Best lens for wide angle fashion shoot?
My sister is starting her fashion label. She wants to do a editorial shoot in the forest. There are a lot of bush tracks in our area but because it is hilly here there aren't big open spaces to play around with. We're restricted to tracks with a bank on one side and drop off the other side, with beautiful trees on either side and a stream running below… Get the picture? So anyway, she wants shots of her models on the track and also down the bank a little (with very little space to step back and take the shot!) so we're needing a flexible wide lens. Also my camera is a Nikon with cropped sensor. Any suggestions?
My sister is starting her fashion label. She wants to do a editorial shoot in the forest. There are a lot of bush tracks in our area but because it is hilly here there aren't big open spaces to play around with. We're restricted to tracks with a bank on one side and drop off the other side, with beautiful trees on either side and a stream running below… Get the picture? So anyway, she wants shots of her models on the track and also down the bank a little (with very little space to step back and take the shot!) so we're needing a flexible wide lens. Also my camera is a Nikon with cropped sensor. Any suggestions? Bernd is 100% correct
YOU need to scout a better location so you can use a standard lens like the 24-70 mm f/2.8 which is the lens used about 70% of the time by fashion photographers.
You have not given us a budget for the lens you plan on using.
The 17-35mm f/2.8 wide angle zoom costs about $2,000
The 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens costs about $2,100
I'm probably right in thinking that your sister is NOT going to want to invest $2,000 or more just for a lens to shoot in the woods with no room to backup.
I suggest you rent the lens you need for the day or two it will take to shoot the fashion session. Remind her to include the cost of a makeup artist and hair stylist plus your assistant who will be dragging all your battery powered studio lights for you.
My guess is that she wants to do this on the "cheap" or she would have hired an actual fashion photographer with over a decade of experience shooting fashion on location.
Here are two links that show fashion photographers on location with studio lighting.
Until you have used this lighting, blanced with sun light, you will not experience the impact such lighting will have on the product (textile), something that designers and art directors strive for on every shoot Even your 18-55 kit lens should deliver excellent results IF you can deliver top flight lighting and composition.
There are no special wide angle lenses that will make up for a photographers lack of skills with lighting and composition.
Scout the location for the best time of day for the best natural light - when using natural locations. Also white board or popout reflectors for fill light can be valuable.
Good luck She should first try using the kit zoom lens which came with the camera, almost certainly 18 to 55mm. The 18mm end is "medium wide", and far too wide for good rendering of the human form in general fashion contexts. Only use anything wider than about 30mm if you want "effect", as in part of the body looking too big - think of all those selfies which show the nose too big.
If you are wanting anything wider than 18mm for a true "fashion shoot" then you are in the territory of "wild and wacky", and need to think how to use it very carefully. The 18mm end of the kit lens.
Even your 18-55 kit lens should deliver excellent results IF you can deliver top flight lighting and composition.
There are no special wide angle lenses that will make up for a photographers lack of skills with lighting and composition.
Scout the location for the best time of day for the best natural light - when using natural locations. Also white board or popout reflectors for fill light can be valuable.
She should first try using the kit zoom lens which came with the camera, almost certainly 18 to 55mm. The 18mm end is "medium wide", and far too wide for good rendering of the human form in general fashion contexts. Only use anything wider than about 30mm if you want "effect", as in part of the body looking too big - think of all those selfies which show the nose too big.
If you are wanting anything wider than 18mm for a true "fashion shoot" then you are in the territory of "wild and wacky", and need to think how to use it very carefully.
The 18mm end of the kit lens.