How Much Space Do You Need for Full-Length Portraits? | 50mm vs 70mm vs 85mm Lens Comparison

[@MileyonDisney]

Never seen this covered like this. Great info to know. Thanks!

[@JohnGress]

Sure thing! Thanks for watching!

[@jonatjandelcarmen]

Imperial and Metric! You are a nice exception. Thank you for including conversions!

[@JohnGress]

My pleasure!

[@jamesjonesphotography]

You ended the video with exactly what I was going to comment. I actually turn my living room into a studio when I have sessions scheduled and my go to lens is my 24-70 while always working to keep it closer to the 70mm. From the back drop I have around 12ft to work with and it ends up being just the right amount of room for the style I like to shoot.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks James. I know we all probably start in our living rooms so I had to include it.

[@ritrattoaziendale]

My small home studio is my living room. I can have up to a 3m wide backdrop leaning against the wall (or the white wall itself, which is left empty for that reason), but the actual "corridor" of shooting between furniture is just 2,10m, so pretty narrow. Room is only 4m deep, so if i have to leave 1m or so from the background, only 3m are left for the model and me, and the space between us. So for a full figure i usually lean them against the wall or pretty darn close, and use inverse square law to have a big light at a far distance so i don't have harsh shadow on the wall; my only luck is the ceiling being 3,2m, so i can have stoobes up high and out of the way, and shadows will be pushed lower. I can manage a full figure that way with a 70mm. Having 50 and 135 fixed focals with wide aperture, in the studio at f8/f11 i'm using a 24-105 in the range from 65 to 85/90 which mange to get me from full figure to the headshot, depending on zoom level and the kind of desired set.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks for sharing. Way to make it work!

[@9rider11]

Thanks for sharing this expert knot. What’s the brand of camera stand you’re using?

[@JohnGress]

Thank you! Here’s a link studiotitanamerica.com/products/sta-01-360-mk2

[@sprout995]

Absolutely great topic, this is something we all struggle with from time to time. Thank you so much for your insight.

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! I am so glad it was helpful!

[@jimcarteruk]

Great video John! My wife tells me I have a tendency to overestimate the length of things, so turns out my living room studio is far smaller than I originally thought 🤣🤣

[@JohnGress]

Damn... I hate it when you think its huge and then find that it's just not long enough!

[@ThomasKleemann]

Would be nice to see the sitting portraits . You showed allways the standing portraits

[@JohnGress]

Sorry I made that mistake. I will link to it when I get back to my desk.

[@JohnGress]

www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@DavidIgbodudu]

Thank you for your tip and insight into full frame.

[@JohnGress]

You got it!

[@rodmehta5356]

I guess, ideally, 6x10 metres would be nice. And 4m high, at least. I like getting on a ladder, shooting down with big scrims. Looks like I need to move :-) Renting any large space for the day can be cheap where I am (if found), especially when using long lenses, where the backdrop doesn't need to be as big and complicated (otherwise I use a projector against a white wall). I usually ask the client if they can think of somewhere, with the upside being that they feel a bit more comfortable/in control if they already know the location, or had a part in finding it. Cheers and good luck, John!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks Rob! I think that’s about the right size. Thanks for sharing.

[@keaphotoscom]

I have a 7m x 7m space with a 4m ceiling, going to 10m would be perfect as John says.

[@JohnGress]

I need up move up myself! My shooting area is about 10m x 4m x 3m-high.

[@alexcostafotografia]

I can get way with 4x4 meters but I need to embrace the limitations. Full body only at 35mm-40mm with my back against the wall not ideal ... but is the space I have so no point in complaining. Biggest problem is to keep the kicker at the right angle. As the space is really small I painted it medium grey to reduce reflections the walls before were kind of sand color and I got a weird color cast. Ceiling height makes me crazy too. My ceilings are 2.5m and tall models its always hard to get the light right. Deep octas no way lol. But man thx for this amazing piece of content. No one ever bother to cover the small things that really makes difference.

