The Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Lens Look — Perfect for Grad Photos

I know, my daughter graduated from college a couple of years ago, but my image processing backlog is ... eh, maybe I'll share that number later. It's high. Anyway, I want to talk about portraits today, so I selected this graduation portrait to final process and share.

When capturing a portrait image, the goal is usually to emphasize the subject. Competing for that attention is everything else in the frame. While those additional elements are often not removable, they can be blurred to reduce the sharp lines of contrast that catch and pull the viewer's eye.

An outstanding way to accomplish the blurred background goal is to use an ultra-wide aperture, creating a shallow depth of field that leaves the background strongly out of focus.

Sometimes, a sense of place is desired for the portrait. The 50mm angle of view is wide enough to incorporate those identifying elements without magnifying them into obscurity.

The Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Lens or Sony's alternative, the FE 50mm F1.2 GM Lens, is a superb choice for this goal.

Here, the subject's head is aligned between the two buildings to further reduce background distractions.

Also check out The Graduation Exit and Athletic Graduation Portrait After Sunset images.

A larger version of this image is available here.