When you first start exploring portrait photography—especially with children, families, or lifestyle sessions—one of the biggest questions you’ll face is which lens to choose. Among all the options out there, two focal lengths seem to come up over and over again: the 35mm and the 50mm.
Both are popular for good reason. They produce beautifully sharp, natural-looking images, handle low-light situations well, and allow you to create that lovely background blur (known as bokeh) that makes portraits pop. But despite their similarities, the experience of shooting with each one can feel quite different. Understanding these differences can make a huge impact on how your photos look—and how you work as a photographer.
Before diving into which one might be right for you, let’s unpack what these numbers actually mean and how they affect your images.
Understanding Focal Length in Everyday Terms
When photographers talk about a 35mm or a 50mm lens, they’re referring to the focal length—a measurement (in millimeters) that describes how much of the scene your camera captures and how “zoomed in” it appears.
The smaller the number, the wider the view. A 35mm lens captures more of the surroundings, which means it feels more immersive and contextual—it pulls the environment into the story. A larger number, like 50mm, offers a narrower field of view that brings you closer to your subject, making it easier to isolate them from the background.
This difference might not seem dramatic on paper, but in practice, it changes everything—from composition and perspective to how you interact with your subjects.
Full Frame vs Crop Sensor: Why It Matters
Before comparing the two lenses directly, it’s important to note how your camera type affects them. Cameras come with either a full-frame sensor or a crop sensor (APS-C), and this influences how lenses behave.
If you’re using a full-frame camera, a 35mm lens gives you that true wide perspective, and a 50mm lens behaves like a natural “normal” lens that closely resembles what your eyes see.
But if you’re using a crop-sensor camera, the field of view changes. Because the smaller sensor crops into the image, it effectively multiplies the focal length by about 1.5x. This means:
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A 35mm lens behaves more like a 52mm equivalent, which feels more zoomed in.
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A 50mm lens behaves more like a 75mm equivalent, which is closer to a short telephoto.
This means that on a crop-sensor camera, a 35mm lens gives a more versatile, walk-around view, while a 50mm lens becomes quite tight—better for portraits but not ideal for small indoor spaces.
The Character of the 35mm Lens
The 35mm lens is often described as a “storytelling” lens. It allows you to include the environment while still keeping your subject the focus of the image. That balance is perfect for family and lifestyle photography, where context matters—whether it’s a child playing in their bedroom, a family baking together in the kitchen, or parents snuggling their newborn on the couch.
Because it captures a wider scene, it feels intimate and immersive, giving the viewer a sense of being there. It works especially well when you’re shooting indoors or in tight spaces where you can’t physically step back.
Photographers also love the 35mm for its natural perspective. While it’s wide enough to show the surroundings, it doesn’t distort faces or stretch the frame like ultra-wide lenses do. This makes it ideal for documenting moments naturally without losing authenticity.
If you often find yourself drawn to candid shots—children running through the yard, parents laughing mid-hug, or a spontaneous tickle fight—the 35mm is your ally. Its slightly wider angle allows you to move close to your subjects while keeping them connected to their surroundings, creating photos that feel emotionally genuine.
Another practical advantage is its versatility in low light. Most 35mm lenses have a wide maximum aperture (like f/1.4 or f/1.8), allowing more light to hit the sensor. That means you can keep shooting even in dimly lit rooms without relying on flash, while still getting a lovely shallow depth of field that separates your subject beautifully from the background.
However, the 35mm does come with its quirks. If you get too close to your subject, you might notice slight distortion, especially around the edges—faces can appear stretched or widened. This is why many photographers are careful about how close they get when shooting portraits, preferring to stay a step back to keep proportions natural.
The Character of the 50mm Lens
If the 35mm lens is a storyteller, the 50mm is the classic portrait artist. Often called the “nifty fifty,” it offers a perspective that closely matches what the human eye naturally sees, making the resulting images feel balanced and familiar.
On a full-frame camera, a 50mm gives you a neutral, flattering perspective that’s especially kind to faces. It provides enough compression to make features look natural and soft, without exaggerating them. For this reason, many photographers love it for individual portraits or smaller groups where the background is less important than the expression and detail.
The 50mm also produces creamy background blur—that dreamy, soft separation that makes your subject pop against a backdrop of color and light. This shallow depth of field gives your portraits a professional polish, even in simple settings.
Because the lens is slightly tighter, it encourages you to step back and observe, which can be a blessing when photographing children or families. It allows moments to unfold naturally without feeling like you’re intruding. The result is a collection of genuine expressions captured from a comfortable distance.
It’s also an excellent choice for outdoor lifestyle photography, where you have more room to move. Whether it’s a walk in the park, a day at the beach, or an open-field family session, the 50mm allows for beautiful subject isolation while still retaining enough context to tell a story.
However, the 50mm isn’t as forgiving in tight indoor spaces. Because of its narrower field of view, you’ll often find yourself stepping back—sometimes into a wall—to fit your subjects into the frame. That’s one of the main reasons many lifestyle photographers prefer 35mm for home or indoor sessions.
How the Two Lenses Feel Different in Use
When you switch between the two, the difference in how you interact with your subjects becomes immediately noticeable.
With a 35mm, you’ll naturally be closer to your subjects. This closeness helps capture emotion and connection—it feels personal, almost like you’re part of the scene. That makes it wonderful for documenting family interactions or spontaneous laughter.
With a 50mm, you’ll be standing a little further away. This creates a sense of breathing room, giving your subjects space to relax while you observe from a distance. It’s ideal for capturing quiet moments or when you want to focus more on expressions rather than full scenes.
Both experiences can shape the tone of your images. The 35mm draws the viewer into the action, while the 50mm isolates the subject, emphasizing detail and emotion. Neither is “better”—they simply tell different visual stories.
Thinking About Composition and Background
Another way to differentiate them is by looking at how they handle composition and background compression.
A 35mm shows more of the environment, so it’s perfect when you want to use surroundings to tell the story—like a cozy living room scene, a child surrounded by toys, or a couple walking hand in hand through autumn leaves. It lets the viewer see context.
