35mm Lens Portrait Photography Will change the way you See

ByBrenda Bergreen

Today, let’s talk about why the 35mm lens might change the way you shoot portrait photography and the way you see people too. Maybe you’re already interested in environmental portraits. You’re tired of traditional portraits.

Or you’re wondering about how to shoot portraits in tight spaces, or where you can show more of the person’s body. Maybe you aren’t loyal to any particular focal length but just want to learn about a great lens to help you capture portraits.

35mm Lens Portrait Photography

We’ve all heard it:
“The 85mm is the portrait lens.”
And honestly? It’s not wrong.
There’s something timeless about that creamy background blur and flattering compression captured by a camera .

But if you’re here for connection, for feeling—not just for flattering headshots—then I want to introduce you to the lens that changed everything for me:

The 35mm.

This lens might just shift how you photograph people—and how you see them too. Because 35mm portraits?
They breathe.
They move.
And they feel real.

Why the 35mm Lens Deserves a Spot in Your Portrait Kit

At first, I avoided it. I didn’t want to get too close, disrupt a moment, or introduce distortion. I was clinging to the idea that portraits needed to be clean, polished, and flattering in a traditional sense.

But then I realized:

“Flattering” doesn’t always mean perfect. Sometimes it means honest.
Sometimes it means being vulnerable.
And sometimes, it means stepping into the story instead of shooting from the outside.

That’s the 35mm difference.

Unlike longer lenses that compress and isolate, the 35mm connects. It brings your subject into their environment—and your viewer into the moment.

It’s Not Just About the Person.

It’s About the World Around Them.

Think:

  • A mother in her messy kitchen.
  • A couple dwarfed by the mountains.
  • A child bathed in golden-hour light on their favorite couch.

The 35mm helps you tell those stories. The ones with mood, meaning, and movement.

How 35mm Compares to Other Portrait Lenses

Let’s break down how the 35mm lens compares to other focal lengths. The 35mm is one of my favorite prime lenses. It’s a wider lens, considered wide-angle even though it’s not as wide as something like a 16mm or 24mm lens.

With a wide focal length, there are going to be pros and cons, so as you read through this comparison, you can determine your priority. Are you focused on background separation? Do you want more bokeh and less distortion?

85mm lens: Classic and flattering

The 85mm is known for how it can highlight facial features and get creamy bokeh with a shallow depth of field. The 85mm lens tends to minimize context around a subject, making them stand out more. I also love it for compression, the effect of pulling the background closer. The 85mm focal length is also often favored for headshots due to its ability to create a professional look.

50mm lens: Blanced and versatile

With the 50mm lens, you can capture both the person and a hint of their world. The 50mm lens allows for close proximity to subjects, which can be important for comfortable photography. The background doesn’t get pulled closer when using a 50mm lens like it does with the 85mm.

However, you can achieve that shallow depth of field. And the 50mm lens is commonly recommended as a first lens investment due to its versatility for portraits.

35mm: Story-driven, immersive

The 35mm hits a sweet spot, allowing you to include environment and emotion in the same frame. It’s wide enough to pull in context but tight enough to keep your subject grounded. Using a 35mm lens will include more context in portraits compared to 50mm or 85mm lenses.

The natural field of view created by a 35mm lens results in a more realistic perspective without significant distortion. However, if you’re using a 35mm lens for head-and-shoulders portraits, you’ll have to get very close to the subject, which could lead to perspective distortion, especially of the nose and head proportions. Regardless, the 35mm lens also appears to be popular among aspiring photographers for its similarity in perspective to the default lens of a smartphone.

28mm or 24mm: Wide and dramatic prime lenses

Wider lenses like the 28mm and 24mm show scale, movement, and dynamic composition (great for groups/adventure.) Wider lenses will distort an image, especially elements close to the edges of a composition. To avoid perspective distortion in portraits, photographers should maintain a greater distance from their subjects when using wide-angle lenses.

5 Tips for Shooting Portraits with a 35mm Lens

Next up, let’s walk through how to shoot portrait photography with your 35mm. As I mentioned, you’ll likely be creating environmental portraits rather than the more traditional look that you might get with the 50mm and 85mm. However, shooting portraits with the 35mm focal length might change how you shoot with other focal lengths as well.

1. Get Close

Yep. Closer than feels comfortable.
This is the opposite of a zoom lens mentality—connection comes from proximity.
Closeness = intimacy = impact.

Portraits taken with a 35mm lens have a level of intimacy because the photographer can be close enough to converse with the subject. Carrying a small lens like a 35mm, helps photographers connect more easily with subjects without a big lens between them, leading to more natural photographs.

2. Watch Your Edges

Distortion is real—but not always bad.
Keep faces and features toward the center to avoid warping, or use the edges creatively for drama. Just be intentional.

Using a 35mm lens for close-up portraits can lead to distortion, making certain parts of the subject look larger or unflattering when too close. Photographing with a 35mm lens is best done from a distance to avoid distortion effects but close up to get the intimacy. This requires you to carefully manage your distance.

3. Play With Depth

Foreground, middle ground, background. Use them all.
A plant in the foreground, your subject mid-frame, glowing light behind? That’s visual storytelling.

4. See the Light

You can’t hide the background like you can with a tighter lens, so light becomes your best friend.
Golden hour, window light, soft shade—let light shape the mood.

5. Use It for Variety

Portraits. Candid moments. Lifestyle sessions. Street. Branding. Travel.
The 35mm works across genres and often surprises you with its versatility.

35mm lens portrait photography might just broaden your creative range not just your focal range.

When to Use the 35mm for Portraits

  • Family Sessions – Snuggles, chaos, and life in motion.
  • Travel & Adventure – Tell a full story, not just a silhouette.
  • Couples & Lifestyle – Keep it natural. Let the moment lead.
  • Street Photography – Capture people and their place in the world.
  • Creative & Branding – Artists in their studios. Makers in their element.

Even styled shoots gain a documentary edge when shot with a 35.

The Real Reason I Love the 35mm for Portraits

It’s not just the look.
It’s the feel.

It invites you in. It helps you immerse, engage, and connect.
And it made me a better photographer—not because I nailed my angles, but because I started shooting more honestly.

I used to think flattering meant slim and sharp.
Now I think it means true and present.

That’s what the 35mm gives you.

And like I said, it might even inspire you to shoot an environmental portrait of your subject with your 85mm lens. Let using a new lens change how you capture images with a longer focal length too.

Best 35mm Portrait Lenses and Where to Buy

Looking to add a 35mm lens to your kit? Here are some top options for photo or video lenses. Most of these are prime lenses for a full frame camera but I’ll include one of my favorite zooms as well. For those of you shooting with different camera bodies, feel free to reach out if you want my suggestions.

Ready to Try 35mm Lens Portrait Photography?

Grab your 35mm lens. Take a walk. Photograph someone just as they are.
Let the surroundings breathe. Let the light guide you.
And let the imperfections in.

Want more help learning this focal length? Check out my How to Shoot with a 35mm Lens video next. Or my blog post that contains everything you need to know about the 35mm lens.

And if you’re curious how the 35mm stacks up directly against the 50mm or 85mm, let me know in the comments—I’d love to break it down.

Until then,
Keep creating with intention.
And let your photos tell the full story.

Similar Content on the Blog

Looking for more photography tips? Check out these posts on Photography Basics:

About the Authors

We’re the Bergreens, a photography team based in Evergreen, Colorado. On the blog, we share practical photography tips and gear reviews, especially for those just starting out with taking pictures.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help! If we link to a product we love, Amazon links and others are affiliate links; it’s a great way to support our ad-free blog.

Similar Posts