Prime Lenses: 50mm vs. 35

Back in December, I bought a new lens for my camera. I have a Sony NEX-3, which is pretty much a DSLR, but is about half the size and weight of a normal DSLR camera. One main draw of having a DSLR or similar camera over a point-and-shoot is that you can change the lenses. Read on for some technical insight as to why you would buy a different lens, and what the difference is. If you feel well-informed already, skip down to the fifth paragraph to learn whether you should buy the 50mm or 35mm lens if you are looking for a prime portrait lens.

Most people buy their first manual camera with a kit lens, which is normally a zoom lens with a focal length of something like 18-55m (mid-range) or 18-135mm (telephoto).  These lenses are great because they are very versatile, and give you a similar zoom range to what you are used to having on a point-and-shoot camera. You can shoot a wide angle of view, like a building with a yard in front of it, or a portrait of someone from the shoulders-up, or you can get a close-up of something that's kind of far away. The problem with these lenses is that because they cover such a wide range of focal lengths (aka distances you can shoot), they aren't super great at shooting at any one distance. Basically, you're sacrificing quality for convenience. (You can upgrade to better quality zoom lenses, but they are much more expensive than the kit lens.)

One obvious thing that you are sacrificing is aperture. Aperture is the setting that affects both how much light you can let in when taking a picture as well as depth of field, which is basically how much of your subject is in focus. With a wider aperture, you can 1. take pictures in lower light (because you can let more light in. In the human eye, this is measured by our pupils. Go in a dark room and look in the mirror - your pupils get really large! They are widening to let in more light.), and 2. make less of your picture in focus, making the background blurrier (this is how the human eye focuses. Try holding a pen in front of your face - notice how when you're looking at it, everything else goes out of focus. When you switch to looking at your surroundings, the pen goes out of focus.) Aperture is actually measured as a fraction, so a wider aperture is actually noted as a lower number. The widest aperture I'm aware of in existence is 1.2, whereas on the high end you could have an aperture of 22 or 32.

An example of being able to take pictures in not-very-bright situations. You can tell how dark this room was, yet you can clearly see each band member. This was taken with the aperture at f/1.8 and no flash was used.

This photo and the next are an example of the pen in front of your face illustration. This first picture is focused on the pen -you can barely tell what's in the background!

And now the focus switched to the moss. You can easily see the moss, but hardly notice the Christmas lights.

Eventually people wanting to grow in their photography feel limited by only having the kit lens. They want to be able to achieve creamy, blurry backgrounds that make the subject of their photos stand out more, like real life, and thus look more professional. The solution is buying a prime lens. A prime lens is just one that has a fixed focal length (like 16mm, 50mm, 85mm, etc.). These lens don't zoom, but they excel at the focal length they do offer. They have a wider aperture than a kit lens can give. For example, my kit lens has an aperture that ranges from f/3.5-5. Those numbers represent the widest aperture I can get when I am at different focal lengths. For example, I can shoot at f/3.5 when I'm at the closest focal length (18mm), but when I zoom in, to say 55mm, the widest aperture I can get is  f/5. With a prime lens, like my 16mm, I can only shoot wide angles, but the aperture opens as wide as f/2.8. With prime lenses, not only do you get blurrier backgrounds, but since the lens is higher quality, you normally achieve a crisper focus as well. Why are prime lenses higher quality? Because they are specializing in one thing. A zoom lens has to cover a wide variety of focal distances, so it's harder to get as good quality in each focal length for the price you're paying.

That was all introductory, so now for the point of this article: which prime lens should you buy to get that great crisp focus and blurry background? There are actually a lot of options out there depending on what you want to take pictures of. A lot of people are looking for a portrait lens, which gives you a little bit of zoom so that you can take great, crisp picture of people without having to stand really close to them. Lately, I have seen a lot of people choose to buy a 50mm lens to suit this purpose. I, on the other hand, bought a 35mm lens, which is what I would recommend to others who are looking to buy a prime portrait lens. Why?

