The BEST Lenses for Portrait Photography

The BEST Lenses for Portrait Photography

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Hey everyone! If you’re wondering what lens you should go for with your portrait photography, today I’m going to share with you some of my favourites! I’ve picked both primes and zooms where you are able to achieve different looks. Let me know which one is your favourite focal range to use for photography in the comments!

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50 Comments

  1. @nevyoung2158 on October 29, 2024 at 9:01 pm

    i love your clear and concise explanations – you are awesome – thank you.

  2. @mclenowski on October 29, 2024 at 9:01 pm

    Wow I’ve just tested Evoto – so powerful! I’ll definitely be using this. Wish they would offer a subscription service rather than credits per export but I’m pretty impressed. Thanks for the recommendation, Julia.

  3. @basstheangelo on October 29, 2024 at 9:01 pm

    The best prime lens for portrait is the Sigma 56mm f/1.4. I’ve tried it on an APS-C and Micro 4/3 cameras and the result was spectacular. Best lens for portrait on the planet.

  4. @stefanski8287 on October 29, 2024 at 9:04 pm

    why are you ISO and Shutter speed so high when both can be lowered? ISO = noise and is not part of the exposure triangle in digital photography…

  5. @mahdikassab5983 on October 29, 2024 at 9:04 pm

    So there is no standard zoom lens like 28 to 75 or 20 to 70 or 28 to 105 or to 135 that are for portraits and with low f, ha?

  6. @jdcspixelworld on October 29, 2024 at 9:04 pm

    Hi…… can 100mm 2.8 be used for portraits?

  7. @jakobjohannsson1045 on October 29, 2024 at 9:05 pm

    Brilliant video!

  8. @khoifoto on October 29, 2024 at 9:06 pm

    135mm f1.8 is my first choice.

  9. @lewcehjitl3282 on October 29, 2024 at 9:06 pm

    New sub! 😊

  10. @91krarup on October 29, 2024 at 9:08 pm

    105mm 1.4?

  11. @specialized41 on October 29, 2024 at 9:08 pm

    For me 35mm is the best lens almost for evreything, Portraits, Street Photography, Travel lens, Cityscape, food photography, Landscape.

  12. @suryaalways8141 on October 29, 2024 at 9:09 pm

    Lovely ma’am 😊

  13. @Narsuitus on October 29, 2024 at 9:09 pm

    I usually use the following three lens types or focal lengths for portraits:

    1. Wide-angle lenses for group portraits and environmental portraits.

    2. Normal lenses for environmental portraits, full-length portraits, and 3/4 length portraits.

    3. Telephoto lenses for half-length portraits, head & shoulder portraits, and tight face portraits.

  14. @nick7813 on October 29, 2024 at 9:12 pm

    Thinking of buying a f1/8 50mm lens for my canon dslr. Was kinda skeptical at first because it’s too shallow but then I remembered my camera is a crop sensor 😂😂

  15. @choksw on October 29, 2024 at 9:17 pm

    Hi! Sorry what was the name of the software you mentioned in the video ? I didn’t catch it and it isn’t in your descriptions, thanks!

  16. @HussainAli-po6jl on October 29, 2024 at 9:17 pm

    I like the compression and the dreamy look of my 85mm and now I’m planning to get a new lens but I don’t know if i should go with 24-70 or 70-200 i love shooting portraits and street photography so whats your advice 👀

  17. @Wiliyamu on October 29, 2024 at 9:21 pm

    you only do natural lighting never speedlights or strobes?

  18. @1duesy on October 29, 2024 at 9:24 pm

    Your thoughts on the new Lens Blur feature in LRC and Photoshop? It creates an adjustable background blur and bokeh potentially giving any lens’ focal length and aperture settings the effect of compression. In other words, the "portrait" effect can be achieved in post.

