Canon 85mm f/1.2 L Lens: Portrait Perfect

Headshot portraits are out of this world with the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens

Portrait photography is an opportunity that every serious photographer will face at one point or another.  Friends and family know how serious I am about photography and ask about getting their photos taken.  This is always a wonderful opportunity and I look at it as a very enjoyable service.  I also hope to do the best possible and provide a professional portrait as good as anything they could obtain anywhere.

The gear and style of shooting is very different from landscape photography.  Instead of methodically setting up a heavy tripod in the silence of the wilderness, I find myself talking and shooting quickly so that the subject does not become overly tired from posing.  Instead of wide-angle lenses with very small apertures and long shudder speeds, long telephoto lenses with wide apertures and very short shudder speeds are used.  There is no time for a tripod.

Late in 2013 I purchased a Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens.  I added this to my growing cadre of lenses and wondered if it would be as good and as useful as I heard.  This is reputed to be THE LENS for portrait photography and is extremely heavy and expensive.  The heavy feeling does take some getting used to.  It focuses somewhat slower than the 135mm f/2.0 and 300mm f/2.8.  However the RESULTS have blown me away.  It exceeded my hopes and dreams with sharp and beautiful portraits.

I've included a few sample from these sessions, choosing one of each:  headshot, upper body shot, a couple and a group.  If you ever have the opportunity to get this lens, I highly endorse it.

Upper body shot with great bokeh

Couple shot with the Canon 85mm L

Group shot with the Canon 85mm L