Quick Tips: Normal Focal-Length Lenses

A normal focal-length lens, also called a standard focal-length lens, approximates what the human eye sees. One of the greatest modern photographers, Henri Cartier-Bresson, who described the camera as “an extension of my eye,” almost always used a normal lens. The angle of view of most of his images is about the same as what the eye can see clearly from one position, and the relative size of near and far objects seems normal.


A lens that is a normal focal length for one camera can be a long focal length for another camera. Film size determines what will be a “normal” focal length. The larger the size of the film format, the longer the focal length of a normal lens for that format. If the focal length of a lens is about the same as the diagonal measurement of the film (broken line), the lens is considered “normal.” It collects light rays from an angle of view of about 50°, the same as the human eye.

Finding the Right Light in Your Photography

Light - the primary source of energy for the universe - is the central image of many religions and the photographer's chief resource. The word "photography" derives from the Greek and means, literally, “light writing.”

From the relentless power of full sun over water to the beam from a single candle, it is light fashion and glamour photographers play with, light in its many moods and manifestations that we capture on film.

Digital cameras use a light-sensitive chip rather than film to capture an image. The camera is designed to let light through a hole (aperture) on to the chip for a limited amount of time (exposure). Digital cameras use “auto exposure” to take care of exposing the picture for you.

But there are a few things about aperture and exposure that you should be aware of.

A digital camera will gather the same amount of light with a large aperture and a short exposure or with a small aperture and a long exposure, but the image won't look the same. A wider aperture will reduce the “depth of field”, so that only objects at the focal point are in sharp focus. This is great for isolating a person from a busy background, but not so great for landscape photos, which require that everything be in focus.

Fashion Photographers

We see them everywhere, in Magazines, on the Run Way, in advertisements on TV. They are the slender women strutting their stuff or extra ordinary Beauties with their sultry looks flashing their pearly whites while wearing the newest Styles from the hottest Designers. We are talking about the fashion models of today, yesterday and tomorrow. They are everywhere we look, but who brings them to us? Their images are captures with care and precision, patience and that special look for style, color and lighting composition. I am talking about the fashion photographers.

In the fashion circles famous names like Mario Testino (easily one of the hottest names out there) and Eva Mueller (photographer for Fashion Magazine Allure) are just as sought out if not more then those men and women sauntering their way into our conscious.

High Paychecks and glamour’s Lifestyle of hob nobbing it with the rich and famous might be the dream of many young shutterbug, however it is not easy to reach the golden Staircases of the well-known fashion houses and magazines. For every one talented photographer, hundreds are left panting at the sidewalk, only dreaming about the moment that their photo will be chosen.