What focal length should you choose?
If you still haven’t picked a focal length to use for this month’s challenge, here are some ideas.
Some focal lengths to consider are 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 70mm, and 90mm. These have become “standards” for many reasons. 70-90mm lenses make great portrait lenses and render facial features in a more pleasing way without the distortion of a wider angle lens. 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm provide enough difference to make each unique in how it sees. Your zoom lenses probably start or end with one of these focal lengths, so that may make your choice easier.
For this challenge, I’d recommend not going wider than 24mm nor longer than 105mm. Wider is not a good starting point, nor is longer—they won’t help you build as strong a foundation.
My two go-to lenses are a 35mm Sigma Art prime and a 90mm Voigtländer prime. These two focal lengths closely match the lenses I used for a long time with my 4x5 camera, and I have learned to see the world in those focal lengths. Most of my personal favorites were made with these view angles, and I like the way they allow me to render the world. I have taken countless photos with them, and I know how to think like them, which often helps me find photographs when trying to sort out all the potential subjects in front of me.
Do you have a favorite focal length? If so, you probably know how to “see” with it already, so try something different at the other end of the scale. If your favorite is a wide angle, use a telephoto this month (or vice versa if your favorite lens is a telephoto). The idea is to challenge yourself and develop a new skill, not repeat something you already know.
While you are at it, challenge a friend to take the challenge too, or share it with your favorite Favebook photo group. We learn photography through sharing experiences with others, so having someone to compare notes with can help you learn even more.