A 50mm lens, on the other hand, compresses the background slightly, making it appear closer and blurrier. This compression adds depth and helps your subject stand out. It’s particularly flattering for portraits because it emphasizes the person while simplifying distractions behind them.
Choosing between the two often comes down to how much of the story you want the background to play. Do you want to include the environment, or make your subject the clear star of the show?
Deciding Based on Shooting Environment
Your shooting environment often dictates which lens feels most comfortable.
If you’re shooting indoors, like in a family’s home or a small studio, the 35mm tends to win. Its wider field of view helps you capture entire scenes even in limited space, while still maintaining a sense of closeness.
If you’re shooting outdoors, where you have more room to move, the 50mm can shine. It lets you step back and work with natural light and background separation, creating soft, elegant portraits with beautiful depth.
That said, many photographers use both—switching depending on what the moment calls for. Some even carry both during sessions: the 35mm for wider lifestyle storytelling, and the 50mm for intimate, emotional close-ups.
What Really Matters: How You See the World
In the end, choosing between 35mm and 50mm isn’t just a technical decision—it’s a creative one. The lens you gravitate toward often reflects how you see and feel the world.
If you find yourself drawn to storytelling, to capturing full scenes and the connections between people and their surroundings, the 35mm will feel like home.
If you love the simplicity of clean portraits and emotional close-ups with soft backgrounds, the 50mm might be your artistic match.
There’s no right or wrong answer here—just different ways of expressing your vision. What matters most is understanding how each lens shapes your photographs, so you can use them intentionally rather than guessing.
Now that we’ve covered how the 35mm and 50mm lenses differ technically and in feel, it’s time to explore how these differences show up in real-life photography situations. For photographers capturing children, families, and lifestyle sessions, choosing the right focal length goes far beyond numbers—it shapes how you move, how your subjects interact with you, and ultimately, how your images tell a story.
Every session is different, and so is every lens. The right choice depends on your shooting style, environment, and the emotions you want to evoke. Let’s take a closer look at how each lens performs in typical child, family, and lifestyle photography scenarios.
Photographing Children: Capturing Energy and Authenticity
Children rarely sit still for long, and that’s part of what makes photographing them both fun and challenging. They move quickly, change expressions in an instant, and often forget the camera is even there. To capture that genuine, carefree energy, your lens needs to work with you, not against you.
The 35mm lens shines in these situations because of its wider field of view and forgiving focus range. It allows you to stay physically close—important when photographing kids who may wander off—but still fit plenty of the scene into your frame. You can crouch down on the floor and photograph a toddler stacking blocks, or capture a child running toward you in the backyard, all without losing focus or cutting off parts of the environment.
Another advantage of the 35mm for children is its speed and adaptability. The slightly wider perspective gives you room to crop later if needed, and you won’t have to constantly step back when your little subjects run up close. It’s ideal for those unplanned moments—like when a child jumps into a puddle or twirls in circles under the sun—because you can react quickly without missing the shot.
However, the 50mm lens brings a different kind of magic when photographing children. Its tighter frame allows for more emotional storytelling, focusing attention squarely on your subject’s expressions. While it may require a bit more distance between you and the child, that separation can sometimes work to your advantage. It lets the child act naturally, without feeling like a camera is right in their face.
This lens also makes it easier to blur distractions in the background, isolating the subject beautifully. If you’re photographing a child outdoors—perhaps sitting in tall grass or under a tree—the 50mm can create a lovely, soft backdrop that draws all eyes to their expression. The result often feels more polished and intentional, which is perfect for portraits that highlight emotion rather than context.
So, for children, both lenses have their place:
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The 35mm captures energy, movement, and environmental storytelling.
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The 50mm captures emotion, detail, and simplicity.
A lifestyle photographer might even switch between the two throughout the same session, using the 35mm to document playful moments and the 50mm for those quiet, close-up portraits that parents treasure.
Family Photography: Managing Groups and Connection
Family photography adds another layer of complexity. You’re not just photographing one subject—you’re capturing relationships, interactions, and emotions between multiple people. That means your lens choice affects not only how everyone fits into the frame but also how the photograph feels.
With a 35mm lens, family photography becomes easier when space is limited or when you want to include everyone in a natural setting. Because it’s wider, you can comfortably photograph families of three, four, or more without stepping too far back. Indoors, that’s a huge benefit—you can shoot in a small living room, a kitchen, or a child’s bedroom without running out of room to move.
The 35mm also helps convey connection. Since you can stay close, it captures intimate gestures like a hand on a shoulder, a parent brushing hair from a child’s face, or siblings laughing together. The resulting photos feel warm and candid, full of life and authenticity.
However, it’s important to be aware of distortion at the edges of the frame. With wider lenses like the 35mm, people standing near the sides can appear slightly stretched, especially if they’re close to the camera. A simple way to avoid this is by keeping your main subjects near the center or stepping back slightly while composing.
The 50mm lens, by contrast, brings a cleaner and more flattering perspective for small groups or individual family members. It compresses features slightly, which helps create a balanced and natural look. The narrower field of view also encourages you to focus on connections between fewer people, making it perfect for moments like a mother holding her baby, or a father playing with his toddler.
Outdoors, the 50mm lens is often preferred for its ability to separate the family from busy backgrounds. Trees, grass, or distant houses melt into a pleasing blur, keeping attention on the people. It’s also flattering for portraits where you want each subject to look their best, without worrying about distortion or overly wide framing.
In summary:
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35mm: great for group shots, environmental storytelling, and capturing closeness in small spaces.
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50mm: ideal for smaller groupings or portraits where background separation and flattering perspective matter most.
Lifestyle Photography: Telling a Story Through Context
Lifestyle photography is all about storytelling. Instead of perfectly posed images, it aims to capture life as it naturally unfolds—real interactions, laughter, and details that show a family’s personality. In this genre, the lens you choose determines how much of that story gets told.
