Classic photographers who just use one lens

Rob Skeoch

Advertiser
Advertiser
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
1,346
Location
Grand Valley, Ontario
Format
35mm RF
I'm trying to build up a list of some of the great photographers who used only one lens for most of their work.
People often say Henri Carrier-Bresson traveled the world with just a 50mm. I have no idea if this is true or not, but thought I would ask.

If you know of any shooters, mostly photojournalist, who did major work with just one lens please let me know.

-Rob Skeoch
 

Darkroom317

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
653
Location
Mishawaka, IN
Format
Large Format
I don't know of any. Cartier-Bresson did not use just one lens.
 

Pinholemaster

Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2005
Messages
1,566
Location
Westminster,
Format
8x10 Format
He used more then one lens later in his career. Usually a 35mm, instead of the 50mm. Don't think he went wider then that.

His early work used only a 50mm lens because that's what was available on the early Leica cameras. Once the system grew, he added an extra lens or two. Don't know if he every used a 90mm lens.
 

prado333

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
Messages
57
Format
8x10 Format
Richard Misrach 300mm , Lee Friedlander 38mm Biogon( not entire career but a significant body of work), Richard Avedon (80mm lens in rolleiflex and a 360mm in 8x10),Vivian Maier 80mm Rolleiflex.
 

MDR

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2006
Messages
1,402
Location
Austria
Format
Multi Format
Werner Bischoff only used Rolleiflex TLRs and created some of the best Magnum photos ever (beats HCB in my opinion), No photojournalist but famous Imogen Cunningham tended to use the normal lens for the formats she used from the mid 30's on she mostly used the Rolleiflex.
Fritz Henle mister Rolleiflex used TLRs for most of his career 75 or 80mm lens only.

Did Arbus use different lenses on her Mamiyaflex or did she prefer one focal lenght?

Dominik
 

jp498

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2009
Messages
1,525
Location
Owls Head ME
Format
Multi Format
My wife shoots all her family photos with a 50/1.8 on her DSLR. The tighter framing than normal really makes you fill the frame and think about composition. I'm the photo snob, she's the mom with the camera, and I think she does great (and her facebook friends and fam like her photos) It's also very smooth background and works well in low light without flash. Beats to pieces all the point and shoot cameras and kit zooms. All things that transfer to film use well. I mostly use a 50 as well, but I'm somewhat afflicted with GAS and are more apt to use lens variety and camera variety.

Anyone that was famous for liking their rolleiflex would indeed be a good example. Vivian Maier is a more recent example. Many famous photographers of old used rolleiflexes as a tool but not their only tool.

George Hurrell used a couple different lenses, but generally changing only after years of use. "Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits" describes him quitting a studio and taking his verito with him.
 

removed-user-1

I recall that the early photojournalist Erich Salomon used an Ermanox camera (which took 6x4.5cm plates), with a fixed 85mm f/2 lens, for most of his work. This was supposedly the first of the miniature cameras equipped with a fast standard lens. I read somewhere that he also used an early Leica but I don't know what lens(es) that would include.
 

benjiboy

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
11,989
Location
U.K.
Format
35mm
H.C.B used 2 Leica bodys with 35,50 and 90 mm lenses.
 

Shawn Dougherty

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 22, 2004
Messages
4,129
Location
Pittsburgh
Format
Multi Format
I believe John Sexton created all the images in his first book "Quiet Light" with a 210mm lens (4x5).
 

MDR

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2006
Messages
1,402
Location
Austria
Format
Multi Format
Helmut Newton was another Rolleiflex TLR user and had quite a few of them, he did use other cameras though. Nicolas Tikhomiroff another nearly Magnum Guy who liked his Rolleiflex. Herbert List Magnum and Rolleiflex. Raymond Cauchetier the photographer of the Nouvelle Vague loved his Rolleiflex and even left Magnum because of it. All four created their most famous work with Rolleiflex TLRs. Many LF guys only use one lens for most of their work.
 

ParkerSmithPhoto

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2010
Messages
1,685
Location
Atlanta, GA
Format
Medium Format
There are many more photographers of mention who used only one lens than there are who didn't. One thing to notice when looking at this is that most stay in the slightly wide-normal to slightly long-normal range, avoiding extreme wides and telephotos.

Using one lens is an easy way to start getting some optical consistency in your photographs. It helps link images in the same way subject matter does.
 

batwister

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
913
Location
Midlands, UK
Format
Medium Format
I would guess all of the typological photographers.
 

ParkerSmithPhoto

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2010
Messages
1,685
Location
Atlanta, GA
Format
Medium Format
Look at Keith Carter's first 4 or 5 books: Hassy with an 80mm. Doesn't get any more classic than that. Keith doesn't lack for passion or imagination, either.

I saw a "photographer" in Piedmont Park once, and he had three bodies with different lenses hanging around his neck, plus a fanny pack and two shoulder bags. It was hysterical. I wish I had made a photograph of him because he kind of had to waddle with all that gear. You just can't work that way...

With one lens, you think about the subject, and where to place your feet and your body in relation to it. With more than one lens, you start thinking about lenses!
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,665
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format

Steve Smith

Member
Joined
May 3, 2006
Messages
9,110
Location
Ryde, Isle o
Format
Medium Format
John Gay (two lenses actually - on a Rolleiflex).


Steve.
 

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
ParkerSmithPhoto said:
Look at Keith Carter's first 4 or 5 books: Hassy with an 80mm. Doesn't get any more classic than that. Keith doesn't lack for passion or imagination, either.
Click to expand...



I was just about to submit Keith's name to the thread.


He is just down the road from me in Beaumont. I haven't worked up the nerve to ask him to carry his bags for him when he goes out for a shoot... but I'd sure love to!
 

MDR

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2006
Messages
1,402
Location
Austria
Format
Multi Format
Steve Pyke a well know british photographer is pretty much a Rolleiflex only user. Amazing how versatile the Rolleiflex is.
 

Dali

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2009
Messages
1,866
Location
Philadelphia
Format
Multi Format
Bernard Plossu's main works were done with a Nikkormat and a 50mm Nikkor lens.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…