Recently I met up with a group pf photographers from all over the United States. As we were visiting I noticed that we all had different lenses on our cameras so I wanted to compile a list of their favorite lenses and their reasoning behind their decision. Here is what they had to say starting with myself first:
Name: Allison Carpenter
Business Name: Allison Carpenter Photography
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Website: http://www.allisoncarpenterphotography.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allison-Carpenter-Photography/178130588884810
What body do you shoot with? Nikon D7000 (crop sensor)
What is your favorite lens (and why)? I love my Nikon 35mm 1.8. This is the lens that lives on my camera! I have a smaller studio and my 50mm wasn’t giving me enough room to do families and the 35mm allows me to stay very close to newborns.
How long have you had this lens? I have had this lens for almost 2 years. I was using my 24-70mm before the 35mm but found a love for prime lenses!
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? This lens is wonderful for a variety of subjects! I photograph families, newborns, and children. It also gives me enough depth to be able to leave it on the camera when taking my kids to the zoo, trips or other fun places!
Name: Christine Hamrick
Business Name: Christine Hamrick Photography
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Website: http://www.christinehamrickphotography.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinehamrickphotography
What body do you shoot with? Nikon D7000 (crop sensor)
What is your favorite lens (and why)? I love my Nikon 50mm 1.8. I love the bokeh I get shooting wide open, and it’s the one lens I have with this capability. I can achieve tack-sharp focus with this lens most easily.
How long have you had this lens? My nifty-fifty was the first prime lens I purchased (back in 2007). Learning to zoom with my feet was a learning adjustment, but now I am planning to add some other primes to my arsenal. Got the 85mm in my Adorama shopping cart as we speak . . . just need to hit “purchase”!
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? This lens is spectacular for shooting portraits. I can get some amazing soulful eyes . . . Since I primarily shoot kids, I often use my 24-70mm 2.8 for practicality of moving people, but my heart still belongs to my 50mm
Name: Stephanie Stremler
Business Name: Stephanie Stremler Photography
Location: Lynden, WA
Website: http://www.stephaniestremler.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/StephanieStremlerPhotography
What body do you shoot with? I shoot with the Canon Mark II 5D (full frame).
What is your favorite lens (and why)? Choosing a favorite lens is a little bit like choosing a favorite child for me! I love each and every one of them for different purposes and am constantly switching them. Though if I had to choose one favorite lens it would probably be my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM. I love shooting wide open and with it zoomed all the way in for beautiful bokeh. I also find if I start my sessions with this lens it allows my families and couples to loosen up and relax as I shoot them from a bit of a distance.
How long have you had this lens? I have had this lens about 6 years.
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? I shoot everything from newborns to families to wedding couples with this lens. If I have the space to use it I will.
Name: Janine Stone
Business Name: Janine Stone Photography
Location: Miami, Florida
Website: http://www.janinestonephotography.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janinestonephotography
What body do you shoot with? Nikon D800 (full sensor)
What is your favorite lens (and why)? I love my Nikon 70-200mm 2.8. I love the versatility I have with the zoom and love that I can get all that close-up detail even when I’m standing 20 feet back.
How long have you had this lens? I have had this lens for over four years.
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? When I shoot events, the 70-200 and a wide angle are all I need, except when I decide to get a little more creative. I’ve adopted a similar style with my portrait work, so it is usually my go to lens!
Name: Laura Folk
Business Name: Laura Rossi Photography
Location: Montgomery and Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Website: www.larossiphotography.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LauraRossiPhotos
What body do you shoot with? Canon 7D
What is your favorite lens (and why)? I switch back and forth between my 50mm and my 24-70 Prime. When photographing my favorite subject, children, I will quickly reach for my 24-70. It gives me much more flexibility on where I am in relation to the children and how fast I am moving.
How long have you had this lens? I have had this lens for about 8 months
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? Children and Families
Name: Leah Brady
Business Name: Leah Brady Photography
Location: Cincinnati
Website: http://www.leahbradyphotography.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/leahbradyphotography.com
What body do you shoot with? NIkon D800
What is your favorite lens (and why)? 35mm 1.4. I’m a story teller, this lens lets me tell it.
How long have you had this lens? Almost 24 hrs!!!