[@JohnGress]

You do always have to do what you’ve got to do. I made this because a lot of people asked me similar questions about audio space 🙏🏼

[@Fifthimagez]

This was vary helpful thanks

[@JohnGress]

No problem! Glad it helped!

[@lkfs55]

so sorry I didn't know you in April because I would have come to your Denver workshop - hope you'll come back. Or Minneapolis works too. :-)

[@JohnGress]

Oh well, I will probably reschedule it for this fall.

[@brianstalter6569]

For a 135mm and 200mm, you need a 1/4 mile (0.4 km) and 1/2 mile (0.8 km) respectively. lol

[@JohnGress]

🤪

[@petemcknight803]

Lol

[@robgipman1551]

Not shooting with the canon 35mm lens inside?

[@Ben-mx1ip]

Thank you!!! This video is so useful. I tested this out as I watched this video. I also tried using a 70mm full fame lens on an APS-C camera at I was able to get a 6' 2" subject fully in frame at about 20 feet. Does this seem correct? It's the equivalent of 105mm yet the distance was only marginally more than your 85mm lens.

[@JohnGress]

Thank you! I’m also cropping yo 8x10 so that may be the difference.

[@bettyplaticando1325]

Thank you SO much this clear my mind🙏💗

[@JohnGress]

Sure thing. Thank you!

[@belizewired]

If you did boudoir or full body photography in niche or restrictive environments would the 50 be suitable or would you still think 85 would be best?

[@JohnGress]

I think 85 would always be best, but sometimes, you only have room for 50.

[@rainermuellerfotografie]

Very helpful testing for me. Thank you!

[@JohnGress]

That’s great to hear! Thanks!

[@christinagracewhite]

Did you do another video with the sitting pics in comparison?

[@JohnGress]

This is the only video on this topic, but you might appreciate this video as well kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooW0k5V_ob5nnc0

[@StevePhillips15]

When shooting family portraits of 6 people against a 9 ft backdrop, is best to shoot low or eye level. I’m having a hard time keeping full bodies in the frame without having to crop the sides much.

[@JohnGress]

Full length horizontal is going to be hard to do without a 12' backdrop.

[@rmcitation90]

In what situations would you use a 50 mm? Landscape, outdoor family? I’m just curious. Another photographer that I follow, Nicole Carson Bonilla, uses the 50 m for her 3/4 body shots.

[@JohnGress]

Focal length has a bigger impact on depth of field when photographing groups so I would be more inclined to use a shorter lens then, but in general I would try to stick with an 85mm for individuals, so long as I had enough room to back up.

[@tmhart43]

This is why I can only do headshots (maybe 3/4) in my living room

[@Damien9367]

Thanks, great video. Did you use the wrong images in the second scenario? He was standing again instead of sitting.

[@JohnGress]

Thank you. From the description: Here are the seated images which should have been shown at 3:54 www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@Damien9367]

Apologies, didn't see that In the description. Thanks for the link :)

[@ricardogroenke5411]

Are the 20' mentioned at the end wall to wall? or is it the distance you need to have between camera and model? Great video as always!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! I would say at least 20' wall-to-wall for 70mm and 25' wall-to-wall for 85mm.

[@WillBrownnmusic]

Thanks!

[@JohnGress]

No problem!

[@soynicho]

I have a 3.3m wide x 5.6m long x 3m height space, is that enough for a full body shot? Awesome video by the way, thank you for the information you are giving us!!

[@JohnGress]

Absolutely! Just back up as far as you can.

[@lim2001burger]

Ooops looks like your sitting portrait section is still showing the stills from the standing portraits

[@JohnGress]

Oops. I’ll link to it when I get back to my desk.

[@JohnGress]

www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@lim2001burger]

@@JohnGress thanks John! I can see what you mean re the 50mm stretching the model, which would be even more pronounced if you moved the height of the camera lower. Don’t know if it matters so much in your example, but the floor surface is also more visible and takes up more of the frame in the 50mm, which could be distracting.

