Street Photography and Prime Lenses

The most common questions street photographers get – apart from technique questions – are questions about gear. The first question usually revolves around “which camera do you use?” The answer to that is usually the one that I have in my hand. The next question is “what lenses do you use?”. I could give them a similar smart ass answer as the previous one, i.e., whichever one I have installed on my camera, but I usually say “it depends

Many people confuse lenses with technique. To be sure, if you are carrying a 500mm lens around and are trying to take pictures of a person across from you in a subway car, it doesn’t matter how much technique you have, it’s going to be really difficult to get a shot off, much less one in focus. Lenses assist your technique, in that they help you convey through the final image the picture you want people to see.

I generally carry only prime lenses. Is it because I subscribe to some purist street photographer notion that only prime lenses are the best and that is what true photography is all about? No, because if I was truly a purist, I’d be shooting with film and a twin reflex camera. I stay away from the theoretical and move towards a practical reason for carrying only prime lenses on my camera.

First, primes are generally faster than zoom lenses. My primes are either 1.8, 2.0, or 2.8. This gives me a level of flexibility in low light or crap light conditions, such as when I’m underground or if I’m caught in some really dark shadows of buildings. A zoom lens would inhibit me from doing this (caveat here: I’m talking about “normal priced” zoom lenses, not the L series). Granted, if I’m taking shots in daylight out in the open street and I’m not going specifically for street portraiture, I’ll keep my aperture at around f/8.0 anyway. It’s the fact that I can stop down if I have to.

Second, the primes I have are generally smaller (except for the 2.0L, which is similar to carrying a missile launcher) than zooms, which allow me to capture scenes without being too conspicuous. Again, though, that may depend on what I’m trying to achieve. When I’m shooting with my 85 or my 135, I’m going for street portraiture. I’m going for faces. And, since I have not mastered shooting those lenses as I walk without putting my head to the viewfinder, my shooting is extremely conspicuous. Frankly, though, to get the interaction and not have my pictures look like I’m some disconnected stalker/pervert, I want the subject to look at me for a brief second. Of course, the ratio of being yelled at is much higher with these lenses. Every time I go out with these lenses, I often get yelled at, threatened, or sworn at at least once. Just keep walking with the knowledge that these lenses make great weapons, especially the 135L.

Third, and probably most important to me, is the simplicity and familiarity, particularly with my wide angle prime, the ugly duckling 24mm 2.8. I know exactly how things are going to be framed without having to look in the viewfinder. And, because I’m usually walking and shooting, zooms would be for the most part useless. I wouldn’t have time to futz around with the zoom. Point and shoot. I’m not ashamed to say that.

source from : http://everydayaperture.com