The 35mm lens has long been a favorite among lifestyle photographers because it shows the world as it feels. It’s wide enough to include the environment—like a child baking cookies with their parent, or siblings jumping on a bed—while still keeping the subjects large enough to feel personal. This ability to show both people and place gives the viewer context, allowing them to step into the moment.
The 35mm also encourages movement. Because it’s a wider lens, you can move closer to your subjects, walk around them, and shoot from different angles without constantly refocusing. This creates a sense of immersion—the photos look as though the viewer is part of the scene, not merely observing it from afar.
Meanwhile, the 50mm lens creates a different mood. It narrows the view and simplifies the story, focusing attention on emotion, light, and detail rather than the full environment. When used in lifestyle sessions, it produces more intimate, cinematic frames—perhaps a close-up of a child’s hands holding a flower, or the way a couple looks at each other while sitting together.
If the 35mm captures the “whole story,” the 50mm captures the “heart” of it. Both are valid, and many photographers use them in tandem. One might start a session with a 35mm lens to establish the scene and relationships, then switch to the 50mm lens to capture expressions and details that complete the narrative.
How Lighting Affects Your Choice
Lighting is one of the most important factors in any type of photography, and your choice of lens can make a big difference in how light behaves in your images.
Both the 35mm and 50mm lenses typically come with wide apertures, such as f/1.4, f/1.8, or f/2, which allow for shooting in low light without flash. However, the way each handles available light can feel different.
A 35mm lens, with its wider view, tends to include more of the light in a room or scene. This can be helpful when photographing indoors during golden hour or in softly lit spaces, where natural light might be limited. You can position your subjects near windows or doors, and the lens will capture the atmosphere without feeling too dark or tight.
The 50mm, being slightly longer, often produces a more concentrated effect with light. Because you’re closer to your subject in relation to the background blur, you get a softer fall-off and more pronounced highlights. This can make portraits glow beautifully, particularly in backlit situations where sunlight filters through hair or outlines the subject’s face.
If you love capturing bright, airy images with context, the 35mm might feel more natural. If you’re drawn to dramatic, glowing light and creamy bokeh, the 50mm will likely speak your language.
Movement, Depth, and Storytelling
Both lenses handle movement differently. The 35mm offers more depth of field, meaning that slightly missed focus isn’t as noticeable—a useful trait when children or pets are moving quickly. You can capture spontaneous moments without worrying too much about precise focusing.
The 50mm, with its shallower depth of field, can be more demanding in fast-paced situations, especially when shooting at wide apertures. Focus becomes critical; even a slight movement can shift sharpness from the eyes to the nose. However, when nailed, the results are stunning—smooth backgrounds, creamy blur, and a painterly feel.
One subtle difference between the two lies in how they tell a story through depth and distance. With the 35mm, you can create images that feel immersive—almost three-dimensional—because of the way it exaggerates spatial relationships. Objects in the background appear slightly smaller, adding depth and visual storytelling.
With the 50mm, the compression flattens space slightly, creating a more intimate look. It’s less about showing the environment and more about highlighting a moment, gesture, or connection.
By now, you’ve probably started to imagine which lens might fit your style best. Maybe you’re drawn to the 35mm for its immersive storytelling or to the 50mm for its classic, portrait-friendly look. But understanding theory is one thing—seeing how it plays out in real-life situations is another.
Understanding Perspective and How It Shapes Your Story
Before jumping into techniques, it helps to revisit how perspective works. Perspective is determined not just by the lens, but also by your distance from the subject.
With a 35mm lens, you’ll generally be closer to your subject to fill the frame. That closeness gives a feeling of intimacy and presence—your viewer feels as though they’re part of the scene. It’s fantastic for lifestyle imagery because it captures not only faces but also body language and environment in a way that feels natural and personal.
With a 50mm lens, you’ll naturally step back a little. This separation can make your photos feel calmer and more composed. It often emphasizes emotional subtlety rather than action—great for quieter moments like a child daydreaming, or a parent gazing softly at their baby.
Both perspectives tell different stories:
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35mm: draws the viewer into the action, conveying warmth and energy.
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50mm: allows observation from a gentle distance, highlighting emotion and detail.
Knowing how to use that difference intentionally is one of the secrets to mastering lifestyle and portrait photography.
Composing with the 35mm Lens
When working with a 35mm, composition becomes an exercise in balance. Because it’s wider, it captures a lot more of the background, so it’s essential to think about how all the elements fit together in your frame.
1. Use the Environment as Part of the Story
A 35mm lens excels at storytelling. Include meaningful details around your subject—like a child’s favorite toy, a cozy couch, or sunlight streaming through a window. These background elements give context and emotional weight to your photo.
2. Get Close Without Overcrowding
You can safely move closer to your subject with a 35mm without losing sharpness or focus flexibility. However, avoid getting so close that faces start to distort, especially at the edges of the frame. Keeping your subject near the center helps maintain natural proportions.
3. Play with Leading Lines and Depth
Because the 35mm exaggerates depth, it’s perfect for using lines—like hallways, fences, or paths—to draw the viewer’s eye toward your subject. You can use this to create dynamic storytelling compositions that feel immersive and alive.
4. Capture Layers of Action
Wider frames allow for multiple layers of storytelling. You might capture a parent in the background cooking while a child plays in the foreground, or siblings interacting while light spills across the floor. These kinds of compositions create rich, narrative-driven images that feel like moments frozen in time.
5. Embrace Movement
Children rarely sit still, and the 35mm’s wider field of view helps you keep them in frame even as they move. Follow the motion rather than waiting for perfect stillness—sometimes the blur of movement adds life and authenticity to your photos.
The key to success with the 35mm is intentional framing. It’s easy to accidentally include distracting objects because of how much the lens sees. Taking a moment to scan the background before pressing the shutter can make the difference between a cluttered image and a storytelling masterpiece.
Composing with the 50mm Lens
The 50mm lens, in contrast, encourages a more focused, minimalistic style. It isolates your subject beautifully and produces natural proportions that are flattering for portraits.