I am not really sure the reason for people buying a 50mm portrait lens, but I think it may be because they have heard professional photographers rave about their 50mm. I follow several wedding photographers' blogs and for most of them, their 50mm is their favorite for portraits and all-around shooting. So then if you have a DSLR, why shouldn't you also buy a 50mm? The reason is that the photographers you follow are using professional cameras that have a full-frame sensor, while you probably have an amateur DSLR that has a cropped sensor. What the heck does that mean?

This might sound complicated, but it is actually simple - the sensor on your camera is cropped. If you draw a circle, and then draw a square inside of that circle, you come out with four ovals of space that are a part of the circle, but not a part of the square. Think of a full-frame sensor as being that circle - if you take a picture, you capture everything within that circle. Now compare the cropped sensor to the square - if you try to take a picture of everything within that circle, you come out short. You don't have the ability to take a picture of the whole circle, because your sensor, the square, is too small.

This may sound discouraging, but it's completely fine! That's the way your camera was made. However, it does affect the lenses you choose. Remember how we said that focal length was the distance you can shoot? That was fairly true, but also kind of misleading. Focal length is actually just a literal measure of how long your lens is. So an 18mm lens is 18mm long. Thus, focal length. Now, for someone with a full-frame sensor camera, the focal length WILL also be the measure of the distance they can shoot, which we will call the angle of view. So where's the discrepancy? For people with cropped sensor cameras, the angle of view is different from the focal length. This goes back to the circle/square dilemma. Even though you might possess a 50mm lens (the circle), when you take a picture you will only capture the information within the square, which in this case, turns out to be the same distance you would get if you used an 75mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor. This is because if you were using the circle, you would have to move closer or zoom in more to capture only the amount of information contained within the square. Does that make sense?

So, again, why would you choose the 35mm lens? If you want to buy that all-around versatile lens that almost every photographer has fallen in love with, if you have a cropped sensor camera (and you probably do, unless you spent thousands of dollars on your camera) you should buy a 35mm lens, because its angle of view equivalent IS about 50mm. On the other hand, if you buy a 50mm, you may be disappointed when you learn that to take portrait of people, you have to stand kind of far away from them to get their whole or part of their body instead of just their face. Now that may be what you're looking for, but just be warned that it is a fairly zoomy lens. A test you can do to see what focal length lens to get is to just zoom in your kit lens to the distances you're trying to choose between. When I did that, I discovered that I couldn't get very much in the frame when I had it set to 50mm, but when I put it on 35, I loved the amount of subject I could get in the picture. And yes, now that I have my 35, I feel as in love with it as most photographers do about their 50 - it is almost always my lens of choice!

For example, at Adam & Liz's wedding, I was only sitting a few rows back, but I was still able to capture the whole window in this picture by using my 35mm lens.

I hope that was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions. :)

Curls & Bobby Pins

Today, for the first time in my life, I curled my own hair!!! It took awhile, 23 years, but better late than never! (I actually used to curl my hair some when I was really little, like elementary school, but hit a point where I just couldn't figure it out for some reason!) I found this blog a few months ago and am SO thankful for this sweet girl (Kate) posting tutorials for basic hair styling techniques for something even as simple as how to curl your hair with a curling iron. I thought I was the only one who didn't know how to do that, but the way she explains it doesn't make me feel like a moron, AND a ton of people follow her so apparently I was not the only one!

I have been wanting to practice for awhile but didn't have the necessary tools or time, but finally tried today (actually still don't have any hair spray...what kind of girl am I?) and am so happy with the results! I finally feel competent enough to style my hair to look pretty for weddings (and other events, but let's face it, we are wedding people at this stage in life). Here's how some of the things I tried turned out: (p.s. don't mind how all these pictures are of the back of my head...just don't start thinking about cousin It and you'll be okay!)

basic curls (half up with a clip)

The curls didn't turn out AT ALL like Kate's, but she has entirely different hair than mine so whatever. I will maybe try some different things and see if I can get the curls to go higher on my head eventually, but this works for now.