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? This will be my go-to for indoor sessions and newborns. The DOF wipes out all the background distractions that tend to ruin my newborn sessions. For portraits, the speed, sharpness and amount of light it allows in will save me sooo many editing hours (my justification for the cost!)
Name: Melissa Wilson
Business Name: Melissa Wilson Photography
Location: Pensacola, FL
Website: www.melissawilsonphoto.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/melissawilsonphoto
What body do you shoot with? Nikon D700
What is your favorite lens (and why)? Nikon 85mm f1.8. The bokeh is unbelievable on this lens! The clarity is unreal when shooting wide open (I primarily shoot around f2 for portraits), so the definition between my subject and the background is stunning. It’s recently replaced my Nikon 50mm 1.4 as my favorite lens.
How long have you had this lens? One month and it’s already stolen my heart! I’m so used to “zooming with my feet” from using my 50mm for years that this was the natural next lens for me.
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? I specialize in engagements, love, and weddings and I use this lens for ALL of them! (Along with my trusty 50mm of course. NEVER leave home without it either).
Name: Susan Willis
Business Name: Susan Willis Photography
Location: Murphysboro, Illinois
Website: www.susanwillisphotography.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/susanwillisphotography
What body do you shoot with? Canon 5D Mark II
What is your favorite lens (and why)? Canon 50mm 1.4. I love this lens because it is tack sharp, super fast, and a workhorse.
How long have you had this lens? I started using the 50mm a couple months ago and am in love. I just had to get used to being the zoom instead of using the zoom.
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? I specialize in high school seniors and women. But I shoot families and children with it too.
Name: Teryn Robinson
Business Name: Teryn Robinson Photography
Location: Thornton, CO
Website: www.TerynRobinsonPhotography.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terynrobinsonphotography
What body do you shoot with? Canon 7D
What is your favorite lens (and why)? Canon 50mm F/1.2
How long have you had this lens? 2 years
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? I specialize in family portraiture now but I have used this lens to shoot seniors, couples, weddings, newborns, kids, maternity
Name: Kristie P. LaRochelle
Business Name: kp studios
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Website: www.kpstudios.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kp.
What body do you shoot with? Nikon D700
What is your favorite lens (and why)? 85 1.4
I love it because its beautifully sharp and I can throw things completely out of focus or just give a lot of depth to my images with it.
What “subject” do you shoot most with this lens? People and headshots
Name: Jessica Giles
Business Name: J’adore la Photographie
Location: Hoover, Al
Website: www.jadorephotographie.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JadorePhotographie
What body do you shoot with? Canon 5d Mark 3
What is your favorite lens and why?
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens, I love using the narrow aperture and using this lens for all my natural light photography. It’s a really fun lens to get creative with and shoot through things to get a different perspective. This lens is ultra fast and great for portraits.
How long have you had this lens?
4 years
What subject do you shoot most with this lens? Bride and Groom Portraits and Couples Portraits
Emma Nathews
Emily Dean Photography
Birmingham area, AL
www.emilydeanphotography.com
https://www.facebook.com/EmilyDeanPhotography
Canon 5D Mark II
I have 2 favorite lenses…1 I actually own and use all of the time and 1 I dream of owning and have only used once The lens I own and keep on my camera 90% of the time is the Canon 85mm 1.8. It is a fabulous lens and was extremely affordable for me when I purchased it 4 years ago. The quality of this lens matches that of the extremely expensive, professional-grade, L-series lenses (in my opinion!) It’s sharp, the color is beautiful and it creates beautiful bokeh. I’m a prime lens lover. The wide open aperture just makes me giddy!! I rarely shoot above a f/2.2 if I have a lens that goes as low as this one does…and I often shoot wide open at f/1.8. I just love this lens. It’s the perfect budget-friendly portrait lens. You can’t go wrong with it I shoot mostly portraits with this lens. Weddings, families and children
Now, my DREAM lens is the Canon 50mm 1.2!! I seriously drool over this lens. I had the pleasure of borrowing this baby from a friend while I was 2nd shooting a wedding with her a few weeks ago (so sadly, I can’t include a picture taken with it because the bride and groom haven’t received their gallery yet!) and it just knocked me down! I have to have it someday…unfortunately, it carries a pretty hefty price tag and I can’t afford it yet…but I’m saving up and it’s at the very top of my wish list!