1. Simplify Your Scene
Because the 50mm narrows your view, it’s easier to remove distractions from the background. Use this to your advantage by composing scenes that focus purely on your subject and their expression. For example, when photographing a child outdoors, frame them against a patch of greenery or sky for a clean, timeless look.
2. Use Background Compression
One of the most powerful effects of the 50mm is background compression—the way it visually brings the background closer to your subject. This compression makes portraits appear more three-dimensional, with a soft, creamy blur that enhances subject separation.
3. Capture Emotion and Detail
Because you’ll be standing slightly farther away, your subjects often forget about the camera faster. This helps you capture genuine expressions—especially useful when photographing shy children or tender family moments. Try focusing on subtle details like hands intertwined or the way light falls across a face.
4. Master Depth of Field
At wide apertures (like f/1.8 or f/2), the 50mm gives you a very shallow depth of field. This can look stunning, but it also means your focus has to be precise. Aim for the eyes when shooting portraits, or use a slightly narrower aperture (around f/2.8–f/4) when photographing more than one person to keep them all sharp.
5. Step Back and Observe
The 50mm invites you to take a calmer, more observant approach. Instead of moving constantly, find your spot, compose carefully, and wait for the right moment to unfold naturally. This rhythm often results in quieter, more emotional photographs that feel thoughtful and intentional.
Where the 35mm lens captures the energy of a moment, the 50mm captures its heart. Together, they complement each other beautifully in any storytelling session.
How Each Lens Affects Your Interaction with Subjects
Your physical distance from your subjects changes how they behave in front of the camera. This is especially important when photographing families and children.
With a 35mm, you’ll often be closer, sometimes just a few feet away. This closeness fosters connection and intimacy—children feel your presence, and your laughter or encouragement becomes part of the interaction. It’s wonderful for creating relaxed, authentic moments.
However, this same proximity can sometimes make people more aware of the camera, especially adults who feel self-conscious. In those cases, stepping back with a 50mm lens can help. Because you’re farther away, your subjects have more space to relax and forget they’re being photographed. You can quietly observe and capture genuine interactions without intruding.
This is one reason many lifestyle photographers alternate between both lenses during sessions:
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35mm for play, laughter, and connection.
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50mm for emotion, stillness, and introspection.
Switching based on mood allows you to tell a complete story with both energy and depth.
Shooting Indoors vs Outdoors
The setting of your session often dictates which lens will feel more comfortable.
Indoors:
In smaller spaces like homes or nurseries, the 35mm is usually the better fit. It allows you to capture full scenes without constantly backing into furniture or walls. It’s also ideal for showing environmental context—like a cozy living room or a family gathered in the kitchen.
The 50mm can still work indoors, but requires more room to move. It’s better suited for capturing closer portraits by windows or in open rooms where you can step back enough to frame your subjects comfortably.
Outdoors:
Once you step outside, both lenses become versatile tools with distinct advantages. The 35mm gives you sweeping, cinematic shots that show families surrounded by nature or cityscapes. It captures movement—kids running, parents walking hand-in-hand—while keeping everything in context.
The 50mm excels outdoors too, offering soft background separation that enhances portraits without losing the sense of place. It’s wonderful for golden hour sessions when light glows warmly behind your subjects, producing that beautiful halo effect many photographers love.
Think of it this way:
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35mm outdoors: dynamic storytelling and environmental portraits.
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50mm outdoors: refined, emotional close-ups with soft backgrounds.
Making the Most of Each Lens
Whether you shoot with one or both lenses, a few techniques can help you maximize their strengths.
1. Move Your Feet
Prime lenses don’t zoom, so composition depends on your movement. Don’t hesitate to step closer, crouch, or change angles frequently. Moving physically instead of relying on Zoom builds your awareness of framing and improves your creative instincts.
2. Experiment with Angles
A 35mm lens can exaggerate foregrounds beautifully if you shoot from a lower angle—like capturing a child’s toy in the front with them playing behind it. The 50mm, on the other hand, works well for eye-level or slightly above shots, producing balanced, classic compositions.
3. Use Light Intentionally
Both lenses handle natural light gracefully, but the effect differs. Try backlighting with the 50mm for glowing portraits, or side lighting with the 35mm to emphasize texture and depth in storytelling images.
4. Vary Your Distance for Narrative Flow
During sessions, alternate between close, medium, and wide shots. Start with wider frames using the 35mm to establish the setting, then switch to the 50mm for emotional close-ups. This variety helps create cohesive photo galleries that feel complete and intentional.
5. Embrace Imperfection
Lifestyle photography thrives on authenticity. If a moment feels genuine—even if it’s slightly messy or blurred—it often carries more emotion than a technically perfect image. Both lenses are tools for storytelling, not perfection, so focus on connection over precision.
Blending Both Lenses in a Single Session
Many photographers find their ideal rhythm by combining both focal lengths during a session. Using each intentionally allows for a dynamic mix of perspectives:
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Begin with the 35mm to set the scene and capture full interactions.
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Transition to the 50mm when the moment slows down for closer, emotional portraits.
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Return to the 35mm when the energy picks up again or when you want to document context and setting.
Switching lenses isn’t about indecision—it’s about creative adaptability. Every family session unfolds in layers: energy, laughter, calm, connection. Having both focal lengths lets you tell that complete visual story, from wide to close, without missing a beat.
Developing Your Personal Lens Preference
Ultimately, lens choice often becomes a reflection of your artistic voice. Some photographers naturally gravitate toward one perspective over the other, not because it’s technically better, but because it aligns with how they see and feel the world.
If you love documenting chaos, laughter, and movement, the 35mm will likely feel natural. It matches the rhythm of family life and lets you dive into the action.
If you’re drawn to stillness, emotion, and subtle expressions, the 50mm will speak to your storytelling instincts. It gives you space to breathe and encourages thoughtfulness in your compositions.
The best way to find your match is through practice. Photograph the same scene with both lenses, observe how the images differ, and notice which one makes you feel more connected to the story you’re telling.
