So, recently I got a lot of questions regarding what is the most suit focal length to do street photography? Is it zoom lens? prime lens? wide lens? tele lens? or typical “normal” lens?
Note: For all focal length I mentioned here are based on full frame equivalent.
For my preference of shooting on the street, zoom lens is never become my option. Prime lens all the way. Why? Because by stick with one focal length I can memorize the angle of view very well, therefore lens become the extension of my eyes. I can visualize a shoot in my brain even before I raise camera to my eye and click the shutter.
Prime lens will let my mind focus on shooting instead of wondering which focal length is the best to shoot a scene that happen in front of me. What if a place is too narrow for long lens?, or subject is too far away for wide lens? This is the fun part, I need to get creative how to take my shoots, like from extreme angle (high or low), or perhaps calculate any geometry or shadow forms to become creative elements around subject. Prime lens push me too use my creativity instead to depend myself on tools.
Read here for more reasons why I love prime lens so much for street photography. Which one is the best? To put it in short answer: None of them is the best!
There are so many elements in street photography like street portrait, geometry, capture people from close distance, shoot layer, silhouette, shadow, etc. Each street photographer always has their own preferences, which object or subject that will attract them the most. Therefore, to find the perfect street lens is really depend on our shooting style.
Currently there are four focal length that I think suit my style for street shoots: 85mm (Read here), 50mm (read here), 35mm (Read here), 24mm (my newest lens, still learn how to use it optimally).
85mm lens
Kind of lens that seems unusual for street photography, but actually it suits my style really well. Great focal length to focus on one subject and capturing details. Famous as portrait lens, and I think it is perfect to tell stories about one particular subject.
Subject seems more pop out and got isolated well from any distraction elements. Not to mention most of 85mm lens has big aperture which is great to create shallow depth of field. I do not always shoot with strong bokeh, but I think sometimes it is a good element to add more dramatic effect into photo.
Due to reach of 85mm lens, I think it is great to use it for open space area like beach. if we use wide lens then we should move much (or too much!). We see a great moment from distance, but we do not have enough time to get closer because subject is too far away. To shoot “street” on the beach, definitely 85mm is one of my top list.
I use most of my 85mm lens’ work with fishing technique (read here), like perhaps 80% of the time as I think autofocus speed is not as agile as wider lens and minimum focus distance of typical 85mm lens can not go really close to subject as well.
50mm lens
Nifty-fifty! One of the most all-rounder focal length. My most favourite focal length for street!
I started to learn street photography with 50mm lens, and it always feels like home every time I mount this lens back to my camera. I think it is related to how I see this world through my own eyes. I always keep a little more distance when I see any objects or subjects, which is become a habit. Or you can say this lens is simply suit my personality the most. Still close enough, but able to give me a little bit more room to breathe.
This is a painter lens. Many times 50mm lens considered as angle of view of how a painter draw their work on canvas. – 50mm lens
Another benefit of 50mm lens, it is relatively less complex to build by lens manufacture, and that is the main reason why 50mm lenses have the smallest form factor (if all technology and features are exactly same) compare to any other focal lengths. Smaller is always better in street photography.
35mm lens
The most versatile focal length ever! If I only have one lens to shoot travel, documentary, wedding, street, or journalism then 35mm is simply my solid choice. The main reason I force my self to learn 35mm lens is because I can go overseas, do travel photography, and still able to capture street scene all in one lens!
Read here about how I traveled to Melbourne with only 35mm lens. As bonus, it is a perfect focal length to do documentary as well, like I photograph my friends, food, or any other daily activities. A true social and lifestyle lens.
Also famous as the story teller lens, as we easily can capture environment around main subject to add stronger story line about subject itself (when sometimes 50mm and 85mm are too tight to add other elements around subject).
My favourite focal length to do hunting technique (read here), because I can get close to my subject, but not super close that I need to put my camera right on subject’s nose. Still give that little gap that make me less unobtrusive.
24mm lens
Not a typical standard lens for street photography as well, along with 85mm lens. Some asked me that how to use 24mm lens on the street? How close do I need to capture subject?
Actually, to me use 24mm lens is more relax than use 85mm lens. Why? because if use 85mm lens I need to focus on a person, on a particular subject, therefore there is a bigger chance that someone will confront me when I took his/her photograph.
While in 24mm lens, my mind automatically change that way I see this world too. Strong geometry and diagonal line attract me much more than just one single subject in unique outfit without any interesting elements around (that is 85mm’s job). Most people will think that I only capture a building or a place or a spot behind them, which is in some ways, wide lens like 24mm is make me more “stealth” on the street.
Focus more on the whole scene instead of one subject, blend some elements to become one artistic image. Attract your self more to strong line and geometry when use wide lens on the street.
Be aware of subject’s surrounding more than the main subject itself. Need to pay extra attention to corner area of our frame to not include any distractive elements.
So, which one is the best focal length?
Based on my experience and my shooting style, so far I came up with these conclusions:
Best lens for fishing technique: 85mm lens – Because we have plenty of room to not distract subject.
Best lens for hunting technique: 35mm lens – We can get closer and only photo a certain subject, or take a step back and shoot subject with their attractive surrounding.
Best lens to shoot strong geometry: 24mm lens – Personally it is hard to not got attract with diagonal lines when I use this lens. Perfect angle to shoot the whole scene or we want to tell story based on objects around subject.
Best lens for my preference: 50mm lens – Simply because this angle of view copy the way I see this world. I can do fishing or hunting technique just fine. As “painter lens”, I like how to see subject is dominant in frame, and at the same time I still able to add few objects around to create more dynamic photo.
What is the best street photography lens for you?
The one that able to “copy” the way you see this world. Which is means, could be different from one person to another. Feel free to read any reviews out there about best angle of view for street, but, dare I say, you will never truly know until you try it yourself on the field for a certain amount of time.
That is all how I choose best focal length for street photography. Develop your own shooting style, and have fun to experience various focal lengths out there!
Keep shooting and do not afraid to start experiment,
Nico Harold