The camera DOES lie

[mosgood]

Nice article about lens distortion & portraiture.

The camera DOES lie: Proof that a lens can be the difference between pretty and pretty ugly | Mail Online

[windrider86]

EEEK!!

[ceremus]

Photographer Stephen Eastwood has finally solved the mystery - showing that the difference between a good photo and instantly deleted disaster can be down to the camera lens

Finally! Someone cracked the code as to why my fisheye lens headshots never looked quite right!

Alright well, despite the writing in that article (and the terrible comments) those aren't bad examples demonstrating distortions at shorter focal lengths.

When I first got started looking at lenses I found this more helpful though: Focal lengths in portraits

[mosgood]

Originally Posted by ceremus

Finally! Someone cracked the code as to why my fisheye lens headshots never looked quite right!

Alright well, despite the writing in that article (and the terrible comments) those aren't bad examples demonstrating distortions at shorter focal lengths.

When I first got started looking at lenses I found this more helpful though: Focal lengths in portraits

Good one! "Your" article does a better job of explaining since the text isn't all jumbled up at the bottom of the photos. Noobs are always looking for info on lenses & which one is best.

[Krusty79]

Those last two wide angle shots look like different poses to me. In all of the other shots, you can't see as much of her forehead and you can't see the dark hair roots. Her eyebrows are not as thick. Can that really be caused by a different lens?

[mosgood]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

Those last two wide angle shots look like different poses to me. In all of the other shots, you can't see as much of her forehead and you can't see the dark hair roots. Her eyebrows are not as thick. Can that really be caused by a different lens?

Looks like the 24mm might be a fisheye which would explain the exreme distortion. I'll see if I can find an example in an old film photo book.

[OsmosisStudios]

All down to effect as far as im concerned

*has portraits at 10mm on DX*

[ceremus]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

Those last two wide angle shots look like different poses to me. In all of the other shots, you can't see as much of her forehead and you can't see the dark hair roots. Her eyebrows are not as thick. Can that really be caused by a different lens?

Different lens and different positioning. The 350mm shot would have been taken from several meters away, while at 24mm the camera would have been right up in the model's face.

[Krusty79]

Originally Posted by ceremus

Different lens and different positioning. The 350mm shot would have been taken from several meters away, while at 24mm the camera would have been right up in the model's face.

Okay, that makes sense, thx.

[RichardTaylor]

It's subject distance.
Without a camera move real close to a person and see how much more their nose juts out etc.