After exploring how 35mm and 50mm lenses perform in various scenarios and how they affect your interaction with subjects, it’s time to dive deeper into analyzing your images, refining your approach, and thinking about long-term use. Choosing the right lens isn’t just about technical specifications—it’s about understanding your creative vision, how you want your images to feel, and how a lens supports your storytelling over time.
Reviewing Your Work: Seeing the Differences
One of the most valuable exercises for any photographer is to review their images critically. When comparing 35mm and 50mm images, look for differences in these areas:
1. Emotional Impact
Does one lens make the emotions in your photos feel stronger? 35mm often emphasizes interaction and connection by including more of the environment, while 50mm tends to highlight expressions and facial details. Notice which approach aligns with the story you want to tell.
2. Composition and Framing
Examine how each lens handles space. Do your 35mm images feel immersive but slightly busy? Do your 50mm images feel intimate but possibly exclude important context? Understanding how each lens frames the scene helps you make intentional choices in future sessions.
3. Depth and Perspective
Look at how your lenses render depth. The 35mm exaggerates distance slightly, making foregrounds and backgrounds feel more pronounced. The 50mm compresses the space, producing a flatter but often more polished look. Consider which depth interpretation you prefer for different types of sessions.
4. Interaction with Light
Check how each lens behaves in the lighting conditions you commonly work in. The 35mm might include more ambient light and surroundings, creating a sense of space and warmth, while the 50mm might produce more controlled, dramatic highlights and a softer background. Which light quality enhances your photographic style?
5. Movement and Candid Moments
Notice which lens better captures action or spontaneous gestures. The 35mm often keeps moving subjects in frame more easily, while the 50mm can isolate subjects beautifully but requires careful attention to focus. Understanding these dynamics lets you anticipate which lens will serve you best in active sessions.
Refining Your Shooting Style
Analyzing your work should lead to refining your shooting style, which is an ongoing process for every photographer. Lenses are not just tools—they shape how you see, move, and interact with subjects.
1. Adapt to Your Subjects’ Comfort
When photographing children, stepping back with a 50mm might be better for shy or self-conscious kids, giving them space to act naturally. With a 35mm, you’re closer and more involved, which is great for capturing playful, interactive moments. Consider how each lens affects subject behavior and adjust your approach accordingly.
2. Compose With Intent
Regardless of which lens you choose, intentional composition is key. With a 35mm, include background elements thoughtfully to enhance the story without creating clutter. With a 50mm lens, focus on isolating your subject and using negative space creatively. Developing this intentionality ensures that every image communicates your vision clearly.
3. Observe How You Move
Shooting with a 35mm often requires being more physically active—crouching, kneeling, or walking closer to your subjects. A 50mm encourages more observation and thoughtful positioning. Knowing how your movement changes depending on the lens can help you plan session flow, lighting, and angles more effectively.
4. Experiment With Angles and Distances
Both lenses offer opportunities for experimentation. A 35mm shot from a low angle can create playful, immersive perspectives, while a 50mm shot from slightly above or eye level can add emotional impact. Regular experimentation allows you to understand each lens’s unique strengths and develop your creative voice.
Balancing Environmental Context and Emotional Focus
One of the main distinctions between 35mm and 50mm is how much environment versus emotion they capture.
35mm Lens:
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Excellent for storytelling because it captures interactions, surroundings, and context.
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Works well in indoor settings or small spaces where space is limited.
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Ideal for dynamic scenes, showing relationships, gestures, and playful interactions.
50mm Lens:
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Perfect for emphasizing facial expressions, emotion, and details.
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Creates a cleaner, more polished look with background separation.
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Well-suited for outdoor sessions or moments when you want your subject to stand out without distractions.
Understanding this balance allows you to choose the right lens depending on the story you want to tell. For instance, if documenting a birthday party, a 35mm might capture the chaos and joy of the room. A 50mm lens would isolate the birthday child in a thoughtful portrait amid soft background blur. Both are valuable—just for different purposes.
Practical Tips for Long-Term Versatility
When thinking long-term about your photography toolkit, consider how each lens adapts to different situations.
1. Know When to Switch Lenses
Many photographers carry both lenses for sessions, switching depending on the scene:
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Start with the 35mm to capture full interactions and environmental storytelling.
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Switch to the 50mm for close-up portraits, expressions, and soft background effects.
2. Understand Your Camera Body
Remember that crop-sensor cameras affect effective focal length. A 35mm on a crop sensor behaves more like a 50mm on full-frame, which may influence your lens choice. Knowing this helps you anticipate framing and field of view before pressing the shutter.
3. Build Muscle Memory
Shooting regularly with both lenses develops an intuitive understanding. You’ll learn distances, angles, and compositions that work best for your subjects. Over time, selecting a lens becomes less about uncertainty and more about instinct.
4. Adapt to Session Length and Energy
Consider how long a session will last and the energy levels of your subjects. Children may tire quickly, so a 35mm lens allows you to capture more without constantly repositioning yourself. In calmer sessions, a 50mm lens can help create serene, composed portraits.
5. Evaluate Post-Processing Needs
While both lenses provide excellent image quality, post-processing can also influence how you use them. A wider 35mm shot may require more attention to background elements, while a 50mm image may need adjustments for sharpness or depth. Anticipating these needs allows smoother workflow.
Considering the Photographer’s Perspective
Your personal style, comfort level, and creative instincts ultimately guide lens selection.
Some photographers naturally gravitate toward the immersive, interactive experience of a 35mm, enjoying closeness, spontaneity, and environmental storytelling. Others prefer the focused, emotional clarity of a 50mm, thriving on calm, deliberate compositions and beautiful subject isolation.
Neither choice is “better” than the other—it’s about matching your lens to your creative intent and session conditions. The more familiar you become with both, the more flexibility you gain. You may even discover situations where neither lens is perfect, prompting experimentation with other focal lengths or zoom options.
Recognizing Your Preferred Shooting Conditions
Another factor is where and how you typically shoot.
