2 Types of Distortion That Can Affect Your Portrait Photos

2 Types of Distortion That Can Affect Your Portrait Photos.

Welcome! We’re nearing the end of our Photography Fundamentals Series, and in this lesson, we’re diving into a critical topic for any photographer: distortion.

Understanding Distortion in Photography

Ever looked at a photo and thought, “Something just doesn’t feel right”? Distortion might be to blame. It’s an effect that “distorts” or “deforms” parts of an image, often giving it an unnatural look. Distortion can be caused by the gear we’re using or by the positioning of the photographer. Let’s break down the two main types of distortion you’ll encounter, especially in portrait photography.

Types of Distortion: Optical and Perspective

The two main forms of distortion are optical distortion and perspective distortion. Here’s what you need to know about each:

1. Optical Distortion (or lens distortion)
   • Optical distortion originates from the lens itself, often due to the way light bends through it. This type of distortion is essentially a lens error.
2. