Portrait Photography How To

Pro photographer David Bergman is here again to make the point that you CAN shoot great portraits with a wide-angle lens (contrary to popular belief.) Last month, we shared a tutorial from Bergman on “The Focal Length Myth,” where debunked the myth that focal length changes the look of your subject's face in portraits.

In the today’s “Two-Minute Tip,” Bergman is back to offer three tips on how to use a wide-angle lens to shoot attractive, environmental portraits.

“While your instinct may be to reach for a longer lens to shoot a portrait and throw your background out of focus, wide angle lenses show more of the surroundings and give a better feel for the environment around your subject,” Bergman says. “They have an intimacy that’s harder to replicate with a long lens.”

Here are his three tips he discusses in the two-minute video:

#1 Keep Your Camera Level

#2 Pay Attention to Position

#3 Keep Limbs Close to Body

“Now, of course, all of these ‘rules’ can be broken for creative effect,” he adds. “Feel free to experiment and play around with distortion and perspectives.”

Watch Bergman’s video below and then go and visit Adorama’s YouTube channel where they’re featuring more of his photography tutorials.