[@JohnGress]

I think if you go lower, than his head will be above the background.

[@lim2001burger]

@@JohnGress I think you did mention that you couldn’t go lower with the 50 for that reason in the video - the photos really illustrates the argument for going with the 70mm + even for full body portraits.

[@lim2001burger]

But good tips! I’m just shooting headshots at the moment, but good to know the distance I need for full body portraits in future

[@JohnGress]

Sure thing 🙏🏼

[@fostervf16]

What is your ceiling height? Just curious because I'm in a studio now with just over 12ft celling height. But I am moving to a place with 10 ft. Is that enough?

[@JohnGress]

The studio in the video was 10 feet and it wasn’t ideal. My current studio is 12 feet tall and that’s a lot better.

[@jonkemerer]

Thanks bud this helps me out a lot!

[@JohnGress]

Great to hear!

[@photoquent]

Very helpful video though would have been good to see the sitting down images.

[@JohnGress]

Oops. Sorry I messed that up.

[@photoquent]

@@JohnGress - don’t worry! I have just followed you on Instagram so perhaps post them there! I did like the image with the blue fill light with the yellow streak of light across the models eyes. We tried to do that exact shoot at a workshop using a pizza box as the gobo

[@JohnGress]

Oh nice. That is some very creative problem solving. Here is a link to the images. www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@des7638]

your videos are useful. thank you

[@JohnGress]

Thanks! Glad you like them!

[@SabahMukri]

Thank you so much!!!

[@JohnGress]

You're welcome!

[@ananthkrishv]

Yes. The picture of the sitting pose of the model are not present in the video

[@JohnGress]

Sorry, I’ll link to it when I get back to my desk

[@JohnGress]

www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@WestCoastVivi]

I wish I could open the window in my front room/home studio! 😅 14x12 🙈 There’s no room for wasting inches… 😂

[@JohnGress]

You might look like a peeping Tom shooting through the window LOL

[@WestCoastVivi]

@@JohnGress 😆😂🤣🙈

[@pompobresciani9582]

what's ypur fav lens for full body shots? 85?

[@JohnGress]

85 for sure. Sharp, distortion free, but not too long.

[@bosckieselarrka32]

I can’t find you in IG

[@JohnGress]

instagram.com/johngressmedia/

[@charlesbrown8764]

John, you showed the same comparison shots for standing and seated...still, the video was informative.

[@JohnGress]

Oops

[@JohnGress]

www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@charlesbrown8764]

@@JohnGress Buahahahahaha...a sense of humor does go a long way...

[@jordanbellotti109]

and don't forget to call your Mom!

[@JohnGress]

Always!

[@TaavP]

You failed to place the sitting portraits ahah but the info is there anyway

[@JohnGress]

Oops. I’ll link to them when I get back to my desk.

[@TaavP]

@@JohnGress don't worry, it doesn't take anything away from the good information the video has 😊👍🏻

[@JohnGress]

www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@werito82]

Wait, what happened to the sitting shots? You showed the same shots both times 🫤

[@JohnGress]

As stated on screen and in the pinned comment, you can view them here www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@jonseguiphotography5337]

Nice video, but you used the same images for the standing and sitting examples..

[@JohnGress]

As I corrected on screen and in the description, you can see those images here www.dropbox.com/s/rqhjisw02p3zllj/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-13%20at%201.04.17%20PM.png?dl=0

[@davidwebber651]

Did I just see both standing up images twice, instead of the sit down ones the second time? blink blink.

[@JohnGress]

As noted on the screen, you can see the correct images on dropbox. Link in description.

[@stkuj]

My home studio is so small I use a 35mm LOL

[@petemcknight803]

With a 9mm lens you only need a closet. 🤣

[@JohnGress]

Let me go out and get one so I can cancel my studio rent!

[@petemcknight803]

You should. Only thing is you would have to deal with bulbous noses and 17 inch long feet 😂

[@veselinvasilev9362]

Thanks!

[@JohnGress]

Thank you!