DesertLife

Yes, light is my biggest challenge or it is too harsh or too diffuse...I’ll try applying your advices in my garage. Thanks!

r.grossner Loc: Rockford IL & Sarasota FL

Either one but I would use the zoom at 85-100mm wide open to get a shallow depth of field. If the 50 is a f/1.4 you might try it if the background is far enough away.

DesertLife

Thanks so much!

DesertLife

Thanks! I hope posting some of my pictures soon!

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

DL, your equipment should be fine for starting out.
Most of the portraits I shoot are at f8, unless I'm trying to get fancy and artistic.
So both of your lenses should do that and be relatively sharp. At f8 perfect focus isn't so critical because the 60D can't be focus adjusted.
The problem with the 50 is it will be fine for headshots and maybe(?) 3/4 shots but you need a LOT of room to get full body or more, so the zoom comes in handy for that.
I use mostly an 85 1.8 and a 24-105 f4 when I need a wider shot(on FF).
But shooting available light might render your zoom too slow indoors, without a speedlight, or adding light, or you'll have to crank up the ISO. Good luck
SS

DesertLife

Thanks for the tips. There is so much I need to understand and learn. I'm so glad I've found this site.

jimbo70 Loc: Orange Park, FL.

Check this website, https://neilvn.com/tangents/

Haydon

You can have the most expensive body and lens but without light, there will be a diminishing return. I'd look at purchasing a strobe or speedlight & modifier with a trigger so you can shape your light and offer depth and drama.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

That 'nifty 50' will work just fine, don't spend any more until you've got a good grounding - then you might find you want something a little different, but that 50 will take you a long way.

BJW

It seems that portrait photographers prefer focal lengths of 50-90 mm but you can go shorter or longer depending on your artistic objective. I have found the speed of the lens (aperture) to be another important factor because tne faster the lens the better the background blur which in turns bringsmore attention to your subject. This is especially so in environmental or street portraiture which takes place outside of the studio. In those cases I use a f1.7 or wider aperture and prefer ambient lighting and getting real close up to my subject. Another essential aspect of the portrait is how you capture the subject’s eyes, which conveys the emotions of the subject.

So far, I have found portraiture to be the most interesting genre of all.

Good luck!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

It all depends on the kind of portraits that you want to photograph. I am not familiar with Canon but I know your 60D has a cropped sensor or APS sensor as many call them. Because of the "digital factor" the angle of view will be more than you will see through the viewfinder of a full frame camera.
The classic lens for head and shoulders has been the 85mm lens. Your 18-200 covers that although the 50mm lens could do a better job and has a higher resolution. Your 18-200 can cover 3/4 views of the body and even full body.
The 50mm and the 85mm are prime lenses with wide lens apertures and many photographers use them to blur the background and bring more attention to the subject.

DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

You basically have what you need as most portraits are ideal around the 85 - 100 mm range which both of your lenses will manage. You should look into acquiring a decent flash which will bounce light or to use with "off camera flash". You'll also need a few other items which can get into a lengthy discussion such as shoot-through umbrellas. There's two facebook groups I belong to which would benefit you as well. Just send a request to join and you'll be granted access. The links are below. One is to help learn posing called "Photography Fundamentals - Posing and Composition" and the other is to learn how to use off camera flash - "Speedlight and Strobe Fundamentals. A beginners guide to learning OCF" (Off Camera Flash). Both groups are run by Tim Payne who owns web sites that sells flashes and portrait gear. I recommend his products because he'll help you in setting them up and answering questions within his forums at the sites I've listed.

The Yongnuo flashes are a bargain and also look at the Godox flashes, he is the only dealer which provides a two year warranty on them which are I believe a better value. His gear websites for both brands of flashes are also listed below. For training in portrait photography I recommend watching the many free youtube videos online or I like to use the website at CreativeLive.com. I you watch their site then they also play free courses daily but you have to wait for the courses your interested in to show up. Their paid courses go on sale often enough that you can get a nice savings on many of their classes geared around portrait and lightiing photography.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/132406604195602/?ref=nf_target&fref=nf

https://www.facebook.com/groups/speedlightfundamentals/?ref=nf_target&fref=nf

https://flashgear.net/

https://yongnuousa.net/

Have fun and good luck!

David M.

donrosshill Loc: Delaware & Florida

Good morning. May I suggest that you go to the library check out an Art book on the Old Masters. Look carefully and you will notice that almost all of them used Natural Light. Follow that lead. Yes, I know you asked which lens may be best. If the lens you choose is to short it will introduce some distortion. I suggest something between 80 and 135mm minimum.
Good luck and enjoy.
Don

donsyler

I am certainly not an experienced portrait artist but I have learned a lot from a lot of trial and error. Most professional portrait photographers like to shoot with a 90mm lens. It has to do with optimum depth of field under controlled lighting. If you plan to do outdoor portrait shooting, the best advice I could give you would be to really pay attention to lighting. Direct sun portraits will almost never work, the exception being dawn and dusk when you can get some really beautiful soft cross-lighting. My best results have always come from soft shade, especially under trees where you often get a "dappled" light effect. Indoors, avoid direct flash and try to bounce your strobe off an object to soften the lighting. Finally, a lot of very good books are dedicated to the art of portrait photography, (and some excellent material on the Canon site), and you should do some research. Best of luck to you.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Your camera has a 1.5 crop factor so your 50 is equivalent to a 75mm which is said to be a good focal length for portraits since it flattens perspective and doesn't make faces look fat. Using your zoom lens up to about 90mm (equivalent to a 135mm) would also be acceptable especially if you want to blur out the background. If I were you, I'd stick with the lenses you already have. The "best lens" is such a subjective thing. If you're happy with what you have, stick with it. Perfection in equipment doesn't always result in perfection in artistic output.