions, war scenes or news events, etc. In addition, in the filming of TV series and TV special films, in order to pursue real and natural artistic effects, especially some documentary-style film and television works, actors are allowed to go into real life, and the actors' performances in the crowd are filmed from a distance through telephoto lenses. Make the actors unaware of the presence of the camera to achieve a very realistic performance effect. For example, many scenes in the movie "Qiu Ju's Lawsuit" were shot this way. In documentary programs, candid shots and adjusted shots have become powerful creative methods.

(2) Because the depth of field of a long focal length photography lens is small, except for the subject, the front and rear scenes are in a blurred state. You can process the unavoidable cluttered background into a virtual image (outside the depth of field) or select the background. Shoot in relatively “clean” parts to reduce interference from cluttered backgrounds and achieve the purpose of highlighting the subject. For example, in the movie "The Wilderness", young men and women meet in a birch forest. Except for the main characters, the background and foreground are extremely blurred, especially the leaves in the foreground, which are blurred into colorful blocks, forming a special The beautiful charm effectively expresses the affection between men and women. In addition, using a long focal length photography lens to pan a fast-moving object from a distance creates a tracking effect, which not only highlights the subject, but also enhances the subject's sense of movement.

(3) By taking advantage of the weak perspective of long focal length photography lenses and compressing the spatial distance between subjects in depth space, multiple layers of scenery and characters can be compressed together to enhance the picture. Feelings of crowding, congestion, and tension. For example, in the film "Military Parade", the photographer used a long-focus lens to shoot the military training scenes of officers and soldiers at a slightly lower angle, making the whole picture full and full of tense emotions, leaving a deep impression on the audience. Using a long focal length photography lens to shoot a conversation scene between two characters from an external reverse shot angle. When the scene remains unchanged, the spatial distance between the two characters can be closer than a standard photography lens. It is used to express the relationship between the two characters. of intimacy. You can also take close-ups of the sun and people in one frame. The spatial compression modeling function of a long focal length photography lens can allow a narrow space to be reproduced normally or to enhance its cramped atmosphere. In the TV series "Chicken Feathers", the male protagonist Xiaolin went through all kinds of troubles and was divided into two public rooms. On the surface, they were upstairs and downstairs. In fact, they were converted into staircases and corridors, which seemed very narrow. In order to realistically reproduce Xiaolin's apartment, the creators were too narrow. The housing was shot with a telephoto lens and backlit, emphasizing the crowded and cramped housing conditions, thus deepening the theme.

The main content of the movie "Yellow Earth" is cave dwellings. The cave dwellings are relatively narrow. If you use a wide-angle lens to shoot, the cave dwellings will be shot too spacious, which will cause distortion. However, telephoto lenses and standard lenses can only capture a corner, not a panoramic view, and it is difficult to zoom out. In order to solve this contradiction, the photographer came up with a way to dig a hole in a hole on the side where the machine is placed, and put the machine in the small hole. This way, he can use a longer focal length lens to take panoramic and mid-range shots, realistically Reproduce the real environment of the cave dwelling. Some photographers do not understand the modeling characteristics of the lens and use a wide-angle lens to shoot in a narrow environment. As a result, the environment is too distorted. For example, when shooting with a wide-angle lens in a small sleeping car, not only the environment is distorted, but the characters are also distorted.

(4) Using photography lenses with different focal lengths can also grasp the visual rhythm of the picture. We know that movement is a unique form of expression of film and television art and the life of film and television art. When a long focal length photography lens shoots a horizontally moving object, the front and rear backgrounds change rapidly and are virtual in the picture. Panning the moving object laterally can achieve the effect of horizontal movement, enhance the visual rhythm of the picture, and express emotions such as tension, uneasiness, and joy. . For example, in the film "My Father and Mother" directed by Zhang Yimou, in a scene where a younger brother brings steamed dumplings to his husband, a long-focus camera lens was used to follow the scene, which not only enhanced the visual rhythm of the picture, but also showed the protagonist's complex emotions of nervousness and uneasiness at that time. , also makes the picture lose its clear sense of spatial orientation.

