The best lenses for Portrait Photography – a guide
(Picture of Nik Howden taken with Canon 85mm f1.2)
The Best Lenses for
Portrait Photography:
A Friendly Guide from
a Real-Life Pro
If there’s one question I get asked a lot of the time whether I’m around Bristol centre on a portrait photo shoot, talking with friends or occasionally when I receive a slightly panicky ‘what can I buy my partner for Christmas?’ email, it’s this: “What’s the best lens for portrait photography?”.
Choosing a lens can feel like picking the perfect avocado at the supermarket: sometimes it’s a total gamble, but after 19 years in the business, working everything from studio portraits to TV promos, I’ve got a few reliable picks that never let me down. Let’s have a look at my favourite lens recommendations complete with examples pictures taken with the lenses… hope you this post useful, let me know!
1. The Classic 50mm: The “Nifty Fifty”
Let’s start with the legendary 50mm. This one’s basically the go-to lens of lenses – it’s versatile, reliable, and works very well in pretty much any scenario. The 50mm lens has been my choice on so many shoots because it captures portraits in a way that feels natural. You’re not distorting features like you might with a wide-angle, but you’re also not too close to your subject’s face, so, for example, you can get the shoulders and body in required, especially if you only have limited space.
Personally I find that the 50mm really shines for situational portraits in which you want a feel for the room the subject is in. I often find myself having to make a choice between the 35mm and the 50mm when on a shoot in which I want to reveal environment (see below section on 35mm).
You’ll find the difference between the cheaper f1.8 versions of 50mm lenses and the more expensive f1.4 and f1.2 tends to be the quality of the background blur, the auto-focus speed and the general robustness of the units, but, to be honest they’re all superb.
Why It Works:
- Pros: Affordable, lightweight, gives a natural feel.
- Cons: It doesn’t have the compression that some other lenses do, so if you’re after that “creamy background,” you might need to keep reading.
Wotton-under-Edge’s entrepreneur Katie Elliott taken with the Canon 50mm f1.2 for her podcast Little Challenges. (See Katie’s blog post)
2. The 85mm: The Portrait King 👑
Ah, the 85mm lens. If lenses had royalty, this would be it. There’s a reason so many photographers rave about this one for portraits – its focal length is just spot on for capturing faces. I remember the first time I used a Canon 85mm f1.2 for a series of editorial outdoor portraits (in a David Bailey / Jean Shrimpton style – I’d just seen Bailey’s New York photo shoots with Shrimpton and was obsessed with them), I was honestly blown away by the difference. There’s this incredible balance between detail and soft background blur (bokeh, to give it its proper name), which gives portraits a polished, professional look with ease.
The 85mm distance is also useful for getting in close without overwhelming your subject, which is great for the more nervous of portrait session subjects. Finally, another advantage is that there’s a whole range of price points, too, so you can get a fairly cheap 85mm lens which still gives amazing results for a good price (you can apply the same logic as the 50mm price ranges above).
Basically. the 85mm is pretty much unbeatable.
Why It Works:
- Pros: Great compression, perfect for headshots and close-ups, smooth bokeh.
- Cons: You might have to stand farther back than usual, which isn’t always ideal in tight spaces.
Portrait of Lady Nade, Bristol singer, taken with the Canon 85mm f1.2 lens. (See Lady Nade blog post)
3. 35mm: The Storyteller’s Lens
For those who love a little bit of storytelling in their portrait work, the 35mm is where it’s at. This lens is wide enough to capture not just the subject but also their surroundings, which can add an extra layer of depth to your shots. I often use a 35mm (or 50mm) when I’m shooting environmental portraits or working with artists and creatives who want their workspace included in the shot.
There was one shoot I’ll never forget with a potter in his Bristol (Southville) studio. Between the unique lighting (a mix of daylight and tungsten) and the creative clutter around him, the 35mm gave the portraits an almost cinematic quality. Sometimes, a little “context” can make a portrait feel more personal, more real.
Why It Works:
- Pros: Adds context to portraits, great for environmental shots.
- Cons: Not ideal for close-ups (can be less flattering), and it doesn’t create that super-blurry background like the 85mm.
A portrait of Who Cult Donuts taken with the Sigma Art 35mm f1.4 lens, showing environment.
4. 70-200mm: The Telephoto Portrait Lens
This lens (or a version of it, I’ve had two so far) has never left my kit bag in the 19 years I’ve been working… it works beautifully for close in headshots at the longer end of the range, with its ability to blur the background when needed, and also pulled out you can get more of the environment at 70mm.
For corporate shoots this lens is particularly good for portraits when used with a white background because if you step back and zoom in you can fit your subject onto the white background easily without having to have a gigantic big of paper / material. Try that with a wider lens and you’ll have difficulty not showing the room.
I know this blog is about portraits, but it’s worth mentioning that this lens is also great at conferences and events because you can zoom into the podium speaker or one or two people having a conversation and blur the surround with ease (although recently I’ve been loving using my 50mm lens for conference conversations, especially in low light).
Increasingly with cameras becoming better and better at image stabilisation, it’s also becoming easier to use this lens hand held at slower shutter speeds, especially if the lens also has image stabilisation built in. The usual rule of thumb has always been not to shoot with a shutter speed lower than your focal length (ie 200mm – 200/second) but increasingly this can come down lower to 125/sec and still get away with it. If you also use a monopod then this can go lower still.
Why It Works:
- Pros: Fantastic compression, stunning for dramatic portraits.
- Cons: Not suitable for tight spaces; it can be pricey.
Portrait taken with the Canon 70-200mm f2.8 for Parkinson’s Magazine. See more examples of my portraits.
5. 100mm macro: Honorable Mention
I know this isn’t strictly seen as a portrait lens but it can give superb results. I have reached for it on many occasions which need that extra bit of length and it never disappoints. I keep it in my kit bag for when clients need super close up macro work, and the fact it doubles as a portrait lens is really useful. On a side-note I enjoyed photographing insects with it, too.
Why It Works:
- Pros: Amazing prime lens quality, great compression giving flattering portraits, some versions have image stabilisation which is very useful.
- Cons: Sometimes 100mm is simply too close in to use in portrait sessions, especially in smaller spaces, so I don’t find myself using it very often.
Actor headshot photo of Nik Howden taken with the Canon 100mm f2.8 Macro lens IS.
Keeping the 100mm in my bag for macro close-ups, you can get do insect portraits, too.
Final Thoughts: Choose Your Own Adventure!
At the end of the day, the “best” lens depends on your style, your subject, and your budget. But hopefully, these recommendations give you a place to start. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all in photography, which is honestly half the fun. Each lens brings something unique to the table, and experimenting is part of the journey. So pick one (or a few), get out there, and let your creativity do the talking.
If you’ve got any stories, questions, or just want to share your lens struggles, get in touch with me in the comments! I love talking lenses (and just generally anything to do with photography, tbh).
Thanks,
Paul
