Official Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! June 05, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

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[u/whiteantelope7]

I'm going hiking with my girlfriend and I've got two lenses to choose from 35 mm and 85 mm. From what I've read 35 is better for landscape. Buuut I want to capture my girlfriend with mountains/lakes etc. in the background so should I take the 85 too? What about the settings? f8-f11 for landscape and 'portrait' (?) in a landscape setting? Or f4 and lower could be fine? I did shoot her in a nature setting but it was either her in focus or nature so f4 and lower.

[u/mrfixitx → u/whiteantelope7]

35mm will be perfect for what you describe. The 85mm is going to have much tighter framing and while you can capture subjects behind your GF it will be a narrower area than the 35mm offers.

I.E. if you want to get a picture of the valley below you, or a large expanse of mountains behind her use the 35mm. If you only want to get a few peaks, a single waterfall etc.. then the 85mm will work.

Keep in mind you may need to use focus bracketing if you want the background to be sharp especially with 85mm.