Half-up

Oh yeah- bobby pins!! I have NEVER been able to use them myself before. I always see girls with cute simple hair-dos that are only held up by bobby pins, and always get jealous because I have too much hair to be held up by such a little thing. Well, apparently I have been missing the crucial piece of information regarding how to use bobby pins! Are you ready? You put the zig-zag side....DOWN! Who knew?? Wow I cannot believe I never knew that. Anyways, they work now!! In my hair...what a miracle! I am so excited to be able to do simple do's and style my own hair now. YAY! :)

the chic up-do

(This picture is not the best angle, but hopefully you get the effect.) Kate has much shorter hair than I do, so I'm not exactly sure how you're supposed to do this with longer hair. Also, I had to use 6 bobby pins to hold up a section of hair that she only needed one for! Not fair. Anyways, this style didn't look that great, but once I put this pretty barette in, it held up a loose section of hair and pulled the style together so it actually looks elegant. 

If you are a hair failure like I am, check out Kate's blog!! It is so helpful! Good luck :)

Awesome Organics

Here are some organic food finds that I have been enjoying lately. I recommend them all!

1. Almond Breeze almond milk

 Why? I've become a little lactose intolerant in my old age. Ice cream, remember, my bffl? Now makes me wake up in the middle of the night with heart burn. BETRAYAL! Anyways, this milk doesn't upset my stomach. It tastes different than regular milk, but isn't bad for the post-cereal results. There are certain cereals I have found it to not mesh well with, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It tastes pretty good with Honey Nut Cheerios though. 

2. Fruitabu strawberry fruit roll-ups

Why? I mentioned this in a recent post. I LOVE snacks, especially unhealthy kiddie ones like fruit snacks and Chewy granola bars. This healthy version of a fruit roll-up brings me back to middle school days, while providing a half serving of fruit. And I love the little monkey on the package!

3. Yo-Greek yogurt

Why? Greek yogurt is healthier than traditional yogurt. Flavored yogurt is LOADED with sugar. The problem? Most Greek yogurt has just as much, if not more, sugar as my usual yogurt (Yoplait light), but plain Greek yogurt is disgusting. Thus Yo-Greek is the perfect find, solving all my yogurt dilemmas! It's flavored Greek yogurt that tastes great and has about half as much sugar as most other flavored yogurts! (Also, it gets serious points for having enough granola for the entire container of yogurt.) Find it in the organic aisle at Kroger.

4. Coco Pop

Why? I actually don't even know if this is organic, but it's weird so it seems comfortable with the rest of this list. Coco Pop is an interesting rice/grain disc that flies like a frisbee and snaps like a cracker. In flavor and texture it's pretty similar to a rice cake, but don't be turned off, it tastes great! And at like ten calories a pop it's the perfect snack for when you want to munch on something while you're watching TV. Try Moon Pop, the cinnamon flavor!

Random Facts I Feel Like Sharing

These things have either been on my mind for awhile, or I recently heard people wondering about them which makes me want to share.

Organic milk sounds gross if you don't know what it is, but it just means that the cows the milk comes from aren't pumped with hormones or eat grass laced with nasty pesticides. Try it, it tastes exactly the same.

Global Warming is a commonly misunderstood term that actually stands for Global Climate Change. When summers are excruciatingly hot and winters are scattered with freak snowstorms, that's Global Climate Change on course, doing its thing. (The science behind it is that the ozone layer heats up (hence the warming), causing weather to be more extreme - summers AND winters.) So there, everyone who says freakishly cold winters are a disproof for global warming, you're wrong - it actually supports it!

Anyone in need of a shampoo for damaged hair, you should try Arbonne. Being a blonde (I still adamantly claim to be a dark blonde) and a swimmer who used a straight iron, I was on the search for years for a shampoo that would transform my frazzled locks into normal soft hair. Arbonne has been the only thing to work on my hair, and I'm proud to say that it only took a few months for the metamorphosis to take place. Now that I've been using it for a few years my hair is soft and healthy. If you'd like to try some, let me know and I can get you a sample!

