To start with, I use Full-Frame equivalent as standard size of focal length. 35mm here means 35mm in Full Frame, or 17.5mm in Micro Four-Third, or 23mm in APSC System.
Dare I say, in this modern time 35mm lens is the best prime lens for documentary photography. We can use this focal length virtually in every situation of our life. From travel to food, wedding, street, journalism, portrait, product shoot, or just documenting memories about our life. Especially in big cities where narrow space commonly spread everywhere: A narrow lane, small coffee shop, small bar, or small apartment, 35mm lens prove it can be more useful than 50mm lens (which is famous for their versatility as well).
Many times 35mm lens also considered as a Story Teller lens. It is because we can get many elements inside photo, but still in normal perspective. Normal here means as perspective of human eyes. Scene will still looks natural, not heavily distort or “weird” as if we use extra wide lens like 24mm or wider.
So, how about in street photography? Is 35mm lens better than 50mm, 85mm, or any other lenses?
The ultimate answer is only yourself can answer it. But, personally, 35mm is a versatile lens, and on the street we captured scenes in various conditions, therefore 35mm lens definitely is a great lens to start with. However, street photography is also an artistic thing, and even though 35mm lens great for documentary things, personally I feel the result is not as artistic as 50mm lens (Read here) or 85mm lens (Read here) or any extra wide lenses that create distortion effect (distortion can add sense of art into pictures). 35mm is consider as a normal lens, focal length that closest to human eye, which is sometimes can lead to a boring result, but a solid choice for documentary as the angle of view has natural looks for human eyes. I believe in street photography the more unusual of our photo the more it create stronger sense of art.
That is the “hard” part of using 35mm lens, we need to do more effort to create artistic feels from this perspective. Or, if we see it from the other side, this is the lens that force us to be creative with contents inside scene and learn more about how to take pictures to make it becomes artistic. Best lens if you want to start learn street photography (and still one of the best focal length for expert). This lens will force us to keep creative about composition and content quality a lot, more than 50mm or 85mm.
As wide lens, we need to fill our scene with strong contrast element to make photo “comes alive”. The last thing we want is to capture the whole scene but too many distractions inside photo that make audience confuse where to look at. We easily lost our main subject in wide perspective unless we can create a strong contrast between subject and objects around them. Some of my tips to use 35mm lens:
Get Close To Subject
The problem with wide lens is when we start to shoot from distance, then our photo will look ’empty”. To create dynamic composition we need to get close to our subject, fill as much as possible the frame of our photo with subject. Wide lens have tendency to create distortion when shoot at really close distance, though it is not the most natural looks, but actually it helps create the intimacy feel, make the audience feel “right there” on the scene and feel close to subject. Normally for 35mm lens distortion is not heavy. It is there, enough to create intimate feel, but will not make our subject looks weird (distortion here means lens will produce curved line where in reality it is a straight line, imagine a fish eye effect) like in 28mm, 24mm, 21mm, or wider lens.
Find a person that stand out from others, could be because of their face expression, or any other unique accessories (hat, ear rings, glasses, tattoo, cigarette, etc). They will add more dynamic effect into photo instead of a “boring” looks person who just stand at the corner and doing nothing.
Contrast Colour Match
To know about colour match we need to understand how colour wheel works. There are plenty sources in google explain about it, or you can just read here, I like their explanation as it easy to understand. Red, Blue, and Yellow are basic colours, they are pure. Therefore when they get blend side by side they will create strong contrast that really attract viewer’s eyes. Try to look around for these “opposite” colours to fill our frame, they could be everywhere, wall paint, colourful dress, sky’s colours at early morning/late evening, or light from advertising board.
Frame Your Subject
Wide lens means wide scene, to make our audience know where to focus, having frame around our subject is one of the most effective way. We still can include scene that support the story of photo, and frame our main point of interest as the main story. This way we can create strong point of interest even in wide perspective.
Geometry: Diagonal Line
Diagonal (or triangle) is the strongest line to create dynamic photo. With wider lens like 35mm we can capture more effect of diagonal line easier compare to 50mm or 85mm lens. A benefit from using 35mm lens indeed. Start to watch buildings, walls, or any patterns that create dynamic leading line to subject.
Shoot At Narrow Space
In the photo above, I captured it on a narrow pedestrian walk. I saw the bright yellow wall, and start to do “fishing” technique waiting for attractive subject came to fill my frame. Being wider perspective means I can shoot at narrower spot compare to 50mm or 85mm lens. The versatility of 35mm lens proved their capability here. The main benefit of shooting at narrow place is most of the time people will not care if we photograph them at close distance, I think because they also realise we have no choice but to take photo from close range. Having a good amount of crowd in busy and narrow space will guarantee our success to able to shot from close range, because in fact, most people out there never expect someone will get their picture at close distance, they will think we photograph something behind them instead.
Shoot Layers
Get things more complex. Wide perspective help us to get more content into scene, use it as benefit. Shot scene with layers inside, layers can be at width (like photo above) or in depth perspective. Shoot layer need a huge of patient and sharp eyes in decisive moment to execute the shoot because only a split second gap can ruin the “perfect formation” of the scene.
Less Is More
It is really easy to mess up in composition in 35mm lens, as Henri Cartier-Bresson (considered as Father of Street Photography) said: “The 35mm is splendid when needed, but extremely difficult to use if you want precision in composition. There are too many elements, and something is always in the wrong place”. Get your scene as lowest as possible of distraction. Keep it simple and clean, only remain the main point of interest and objects that related to story you want to tell through your photograph.
This particular reason is the main cause I feel 35mm is a good lens to train our eyes in photography (in all genres, not only street). We can not easily simplified photo by hide busy background with blur/bokeh effect like in 85mm lens.
That is all about my thought of 35mm lens. It is a good lens to teach us more about composition in photography, and as bonus: A versatile lens that able to document many moments in our daily life. If I only have one option of prime lens to travel the world, it would be 35mm lens period. A deserted island lens for me. Have fun shooting with 35mm lens! See you!
Keep Shooting and stay inspired,
Nico Harold