Photographer unveils the two lenses every portrait photographer should own

posted Monday, October 9, 2017 at 3:00 PM EDT

In a new cinematic video, photographer Manny Ortiz unveils the two lenses he believes every portrait photographer should own.

One of the lenses will likely not come as a surprise, the nifty 50mm prime lens. Technically, Ortiz uses a Zeiss 55mm f/1.8, but it's very much like a 50mm equivalent fast prime lens. A 50mm prime lens is a great addition to any kit for a few reasons. It is usually fairly affordable to add a 50mm f/1.8 lens to your kit, giving you a lens with a fast maximum aperture and a "standard" focal length. The lens is versatile too, it can work for portraiture, street photography and even landscapes.

The second lens Ortiz recommends for portrait photographers is an 85mm prime lens. In his case, it's an 85mm f/1.4 G Master lens, but there are many f/1.2, f/1.4 and f/1.8 85mm lenses available for basically every brand of camera. An 85mm f/1.4 lens is fast and delivers great bokeh in most cases. However, an f/1.4 lens can be very expensive. An 85mm f/1.8 optic is much more affordable and offers great background separation. Learn more about Ortiz's recommendations in his video below.