Have you ever had the experience of shooting portraits with a telephoto lens, only to find that the face in ** is much larger than it actually is?This is because the telephoto lens compresses the space and makes the parts of the face appear closer together, causing the face to be distorted. So, how can you avoid this situation and take a more natural and three-dimensional portrait?In this article, we'll show you some tips to make your telephoto portraits look greater.
Adjust the shooting distance.
Shooting distance is an important factor affecting the effect of portraits, generally speaking, the closer the shooting distance, the more obvious the distortion of the face, and the farther the shooting distance, the slighter the distortion of the face. Therefore, if you are shooting portraits with a telephoto lens, it is best not to get too close to the subject, but to keep some distance away to make the proportions of the face more harmonious. Of course, the shooting distance should not be too far, otherwise the advantages of the telephoto lens will be lost, that is, the subject will be highlighted and the background will be blurred. Generally speaking, it is better to use a telephoto lens of about 85mm, and the shooting distance is about 2-3 meters.
Choose the right angle.
Angle is also an important factor affecting the effect of portraits, generally speaking, the lower the angle, the more obvious the deformation of the face, and the higher the angle, the slighter the deformation of the face. Therefore, if you are using a telephoto lens to shoot portraits, it is best not to shoot from a low angle, but from a high or flat angle to make the contours of the face more defined and avoid the sagging of the face. Of course, the angle should not be too high, otherwise it will lose the realism of the portrait, making the upper part of the face too large and the lower part too small. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate to use a telephoto lens of about 85mm, and the angle is about 10-20 degrees.
Pay attention to the direction of the light.
The direction of the light is also an important factor in the effect of portraits, generally speaking, the more positive the light, the more obvious the deformation of the face, and the more oblique the light, the slighter the distortion of the face. Therefore, if you are using a telephoto lens to shoot portraits, it is best not to shoot with a frontal light source, but with a side light source or backlight, so that the shadows and highlights of the face are richer, and the three-dimensional and layered sense of the face is increased. Of course, the light should not be too oblique, otherwise it will lose the sharpness of the portrait and make part of the face too bright and part too dark. Generally speaking, with a telephoto lens of about 85mm, the direction of the light is around 45-60 degrees.
Combined with other factors.
In addition to the above-mentioned shooting distance, angle and light, there are some other factors that will also affect the portrait effect, such as the subject's expression, pose, clothing, hairstyle, makeup, etc. These factors can be adjusted according to the face shape, temperament, style, etc. of the subject to achieve the best shooting effect. For example, if the face of the subject is relatively round, you can choose some hairstyles that can modify the face shape, such as oblique bangs, broken hair, etc., and you can also choose some makeup that can increase the three-dimensional effect of the face, such as highlighting, contouring, etc. If the face of the subject is relatively long, you can choose some hairstyles that can increase the softness of the face, such as curly hair, wavy hair, etc., or you can choose some makeup that can increase the warmth of the face, such as blushing, lipstick, etc.
Summary. Although the telephoto lens shoots portraits, although it has the advantages of blurring the background and highlighting the subject, it also has the disadvantages of facial distortion and large face. To avoid this, you can make your telephoto portrait more natural and stereoscopic by adjusting the shooting distance, choosing the right angle, paying attention to the direction of the light, and combining other factors with shooting techniques.