The 50 mm Drill

As I sat in my car waiting for the light to change from red to green,  2 traveling cyclist stopped along side me to gather their bearings and stretch. I quickly reached for my camera , set the focal length to 50 mm, my favorite working focal length and angle of view lens,  I let down the window, framed as best I could from my somewhat restricted sitting position, pressed the shutter twice or so before the light changed and off I  went.

What strikes me most about this image (apart from their love of apples) and why I like it so much is the  tight crop that captures the essence of the moment, which was due in part  from the chosen focal length and my limited mobility.

The 50 mm lens 46.8 degree field of view comes closest in perspective to what our brain can properly interpret excluding all the peripheral blur that the eyes take in within its 106 degree angle of view. It is a lens that is very popular with street photographers primarily because it requires a certain close range contact to be effective is the only way I know to put it. As the photographer Tina Modotti once said "you've got to feel it in your gut" to know when you are close enough.

The 50 mm theme will be revisited in this blog.