P#10 Q2A: What Is the Best Camera Lens For Taking Baby Photos?
Two lenses that produce the best baby photos
The lens you use to shoot your baby photos has a huge impact on the results you produce. The right lens can mean the difference between a stunning work of art and a less-than-stellar snapshot.
I asked Carrie Sandoval what lens she recommends for such an important task. She had an insightful answer ready to go.
Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes...
Carrie Sandoval: Hands down, my favorite lens for shooting baby photos is a 50mm 1.4 lens. It's a prime lens, so it doesn't zoom in and out. It's very fast and very sharp.
It's a great lens for close-up head and shoulder shots as well as full body, as long as you're using a full-frame camera.
When you use a 50mm 1.4 lens you can stand up and fit the baby's whole body in as you're looking down at them. It's definitely my favorite lens and I use it about 75-percent of the time.
For The Macro Shots
I also love macro shots that are really, really close up. Fingers, toes, belly buttons, and all the good little baby parts. I use a 60mm macro for those shots.
Audri Lanford: That's very interesting. I don't think a lot of people consider just taking pictures of baby parts. They think baby photos have to include the whole baby. I definitely want to come back to that idea. That's really cool.
Carrie Sandoval: I'm pretty obsessed with baby feet! They're adorable. The little toes.
Audri Lanford: I just wanted to mention that I got my 50mm 1.4 lens yesterday. I'm so excited about this! It literally came late yesterday afternoon. I've taken it out of the box but that's about it.
Carrie Sandoval: Oh, you'll love it!
In Closing
Not all lenses are created equal and a lens that's great for photographing things like landscapes isn't necessarily suited to photographing newborns.
If you want to get the best baby photos, try a 50mm 1.4 for head and shoulder shots or a 60mm macro for close-ups.
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