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If you frequently photograph indoors, smaller homes, or lifestyle scenes in tight spaces, a 35mm lens provides more versatility and flexibility.
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If most of your sessions are outdoors, with open spaces and natural light, the 50mm lens excels in producing flattering portraits with soft backgrounds.
Understanding your preferred environment helps narrow your choices while still allowing creative freedom. Many photographers eventually develop a rhythm where both lenses are used strategically to complement each other.
How Both Lenses Shape Your Storytelling
Ultimately, lenses are storytelling tools. They dictate perspective, intimacy, and focus, shaping how viewers perceive your photographs.
The 35mm lens encourages inclusion, connection, and dynamic scenes. It tells a story that feels alive, bustling, and full of context. It’s particularly powerful for family sessions where movement, interaction, and environment all contribute to the narrative.
The 50mm lens emphasizes emotion, subtlety, and elegance. It isolates subjects from distractions, creating timeless portraits that draw attention to relationships and expressions. It’s excellent for capturing the quiet, tender moments that often become the most cherished images.
Both lenses complement each other, providing a versatile toolkit for photographers who want to capture the full spectrum of human connection in children, families, and lifestyle photography.
Experimentation and Growth
One of the most important takeaways is that experimentation fosters growth. Trying both lenses in the same session allows you to compare results firsthand. Observe:
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How your subjects respond to your presence at different distances.
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How each lens handles light, depth, and motion.
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Which lens produces images that feel truest to your vision?
Over time, this process sharpens your instincts. You’ll know when a 35mm is the right choice for immersive storytelling and when a 50mm is best for elegant, emotional portraits.
Using Light to Enhance Your Photography
Light is one of the most powerful tools in photography, and the lens you choose interacts with it in distinct ways. Understanding how to work with light can elevate your images and make your sessions more effective.
35mm Lens and Light
The 35mm lens’s wider field of view allows you to include more ambient light and context in your shots. This makes it excellent for capturing natural light indoors or in small spaces. Placing your subjects near a window or soft light source lets you illuminate both your subject and their environment, creating photos with warmth and depth.
The lens also handles mixed lighting situations gracefully. Because it captures a broader scene, it can balance highlights and shadows across the frame, giving your photos a more natural and inviting look. This is particularly useful for lifestyle sessions where the background adds storytelling elements.
50mm Lens and Light
The 50mm lens offers greater control over light due to its narrower perspective and ability to compress backgrounds. This makes it perfect for creating moody, cinematic portraits where your subject stands out against a softer or blurred backdrop.
Shooting backlit portraits with a 50mm can produce beautiful hair halos and a gentle glow around faces, enhancing emotional impact. Because the lens isolates the subject, light appears more concentrated on the person rather than the environment, allowing for precise control over mood and focus.
Tip: Experiment with both lenses in the same lighting conditions to see how each interprets natural light. Over time, you’ll develop an instinct for which lens works best in various environments.
Capturing Motion and Action
Children and families are rarely static, and capturing movement is a vital skill. Both lenses can handle action effectively, but each behaves differently.
35mm for Motion
The 35mm’s wider field makes it forgiving when subjects move unexpectedly. If a child runs toward you or a family member gestures spontaneously, you can keep them in frame without rushing to adjust distance. This makes it ideal for active sessions, playground shoots, or indoor games where movement is unpredictable.
Because of the lens’s versatility, you can incorporate foreground and background elements into motion shots. For example, photographing a child running through leaves in a backyard allows you to capture both their movement and the surrounding environment, creating dynamic storytelling images.
50mm for Motion
The 50mm lens requires more precision in focus because of its narrower field and shallower depth of field. Movement can challenge your framing and focus, especially when using wide apertures. However, the results are often striking: the subject is sharply isolated from a soft, blurred background, giving the photo a polished, cinematic feel.
For families, the 50mm works well for slower, intentional movements, such as walking together, sharing quiet moments, or playful but controlled interactions. It emphasizes emotion and expression while simplifying the scene, making each frame feel carefully curated even in candid moments.
Tip: If photographing fast-moving subjects, consider slightly narrowing the aperture on a 50mm lens to increase the depth of field and improve focus reliability.
Framing and Composition Techniques
Composition is crucial for storytelling, and both lenses offer different approaches:
35mm Composition Techniques
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Include Context: Wider framing allows environmental storytelling. Capture the space your subjects occupy to convey their lifestyle and surroundings.
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Use Leading Lines: Hallways, fences, or natural paths guide the viewer’s eye toward the main subject. The 35mm exaggerates depth, making lines more dynamic.
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Layer Elements: Position subjects at different distances from the camera. The foreground, subject, and background layers create depth and immersion.
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Candid Moments: Because the lens captures more scene, spontaneous interactions feel natural and engaging.
50mm Composition Techniques
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Isolate the Subject: Narrower framing helps eliminate distractions and focus attention on the subject.
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Negative Space: Use open background areas to emphasize your subject’s placement and create visual balance.
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Portrait Emphasis: Frame individuals or pairs to highlight emotion, gestures, and expressions.
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Subtle Perspective Changes: Small adjustments in distance or angle can dramatically affect the mood and depth of your image.
Combining these approaches during a session allows for a mix of wide, storytelling shots and tight, emotional portraits.
Working with Children
Children are unpredictable, so lens choice directly impacts how you capture them:
35mm for Children
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Stay closer to the action to capture playfulness and spontaneity.
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Include environmental details, such as toys or room elements, to add narrative depth.
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Embrace movement and blur as a creative choice, emphasizing energy and joy.
50mm for Children
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Stand back to allow natural expressions to unfold.
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Focus on facial expressions and emotional subtleties.
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Create dreamy, soft backgrounds with a shallow depth of field to draw attention to the child.
Tip: Combining both lenses in one session can be effective—use 35mm for playful interactions and 50mm for quiet, emotional portraits.
Working with Families
Family photography often involves multiple subjects, so lens strategy is key:
35mm for Families
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Fit larger groups comfortably without stepping too far back.