  19. @Wiliyamu on October 29, 2024 at 9:25 pm

    I DOWNLAODED YOUR EVOTO… hope it works … i might have to hold yo accountable

  20. @vijayverma9478 on October 29, 2024 at 9:27 pm

    Great video ❤

  21. @Triplebuc50 on October 29, 2024 at 9:28 pm

    I have a Nikon D3300 camera with a Nikon 85mm 1.8g lens, main Portrait set Up. Please Reply with suggestions and Advice

  22. @SUPERSTARSSTYLE1YOUTUBE on October 29, 2024 at 9:28 pm

    400mm look unbelieveble and make great emotions

  23. @juces-dron on October 29, 2024 at 9:28 pm

    i like you videos, thanks for shared, your voice is perfect for me because i’m learning to speak english.

  24. @shy-guy5544 on October 29, 2024 at 9:29 pm

    Excellent video – comprehensive, interesting, and informative. Thanks

  25. @hectormarchesi5379 on October 29, 2024 at 9:29 pm

    very clear, as always. excellent video. congratulations

  26. @NinskeeEnriquez on October 29, 2024 at 9:29 pm

    THANK YOU FOR EVOTO SOFTWARE

  27. @tmewborn1 on October 29, 2024 at 9:31 pm

    Wow Young Lady!! Your Skill & Knowlege is amazing along with your ability to impart your Knowledge. I enjoy your Video’s very much. From an old man soon to be age 84. Thank You so very much.

  28. @hillary4716 on October 29, 2024 at 9:34 pm

    Really thorough, thank you!

  29. @adreaminfocus on October 29, 2024 at 9:34 pm

    That was immeasurably helpful. I’m a prime lens shooter, but I have been toying with the idea of getting a 70-200 ❤

  30. @StevenChatburn on October 29, 2024 at 9:37 pm

    I have a sony A6000 and i just got the sony 50mm FE 1.8 lens and i love it..

  31. @johnnycromwel5263 on October 29, 2024 at 9:38 pm

    Ms. Julia you are now my favorite YouTube photography channel! All your videos have been really great in helping with my photography journey!

  32. @DuniaKita19 on October 29, 2024 at 9:40 pm

    Im Viltrox users only watch haha ^^

  33. @Triplebuc50 on October 29, 2024 at 9:42 pm

    I am now a 73 year old Amateur Photographer being involved with DSLR Nikon D3300 and 5 different Nikon Lens.
    Also enjoying my IPhone 12 Pro Max, learning iPhone Photography too.

  34. @MeettheCreatives on October 29, 2024 at 9:42 pm

    Julia got me on to the 35 train a long time ago and honestly, I can’t agree more. Especially when shooting women. It’s super flattering and my clients almost always choose those photos as opposed to 85mm etc. Also – you don’t need really expensive glass to get great results. I use the Canon 35 1.8RF and the results are AH mazing!!

  35. @jamessepulveda189 on October 29, 2024 at 9:44 pm

    Julia, besides the 35mm if you could only chose one for portraits what lens would it be?

  36. @mallikarjunm1912 on October 29, 2024 at 9:45 pm

    I owned sony a6400.. and i need one prime lens for portrait in budget. Can i get budget friendly suggestion

  37. @tamarabarkley8753 on October 29, 2024 at 9:48 pm

    Are you using a full frame or apsc? Which would be the best portrait lens for the Sony zve10.

  38. @travelerx2939 on October 29, 2024 at 9:48 pm

    You’re the best! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

  39. @eper1586 on October 29, 2024 at 9:50 pm

    So your video just randomly popped up while watching videos on youtube. All I have to say is you are absolutely gorgeous!! I know this has nothing to do your photography stuff, but I just had to stop by and say that. Ok that’s all.

