Once you’ve acquired a family photography lens for everyday use, it’s time to add creative options into your kit.
Once you have your family photography lens set up, it is time to expand its capabilities with creative features.
If you read my previous article, then you know I recommend purchasing the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens to begin family photography. Personally, I use the Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 for Canon; every major manufacturer offers their own version (Tamron offers this lens for Nikon as well).
What should you purchase next? In my opinion, an 85mm lens should be your next purchase.
Why an 85mm lens is essential for family photography
Once you have purchased a versatile zoom lens, the next lens you should buy for family photography should be a fixed or prime lens. Prime lenses typically produce sharper results due to having less moving parts.
Purchase lenses with wide apertures within your budget. Canon offers several such lenses; such as their EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens available at under the $500 mark, Canon 85mm f/1.4L IS USM Lens coming in around $1600 and Canon 85mm f/1.2L II USM Lens which sits just beneath $2000 in price point.
Longer focal lengths combined with wide apertures make the ideal combination for magical portraits, creating lovely background blur while sharp focus on your subject.
However, its focal length isn’t so long that indoor shooting requires you to shoot from across the room; making this lens ideal for use in various scenarios (note that when shooting with this lens on a crop sensor camera it effectively becomes 135mm.).
Create stunning backgrounds blur through close-up photography
With its longer focus distance than other zoom lenses, Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens makes getting close with beautiful background blur possible. I particularly enjoy shooting detail shots with this lens – its dreamy bokeh-framed close-ups will bring any photo set alive!
Keep all the excitement of a birthday party photoshoot alive by paying close attention to every detail.
I find the bokeh achieved with this lens extremely captivating, drawing attention and telling a narrative story.
Why I Love Canon 85mm F/1.8 Lens for Family Photography
I use the Canon 85mm f/1.8 Lens extensively when taking family photographs for clients, to add variety in my images without directly invading their space with my camera. As this lens allows me to get close without feeling intrusive, you can capture people being themselves without them feeling uncomfortable about having you right in their faces with your lens.
Because of the wide aperture, you can use it to experiment with your imager: try out fractal filters or shape your bokeh with this DIY activity.
The 85mm lens is one of my top picks: although not my go-to lens for every shoot, it is one that I turn to when looking to create something really unique and unconventional.