go out with a prime lens - 24mm through 50mm. A zoom allows you to cheat. one lens, work close. When you get good with it, then move to other focal lengths or zooms.. I can't speak for Godfrey, but Juan and I have gone out shooting a few times, and both he and I always shot with primes - nothing longer than 85mm iirc. I'm just guessing, but I don't think J used zooms until he started working with the digi.
When my interest in photography was rekindled several years ago, I used longer lenses and a - gasp - zoom. My pics sucked big time. Then i read a comment by Robert Capa - "If your photos aren't good enough, you're not close enough." The very next time i went out I grabbed a 35mm lens and ~forced~ myself to work close. Marco likes using long lenses, but he's developed a style for which that works. I've never seen him use a zoom, however, and I'd like to be as good as he is with long glass. The bottom line is to develop a style that you're comfortable with. If you go out with a 24~135 lens, you're gonna be trying to decide at each shot what focal length is appropriate, more often then not staying at the longer end of the focal range, working closer to your present comfort zone. You'll be adding an extra level of decision making to what's already a difficult process for you. Shel "Am I paranoid or perceptive?" > [Original Message] > From: skye > thanks for summarising the tips, Marnie. I appreciate it very much. I > don't tend to like shooting close to people -- in fact, I slap on the > 70-300 lens so I can shoot from across the room. I guess I'll go back > to the 24-135 lens the next time I go out and see what sorts of photos > I get then.
