I am a fairly recent convert to prime lenses mainly due to the fact that I couldn't afford them but also due to the fact that I thought that all I needed in my bag was my 16-35mm f2.8 and my 70-200mm f2.8! I have spent quite a few years as a press and editorial photographer rushing from one job to the next and those two lenses were my stallwarts.
A while ago I decided that I needed an alternative lens (basically something not quite as heavy as the 70-200mm!). I was doing a few more environmental portraits and wanted something that would give me a bit of variety. Thanks to my friends at the Flash Centre in Leeds I decided to go for the very affordable 50mm f1.4 it didn't break the bank and I certainly haven't been disappointed!
Finally my eyes have been opened to the advantages of shooting wide open, the very shallow depth of field and the fall off that I get in my pictures means that an ordinary looking building or area can become extraordinary. It certainly makes the subject stand out of the picture and is a real help when shooting, as we do at Icon, in really low light situations:
It may not surprise you to learn that I have since sold my 70-200mm, I was finding it too heavy and when you are shooting at speeds of less than 60/second it becomes critical to keep the camera and lens stable! I still have in my bag my 16-35mm as it is a superb lens and one that I couldn't be without, I have just added a few extras:
50mm f1.4
85mm f1.8
135mm f2.0
I think my favourite has to be the 85mm f1.8 and is my most used lens, the one that I put on the camera first and is probably on the camera at the end of the shoot. I already have my eye on the Canon 35mm f2 or the 28mm f1.8....what do you think?
