50MM STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

There has long been controversy about whether 50mm street photography is the best option, or if wider lenses are a better alternative. Most street photographers prefer lenses with a wider field of view, such as 35mm or 28mm, but that doesn't mean 50mm is useless. In reality, it's the opposite. There are several reasons to choose this focal length while photographing people on the street. Shooting with a 50mm lens opens up a slew of new photography options while imposing certain creative limits, and the results might be among your all-time favourites.

- SANCHIT MISHRA

Reasons to use a 50mm lens for street photography

Every photographer’s first lens for their DSLR or mirrorless is a 50mm f/1.8, and they still use it today. It’s a jack-of-all-trades choice that allows you to obtain beautiful images in a number of scenarios, particularly when shooting with a full-frame camera. Whatever other lenses you choose, you’ll find yourself returning to the traditional “nifty fifty” over and again, especially for street photography. It has a charm and feeling of character that other lenses lack, and it’s an excellent choice for beginning street photographers looking to progress beyond their box zoom lenses.

To put it another way, there are several reasons to utilise a 50mm lens for street photography. Still not convinced? To begin, here are some of the finest reasons to continue with a 50mm lens when photographing on the street:

1. 50mm helps isolate your subject

The streets are bustling with bustle, including people, automobiles, visitors, animals, and many other things. When using a wide-angle lens, it is simple to capture a whole scene – but tough to isolate a single subject. When using a 50mm lens, on the other hand, the field of view is constricted, thus your subject is frequently isolated within the confusion, hustle, and bustle of daily life. While you may get a similar appearance with a wider lens by going closer to your subject, you may feel as if you are invading their personal space. Shooting with a 50mm lens allows you to make your subject stand out while yet keeping a comfortable distance.

2. 50mm lenses have amazing depth of field