You probably won’t have the right lens for the scene in front of you. And that is the beauty of the single lens challenge. You have to try to make the lens you have work for every situation you encounter. That will help you to understand the lens you are using and it will make you a better photographer.
A few months ago I tried my first single lens challenge using the Nikon 300mm f4 PF lens. It is my longest prime telephoto lens.
So this time I decided to go to almost the other end of my prime lenses. The widest prime lens that I own is a 16mm f2.8 fisheye lens. But in the end, I decided to use the 24mm f1.4 lens. The fisheye, which gives 180 degrees of view, will have to wait for a future challenge.
I have always said that a single lens challenge is a fantastic way to get to know your lenses. And this challenge proved that one again. When you only have one lens and you want to capture an image, you have to find a way to make it work with that lens. You have to just make the best of the situation in front of you.
There were a couple of times that I wish I had a wider lens or a longer telephoto lens. But it was great for me to try to make it work with what I had.
At one point, there was a man who was sitting in front of a red wall and I asked if I could capture his image. He said yes and I decided to get close and use a wide aperture to get the blurriest background I could. I was worried that the wide angle lens would distort the man, especially on the edge of the frame. So when I framed my image with him off to one side, I made sure I didn’t put him too close to the edge.
If I had my choice of any lens I own, I would never have chosen to use a 24mm lens over a telephoto lens. But this challenge forced me to do just that. I actually really like the resulting portrait. There is something about the angle of view which shows more of the background that I really like. I also really like how the viewer feels like they are in this man’s personal space (which I was) and how it helps to connect the subject with the viewer. There is a level of intimacy when using this lens close up.
The 24mm lens makes me rethink how I might approach portraits in the future.
There was another time when I wanted a different lens. But this time, I would have liked to have had a wider lens.
The situation involved a colourful wall with black and white tiles on the ground. I got low to the ground and a wider lens would have exaggerated the tiles in the foreground. But once again, I had to make the most with what I had and this helped me to better understand my lens.
I do know one thing. I will definitely try this single lens challenge with all of my prime lenses at some point. You might ask why would I use the primes for this challenge. Probably because they don’t offer the flexibility of a zoom lens.
Usually when I go out to capture images, I can’t take every lens I own because that would weigh me down. So I tend to lean towards going out with zoom lenses because they provide flexibility. For example, I love to carry the 24-70mm f2.8 and the 70-200mm f2.8 because they will cover most situations. Throw in the 17-35mm f2.8 or the 14-24mm f2.8 and I am extremely happy (and a little bit more weighed down). I am confident that I can capture the vast majority of situations with those lenses.
But there is something different when I have a prime focal length. I might have to work just a little bit harder to get an image. I have to make the small adjustments and get to understand exactly where I need to be for that focal length. I have to move closer or further instead of just zooming the lens. That work helps me learn and understand that focal length even better.
For example, spending time exclusively with my 24mm f1.4 prime lens means that I am much better at understanding where I need to be to get the image that I have in my mind. I am in exactly the right place. When I have my 24-70mm lens I have room to zoom which means I don’t have to be as precise with where I am. That preciseness is important.
After I have done this challenge with all my prime lenses, I can see myself trying the single lens challenge with my zoom lenses as well. Some of those lenses like the 8-15mm f3.5-4.5 provide a unique view of the world that I just don’t have with my prime lenses.
I highly recommend the single lens challenge to every photographer. In many ways it is a freeing experience because you just have to make the most of the situation with what you have. You don’t have to fret over which lenses to take in worry that you might not have the right lens for every shot you encounter. The simple truth is you won’t have the right lens for every situation you encounter but you will learn to make that lens work for the situation in front of you.
I hope you enjoy seeing the 24 mm challenge from my perspective.
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