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Capture interaction between family members while including context.
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Ideal for indoor settings with limited space, such as kitchens, living rooms, or bedrooms.
50mm for Families
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Focus on smaller groups or individual members to highlight emotion.
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Use background blur to simplify scenes and emphasize relationships.
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Excellent for outdoor portraits with natural light, where background compression enhances the image aesthetically.
Lifestyle Photography Techniques
Lifestyle sessions focus on authentic, unscripted moments. Both lenses can excel here, but the approach differs:
35mm Lifestyle Techniques
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Capture the environment and interactions together for storytelling impact.
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Use wider angles to include hands, gestures, and surroundings in the narrative.
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Engage with subjects closely to make them feel part of the frame.
50mm Lifestyle Techniques
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Create clean, emotional portraits with subjects separated from the background.
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Focus on key moments or expressions to convey a story without visual clutter.
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Ideal for capturing tender, quiet interactions and subtle details.
Tip: Think of the 35mm as your “storytelling lens” and the 50mm as your “emotion lens.” Using both strategically can elevate session results dramatically
Depth of Field Considerations
Both lenses allow for shallow depth of field, but the effect differs:
35mm Depth of Field
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Slightly deeper, meaning more of the scene remains in focus.
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Useful for including environmental context while maintaining subject clarity.
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Forgiving with movement and focus errors, particularly with children.
50mm Depth of Field
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Shallower at wide apertures, producing strong subject-background separation.
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Creates soft, creamy bokeh that emphasizes emotion and detail.
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Requires precise focusing, especially for moving subjects.
Understanding how each lens handles depth allows you to plan aperture settings, positioning, and creative intent effectively.
Using Angles and Perspective Creatively
Angles and perspective dramatically influence the impact of your images:
35mm Lens Angles
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Shooting low enhances playfulness and immersion, especially for children.
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Shooting slightly wide while keeping subjects centered maintains context without distortion.
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Experiment with diagonal lines, foreground objects, and layers to add storytelling depth.
50mm Lens Angles
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Eye-level framing emphasizes emotional connection.
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Slightly above framing adds intimacy for children or smaller subjects.
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Minor shifts in angle create subtle changes in depth and subject emphasis.
Varying angles during a session ensures diversity in compositions and enhances the storytelling potential of both lenses.
Combining Both Lenses in Practice
Many photographers find the most effective workflow involves using both lenses strategically:
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Start with the 35mm to capture dynamic interactions, playful moments, and environmental storytelling.
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Switch to the 50mm to highlight emotional close-ups, subtle gestures, and classic portrait compositions.
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Alternate between lenses as energy levels change, light shifts, or subjects move.
This approach provides a versatile mix of wide, immersive shots and focused, emotive portraits—ensuring the session results are visually and emotionally comprehensive.
By the time you reach this stage, you’ve explored the technical differences between 35mm and 50mm lenses, how they affect perspective, composition, depth of field, and interaction with subjects, as well as practical creative strategies for using them. Part 6 focuses on planning your sessions, integrating both lenses efficiently, and using them to develop a versatile, long-term photographic style.
Planning a Session Around Your Lens Choice
Effective session planning starts with understanding how your lens choice will affect the shooting process. Planning helps you anticipate challenges, maximize creative opportunities, and ensure a smooth, stress-free session.
Consider Your Subjects
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Children: Energetic, unpredictable, and often moving fast. A 35mm lens works well for capturing wide shots of action, while a 50mm lens can focus on emotional moments once the child is more settled or engaged.
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Families: Larger groups require careful framing. Use a 35mm for full group shots that include the environment. Use a 50mm lens to highlight connections between small groups or capture individual portraits.
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Lifestyle Sessions: Storytelling is key. 35mm captures the broader narrative, while 50mm isolates emotions and details.
Plan for Movement and Space
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Map out where you will be shooting and how much room is available.
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Indoors or in small spaces? Lean on the 35mm to fit everyone comfortably.
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Outdoors or in larger open areas? Both lenses can work, with 50mm providing beautiful background compression and 35mm capturing environmental storytelling.
Anticipate Lighting Conditions
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Early morning or late afternoon provides soft, directional light—ideal for both lenses.
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Indoor ambient light may favor the 35mm lens because it captures more of the surrounding light.
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50mm excels in controlled natural light for portraits and soft background separation.
Integrating Both Lenses Efficiently
Many photographers find using both lenses in a single session is the most effective approach. Doing so requires strategic workflow planning.
1. Start Wide
Begin with the 35mm lens to capture context, movement, and interactions. Take note of moments when your subjects are relaxed, playful, and engaged with each other. Wide shots establish the scene and give variety for storytelling.
2. Switch to 50mm for Emotion and Detail
Once a scene settles or a particularly tender moment arises, switch to the 50mm lens. Focus on expressions, gestures, and details like hands, eyes, or small interactions that tell a personal story. The tighter frame isolates the subject and adds visual emphasis to emotions.
3. Alternate as Needed
Don’t hesitate to switch back and forth. For example, during a family play session in the backyard:
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Use the 35mm lens to capture children running and jumping.
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Switch to 50mm for a quiet moment between a parent and child sitting on a bench.
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Return to 35mm to capture the group laughing together.
This approach ensures diversity in compositions, balancing environmental storytelling with emotional focus.
Managing Workflow During Sessions
Efficiency during a session is crucial for capturing natural moments without missing key interactions. Both lenses require slightly different approaches:
35mm Workflow Tips
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Move with your subjects—closer or further as needed to maintain framing.
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Keep your camera at an appropriate height to capture interaction naturally, often lower to engage with children’s eye level.
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Monitor the background for distractions since the wider lens captures more context. Adjust angles or subject placement as necessary.
50mm Workflow Tips
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Position yourself slightly farther away to allow the lens to isolate subjects naturally.
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Focus on eye-level shots to capture genuine expressions.
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Use natural light creatively to enhance separation and mood.