You might already know that I download my desktop backgrounds from Interfacelift.com. I was so proud of a picture I took this fall because it looked exactly like something you could download from the website! After taking awhile to figure out how to change my photo to the proper dimensions, I submitted it, but it didn't get enough votes to become available as a desktop. I'm still proud of it though, and obviously be willing to share it with anyone who is looking for a background next fall. :)

If I try to read in bed (and where else would I read?), I WILL fall asleep. It's not that random, but it is a fact.

I was super excited to blog every day for the 25 Days of Christmas, but it seemed my joy in that endeavor was only slightly more far-reaching than myself. I was hoping for more comments/following, but oh well, all the better to blog for myself and not for others. And thank you to all those who do read & comment! I appreciate it. :)

Since this is a random post, instead of wishing you a happy Monday, I'll wish you a happy Happy Lemur Day, for old times' sake.

Interface Lift

Don't you love

this face?

And isn't this

a beautiful scene?

If pictures make you happy, and you want to have them at full resolution on your computer screen, you will love interfacelift. Download awesome photography for your desktop background, or for whatever other reason, like if you just like collecting pictures. Choose your screen size so they will fit perfectly - meaning no stretching, and full resolution!

Just thought I'd share...

Running Shoes

In the market for a new pair of running shoes? Here are some tips I just learned:

Your feet naturally roll when you run. This is called pronation. Depending on your arch, they roll inward (towards your other foot) - overpronation, or outward - underpronation. Or maybe your feet are great and they naturally roll the correct way (neither outward nor inward).

Your arch is what determines the roll/your gait. A person with a high arch (most rare) tends to underpronate, whereas a person with a flat foot tends to overpronate.

You should shoe-shop based on what kind of arch and gait you have. If you have a flat foot, look for a shoe with good arch support, also known as maximum support. If you have a high arch, look for a shoe with cushioning. If your foot is more normal, you will want structured cushioning to keep your foot moving the way it should.

The confusion is in what I just said - if you have a high arch, wouldn't you want good arch support? No - the reason being that a foot with a high arch naturally rolls outward. If you add extra padding under your already-high arch, your foot will lean even more towards the outside, causing you to underpronate and occasionally slip and stumble on the outside of your foot. In return, you will want arch support with a flat foot (even though you have no arch) so that your foot will not overpronate and tilt too much inward. Think about it this way - the arch directs where your foot will go. You want it to go straight/forward, so if you add support to a foot that is leaning inward (flat) you can correct that by pushing it outward. Does that make sense?

I am so glad I googled this because I always knew you had to choose running shoes wisely but I never knew what to make the decision based off. I have a high arch and when I stumble my foot always "falls" outward. I never knew why that was! I always looked for good arch support but it was really causing my foot to keep doing the bad thing it was already doing. Now I am so glad I know how to correct it!

I'm making a list & checking it twice...

Just thought I would share my new packing strategy! It works great! I am one of the worst packers I know. I know some other people who struggle with packing, but I'm one of them. It's not that I don't like packing, I think it's that I like it too much. I could pack for so long! That is a really weird thing to say, but anyways it just means I don't like to be done with packing so I don't like to do it quickly. Another problem is that I take FOR-EVER to make decisions, especially when I have to choose something that I'm going to want in the future. How could I possibly know what I'm going to want in the future? Anyways I've started using this strategy that really helps eliminate a lot of time. It's so simple but for years I never thought of it. Before I ever start physically packing, I sit down at my computer and make a list of everything I want to bring. It sounds so simple but it really makes a difference for me because instead of looking at all the options of clothes and books and trying to choose between them, I decide what I want beforehand, so that when I see all the options I already know what I want. Also it helps to start with a smaller list and add instead of getting out every shirt I want to bring and then trying to get rid of some. Anyways this is probably old news for most of you, but if any of you packing strugglers are having trouble this holiday season, hopefully this method can help you! :)