Only by shooting the longitudinal movement of the subject with a short focal length photography lens can the visual rhythm of the picture be enhanced. For example, when shooting scenes of fighting or chasing each other on the battlefield, this method is often used to show the tense rhythm and atmosphere. On the contrary, using a long focal length photography lens to handle depth adjustment and a wide-angle lens to handle lateral movement can weaken the subject's sense of movement speed, as if it has stopped moving forward, thus slowing down the visual rhythm. For example, in the famous last-minute rescue scene in the film "The Graduate", a long-focus lens is used to shoot the protagonist running to the church vertically. The character seems to be running in place. Although the visual rhythm seems to have slowed down, it is still This created even more tension for the audience.

(5) Focus conversion techniques can be accomplished by shooting with a long focal length photography lens. Focus transition, also known as dynamic focus, is to change the focus back and forth in the same shot according to the performance content, in order to achieve the purpose of scheduling and shifting the audience's visual focus. For example, when shooting a conversation between A and B, A is closer to the camera and B is further away. When A is talking, focus on A. At this time, A is clear and B is blurry. On the contrary, when B is talking, the focus is on A. Adjust the focus to B. At this time, B is clear and A is blurred. There are two conditions for focus conversion: first, the depth of field is small, and second, the vertical distance between the subjects is large. If there is no difference in vertical distance, even if a long focal length photography lens is used, there will be no obvious focus shift effect.

In the American film "The Graduate", only one shot was used to show the mother and daughter (Mrs. Luo and Lian), and this technique was used: the mother and daughter were both in the frame at the beginning of the shot, using the focus Move, first let the audience see the young daughter clearly, and then shift the focus to the mother standing at the door. At this time, the daughter's image is blurred, and the audience can only see her mother clearly. This technique can easily make the audience think of the creator's intention, that is, the causal relationship between before and after: the daughter suddenly understood that her boyfriend (Bing)'s mistress was none other than her biological mother.

(6) It is normal for the focus of the scene in the picture to be both virtual and real. A defocused picture means that the entire picture has no focus and no part is clear. Technically speaking, it is a waste product. But artistically speaking, focus is not just a technical means of imaging, but has also become a modeling means to create a picture image. Photography is called "fuzzy language", and it was used for creation relatively early. Film and television photography is also increasingly using this "blurred language" to express expressions. For example, if the patient has just removed the bandage on his eyes, his vision will not be able to see normally, and the picture will be completely blurred. The completely blurred image is also an abstract expression, which can create a dreamlike feeling. When shooting certain brighter light sources at night, the focus is intentionally shifted so that each light source turns into a shaking spot. This abstract image can create a special sense of rhythm. Of course, this blurring effect is most obvious only with long focal length photography lenses. The longer the focal length, the more obvious the effect. Afocal images are a styling tool but should not be used too much. Only when used accurately and appropriately can it play its due role. The ending of the last episode of the TV series "Chicken Feathers" used an out-of-focus image to show a hallucination of the protagonist Xiaolin, which was quite successful. The content of the picture is the face-to-face communication between Xiao Lin in real time and space and Xiao Lin in the hallucination. The visual image profoundly reveals Xiao Lin's complex inner activities at this moment.

(7) Long focal length photography lenses are often used to take portraits of people, so they are also called "portrait lenses." Most television programs, especially documentary programs, should be based on reproducing human visual perception, and any deformation effect will affect the documentary effect. The pictures captured by the long focal length photography lens are not deformed and can accurately restore the original appearance of the characters. In addition, it also has the function of softening the image (image) and can make the facial skin of the person appear soft. There is an insurmountable rule in the star era of Hollywood in the United States. When shooting close-ups and close-ups of stars, you must use a telephoto lens of more than 75mm. Although the modeling of characters in modern films and TV shows is not aimed at taking beautiful photos, under normal circumstances, the main purpose of photographing characters is to keep them from deforming.

(8) Since the depth of field of a long focal length photographic lens is small, especially when the object distance is close and the aperture is large, this phenomenon is more obvious. Therefore, when shooting with a long focal length photographic lens, the focus should be strived for. Accurate to prevent out-of-focus images. The narrow angle of view of a long focal length lens means that a slight shake of the camera in the up, down, left, and right directions during shooting with a long focal length lens will cause jitter in the picture. Therefore, when shooting with a long focal length lens, try to use a tripod to support the camera. If there is no Or if a tripod cannot be used, try to use support to stabilize your body or arms when shooting with a shoulder-mounted camera. During the shooting process, try to hold your breath and relax the muscles of your left and right arms and shoulders to keep the camera stable.

In short, photography lenses with different focal lengths have different artistic expression functions. Photographers must fully master these functions and create colorful and fascinating works of art according to the needs of the content.