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Be precise with focus, especially at wide apertures, to ensure sharp eyes and soft backgrounds.
Hybrid Workflow
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Have both lenses ready to swap quickly; prime lenses require changing rather than zooming.
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Consider having two cameras if possible—one with a 35mm lens and one with a 50mm lens—for efficiency and fewer interruptions.
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Plan session segments in advance, thinking about moments where wider storytelling or tighter emotional shots are needed.
Creative Strategies for Storytelling
Lenses not only capture images—they influence the story your photos tell. Here are strategies for maximizing both lenses creatively:
1. Layering and Depth
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Use foreground and background elements to create depth with the 35mm lens.
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Place children or family members at varying distances to create dynamic, layered shots.
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Use the 50mm lens to simplify and flatten space, drawing attention to the main subject while maintaining context through background blur.
2. Perspective Shifts
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Experiment with angles—low, high, or diagonal compositions—to create interest.
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35mm encourages playful or immersive perspectives.
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50mm encourages intimate, portrait-focused perspectives.
3. Environmental Storytelling
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With 35mm, include surroundings that convey lifestyle, such as toys, furniture, or outdoor scenery.
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With 50mm, select key elements that enhance emotional impact without overwhelming the subject.
4. Emotion-Centered Portraits
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Encourage natural interactions rather than posed expressions.
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50mm excels at isolating subtle gestures, like a parent’s hand on a child’s shoulder or siblings holding hands.
Shooting Techniques for Children
Children’s unpredictability requires both technical and psychological strategies:
35mm Techniques
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Stay close and engage with children to capture playful, spontaneous moments.
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Use a wider depth of field to ensure movement doesn’t compromise focus.
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Include environmental elements to tell a fuller story.
50mm Techniques
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Stand back and observe; children often act naturally when they don’t feel “watched.”
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Focus on eyes and expressions using shallow depth of field.
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Use natural light for soft highlights and emotive portraits.
Tip: Timing and patience are crucial. Sometimes the best 50mm shots appear after the initial play with 35mm has worn down, when children settle into more intimate moments.
Techniques for Family Sessions
Family sessions often involve multiple subjects, so planning lens use is critical:
35mm for Groups
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Fit the entire family comfortably, even in limited spaces.
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Capture interactions, gestures, and shared moments.
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Include environmental cues that tell a story of place or activity.
50mm for Smaller Groups or Individual Focus
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Use for intimate portraits of parents and children, siblings, or couples.
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Isolate subjects from background distractions with shallow depth of field.
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Capture subtle expressions and emotional connection.
Tip: Alternate between group shots and focused portraits to provide a cohesive session narrative.
Long-Term Growth and Versatility
Mastering both lenses contributes to long-term growth as a photographer:
1. Develop Flexibility
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Using both lenses strategically allows you to adapt to different client needs, environments, and lighting conditions.
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Flexibility enhances your ability to tell diverse stories, from active play to intimate portraits.
2. Build Confidence in Lens Choice
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Regular practice with both lenses develops an instinct for which to use in different situations.
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Over time, you’ll know whether a scene calls for 35mm immersion or 50mm emotion.
3. Expand Your Creative Toolkit
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Experience with 35mm and 50mm builds understanding of focal lengths, perspective, and composition.
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This foundation makes it easier to explore other lenses or focal lengths confidently in the future.
4. Consistent Style Development
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Using the same lenses consistently allows you to refine your style while maintaining technical proficiency.
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You’ll develop a recognizable visual approach to storytelling, whether capturing children, families, or lifestyle moments.
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35mm Lens: Best for storytelling, immersive interactions, and capturing environmental context. Ideal for children, active play, and wide family shots.
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50mm Lens: Best for emotion, subject isolation, and soft background separation. Ideal for portraits, intimate family moments, and expressive details.
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Strategic Use: Combining both lenses in a session maximizes creativity and storytelling potential. Use 35mm to capture energy and context, 50mm for emotion and subtle detail.
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Session Planning: Consider subjects, environment, and lighting when selecting a l, lens and plan workflow to alternate lenses efficiently.
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Long-Term Growth: Mastery of both lenses develops flexibility, confidence, and a consistent photographic style.
Mastering both 35mm and 50mm lenses equips photographers with the ability to capture dynamic, authentic, and emotionally compelling images in child, family, and lifestyle photography. The combination of immersive storytelling and intimate portraiture ensures every session produces diverse, meaningful results.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between a 35mm and a 50mm lens isn’t about picking the “better” option—it’s about understanding how each lens shapes your storytelling and complements your photographic style. Both lenses offer unique perspectives that serve different purposes in child, family, and lifestyle photography.
The 35mm lens is your go-to tool for immersive storytelling. It captures the energy, movement, and context of a scene, allowing you to tell rich, dynamic stories that include not only your subjects but also their environment. It’s especially effective for lively children, interactive family moments, and small indoor spaces where fitting everyone into the frame matters.
The 50mm lens, in contrast, shines when your goal is emotional focus and subject isolation. Its natural perspective and shallow depth of field highlight expressions, gestures, and subtleties, producing clean, timeless portraits. It’s ideal for capturing intimate interactions, quiet moments, and detailed compositions that emphasize connection and feeling.
The most versatile approach often lies in combining both lenses. Using the 35mm for wide, context-rich shots and the 50mm for close-up emotional portraits allows you to tell complete stories with depth and variety. Alternating between lenses during a session ensures you capture both energy and emotion, context and detail, spontaneity and intimacy.
Beyond technical differences, the choice between these lenses is ultimately a reflection of your creative vision. Practicing with both, observing how your subjects respond, and analyzing your images will help you understand which lens—or combination of lenses—best aligns with the stories you want to tell. Over time, this experience builds confidence, flexibility, and a personal photographic style that is consistent, expressive, and uniquely yours.
In short, mastering both the 35mm and 50mm lenses gives you a powerful toolkit for child, family, and lifestyle photography. It equips you to adapt to any situation, capture authentic moments, and create images that are as meaningful and memorable as the experiences they represent.
