A Digital Photography School poll on focal lengths prompted me to revisit my own, and revealed a few surprises.
First, after all the debate over which zoom lens to buy, I still shoot much more at the classic 50mm than anywhere else:
Even when not using my 50mm prime, this has become a default focal length because it fills the frame so compellingly. Though I should note that on my camera, it’s really closer to an 80mm lens.
Second, I’ve been unconsciously following the photojournalism mantra of “f8 and be there” to a decent extent:
After reading Understanding Exposure, I’ve got a better feeling of when different apertures are useful, so it’s still surprising how truly useful this setting is. After that, it’s all the subject-isolating ones, with 5.6 being as open as either of my zooms have gone.
Finally, several disclaimers. These are only the photos I published online, though I think that’s still a fair representation of what I shot overall. Also, it’s all published photos, not necessarily the most compelling. That judgement lies in the eye of the beholder, who is likely blissfully unaware of all these technical settings.