  40. @Triplebuc50 on October 29, 2024 at 9:50 pm

    What is a relatively easy to use Photo-Editing for Portrait Photography, I have some difficulty with Reds, Greens & Browns

  41. @jonathanwang1643 on October 29, 2024 at 9:50 pm

    Julia, you’re amazing! You’re one of the best photography channels I’ve come across. Thanks for explaining what types of lenses could be used for portrait photography. This could be helpful for my portrait photography as I’m just getting started with it. So far, I’ve enjoyed using the Canon EF 85mm 1.8 for headshots and the Canon EF 50mm 1.8 for half-body or head and shoulder shots or environmental portraits. Sometimes, I couldn’t hold my subject for too long, so I need a one lens that does it all. For that, I use a Canon EF 24-105mm f4, perfect for quickly getting environmental shots and close up shots. It also works very well for group shots as it could zoom out way more than my 50mm can. I hope to add some fun by throwing in my Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 for future portraits in order to get that super compressed look. What are your favorite lenses for portraits? Since I’m just getting started with portrait photography, I would love it if you could post more tutorials about portraits. Good job, and keep it up!

  42. @cameraz99 on October 29, 2024 at 9:52 pm

    Nice work, good video. But I question why you would use your LCD screen over your EVF to take photos. You get less camera movement with the camera held up to your eye and your elbows braced against your body.

  43. @bubbachua on October 29, 2024 at 9:52 pm

    you should use back nikon

  44. @SilverLarry on October 29, 2024 at 9:52 pm

    What about the 50mm prime? Has some of the advantages of the 35 and some of the advantages of the 85 in terms of being able to do environmental portraits (albeit with a bit more difficulty than the 35) with some of the compression of the 85.

  45. @jayrojas2259 on October 29, 2024 at 9:53 pm

    You did a awesome job explaining, very easy to follow along, thanks for the content. I’m searching for a new telephoto for the Nikon Z Mount, myself. This video was very helpful with all the portrait examples.

  46. @richardberke4539 on October 29, 2024 at 9:54 pm

    I’m balancing my hobby interest in photography with other priorities. 🙂 I have a Sony A6000 with Sony 18-135mm zoom. (FF equivalent: 30-203mm). It’s variable minimum aperture, though. 3.5 @ 18mm and 5.6 at around 70mm and higher. I like that the zoom lets me fill the frame with turning the lens barrel rather than necessarily having to move myself relative to the subject. The thin DoF of higher focal length is similar to the look of wider open lenses, if my distance from the subject is appropriate.

  47. @paigeofstylez on October 29, 2024 at 9:56 pm

    Subscribed 💪🏿🙏🏿

  48. @sygonkainamura8332 on October 29, 2024 at 9:56 pm

    Why a Sony camera instead of the famous Canon or Nikon. Share your technical resaons

  49. @duncanvandervelden on October 29, 2024 at 9:57 pm

    I’m currently shooting with a Nikon D7500, and for portraits I mainly use two lenses.

    In the studio, it is always the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G, I get great results from that. It’s cheap, it’s light and it’s tack sharp! Coupled with my D7500 (which has an APS-C sensor) the nifty fifty is – at least for me – the lens that produces the overall best result. This focal lenght on an APS-C is basically comparable to an 85mm on a full frame.

    When shooting portraits outside, I use a rather unconventional setup: the Tamron 35-150mm f/2.8-4 Di VC OSD, also on the D7500. I actually bought this lens because of the review video Julia did on it (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN1GuwVxmk4&ab_channel=JuliaTrotti), and it is an absolutely great lens! It’s light, it’s affordable, the zoom range makes it very versatile, and it gives remarkably good results, especially when shooting portraits in the range of 85-150mm (but, especially on a smaller APS-C sensor, it is tack sharp throughout the focal range). This lens sits on my D7500 for about 70% of all time. Apart from portrait shoots, I also use it for event and concert shoots. The zoom range from 35 to 150mm is roughly the same as a 70-200mm on a full frame, but this lens is a helluvalot cheaper and lighter. On my travels this is my to-go lens as well. To make up for the lack of wider angles, I couple this Tamron with a Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art, which is always within hand’s reach as well.

  50. @chrisiclickyou3947 on October 29, 2024 at 9:59 pm

    My absolutely favourite lens as a full-time wedding photographer is the Canon RF 70-200 f2.8, easily !!! The next, is the Canon RF 24-70 f2.8. These zooms are better the the canon EF mount, I find no use for the other primes, in the real world makes no difference.

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