Photographer Mock Interview
Practice 30 Photographer interview questions covering portfolio presentation, lighting expertise, and client communication.
Question 5 of 30
What is the ideal focal length for a portrait lens?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The Goal
Focus Your Answer On
Portrait Lens
Community Answers
Sue is a Recruiter and Talent Sourcer with over 13 years of experience sourcing and interviewing candidates for a variety of roles and industries, including Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Financial, e-Commerce. She
The interviewer is testing your knowledge of the basic principles of photography. The interviewer will determine your technical acuity relative to lens optics and your ability to adjust different settings to influence the overall look and feel of photographs.
Gentry has over 15 years of experience leading in-house agency teams where he has interviewed and hired numerous candidates for design, photography, and video production.
The goal of your answer is to showcase an in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects of photography.
Gentry has over 15 years of experience leading in-house agency teams where he has interviewed and hired numerous candidates for design, photography, and video production.
Focus your answer on the ideal focal length for a portrait lens and explain why it is the ideal focal length. You should also speak about the ways lens choice can affect portraits.
Gentry has over 15 years of experience leading in-house agency teams where he has interviewed and hired numerous candidates for design, photography, and video production.
The gold standard for a portrait lens has been the 50mm. That said, many photographers prefer 85mm. The 50mm is great for the waist up, and the 85mm is better for a headshot. It depends in part on how close you want to get to your subject. You are going to be closer to your subject with a 50mm, and that could be off-putting for some people. I also think a prime lens is better for portraits than a zoom lens. Prime lenses have less glass in them and can help you achieve sharper images.
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