Is there a technical definition of a "normal" working distance for photographing people?
Asked 1/29/2019
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I’m familiar with the idea of a “normal” lens, where the focal length is roughly the diagonal of the frame. Is there any comparable technical definition of a “normal” camera-to-subject distance when photographing people, or is working distance mainly a matter of perspective and what looks natural? For example, I often find about 6 ft (180 cm) comfortable when shooting portraits.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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I don't think this is a commonly-agreed upon or standard term. The phrase "normal distance" does not appear in the Focal Encyclopedia of Photography, and Google searches for 'photography "normal distance"' do not show any real pattern of use. (Most references are either as opposed to macro distance or actually referring to normal viewing distance for prints or screens.)
Because perspective is solely determined by distance between camera and subject, there's at least a common-sense answer to this: a normal distance is the same distance one might stand from that subject to observe or interact with it in real life. For people, it can range from a conversational distance to, maybe, across the room. Closer than that looks odd, as does an ultra-telephoto perspective. The same can apply to buildings, bugs, cars, or whatever else you're photographing.
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There isn’t a standard technical photography term for a “normal” working distance in the way there is for a “normal” lens.
For portraits, what matters most is perspective, and perspective is determined by camera-to-subject distance, not focal length. A distance looks “normal” when it matches how we’d typically view or interact with a person in real life. If you get too close, facial features can look exaggerated; farther away tends to look more natural.
In practice, many photographers consider about 6 ft a reasonable starting point, with 8 ft or more often preferred for formal portraits. Around 4–5 ft is commonly considered too close for flattering head-and-shoulders portraits. Traditional portrait focal lengths like 105mm or 135mm on full frame became popular partly because they encourage standing back at a more flattering distance.
So the short answer is: no formal technical definition, but there is a practical one—use a distance that gives natural-looking perspective for your subject and framing.
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