Portrait Lenses

Portrait Lenses

This is the complete guide to portrait lenses, part of the Portrait Photography section on Shut Your Aperture. The 20 articles below cover every angle of this topic — from the basic questions beginners ask to the edge cases working photographers run into. Use the sections below to find exactly what you need.

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Editing software disclosure: This guide includes affiliate links to Skylum (Luminar Neo, Aperty, Luminar Mobile). If you buy through these links, ShutYourAperture may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we use ourselves.

All guides are written by Edin Chavez, a photographer with 15+ years of professional experience. The focus is on specific, actionable information — real settings, real scenarios — not generic advice you’ve already read everywhere else.

What This Section Covers

Portrait Lenses is one of the most-asked-about topics in portrait photography. The 20 articles in this section answer the questions that come up most often — whether you’re in the field trying to nail a shot or at your desk trying to understand why something didn’t work.

Portrait Lenses: Foundations

These articles cover the core questions photographers have when working with portrait lenses. You’ll find specific settings, comparisons, and technique breakdowns that apply in real shooting situations.

Each guide is self-contained — read the one that matches what you’re trying to figure out right now, or work through them in order if you’re building from scratch.

Portrait Lenses: Technique

These articles cover the core questions photographers have when working with portrait lenses. You’ll find specific settings, comparisons, and technique breakdowns that apply in real shooting situations.

Each guide is self-contained — read the one that matches what you’re trying to figure out right now, or work through them in order if you’re building from scratch.

Portrait Lenses: Advanced Applications

These articles cover the core questions photographers have when working with portrait lenses. You’ll find specific settings, comparisons, and technique breakdowns that apply in real shooting situations.

Each guide is self-contained — read the one that matches what you’re trying to figure out right now, or work through them in order if you’re building from scratch.

All Articles in This Section

Below is the complete list of 20 articles in the Portrait Lenses section. Each one addresses a specific question or scenario.

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How to Use These Articles

Each article in this section stands on its own — you don’t need to read them in order. If you have a specific question about portrait lenses, find the article that matches and go straight to it. If you’re starting from scratch and want a complete foundation, the first few articles in the Foundations section above are the best place to begin.

For a structured learning path with video walkthroughs, exercises, and feedback, check out Framehaus Academy. If your main goal right now is improving your post-processing, our Lightroom preset packs are built to complement the shooting techniques covered here.

Edit smarter: AI portrait & retouching tools

Skylum’s Aperty is purpose-built for portrait retouching with AI skin, eye and detail enhancement. Luminar Neo’s Portrait AI complements it for full-body and editorial work. Tagged as affiliate per FTC.

Also on Amazon: lenses for this guide

Amazon search shortcuts for the lens categories discussed above. Same lenses, often eligible for Prime. As an Amazon Associate ShutYourAperture earns from qualifying purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best approach for best lens for portrait photography beginner?

The answer depends on your specific situation — focal length, distance, lighting, and camera body all factor in. The dedicated article on best lens for portrait photography beginner covers this in full with specific settings and examples.

What’s the best approach for 85mm vs 50mm portrait photography comparison?

The answer depends on your specific situation — focal length, distance, lighting, and camera body all factor in. The dedicated article on 85mm vs 50mm portrait photography comparison covers this in full with specific settings and examples.

What’s the best approach for 50mm portrait photography examples settings?

The answer depends on your specific situation — focal length, distance, lighting, and camera body all factor in. The dedicated article on 50mm portrait photography examples settings covers this in full with specific settings and examples.

What’s the best approach for 85mm portrait photography why it is the best?

The answer depends on your specific situation — focal length, distance, lighting, and camera body all factor in. The dedicated article on 85mm portrait photography why it is the best covers this in full with specific settings and examples.

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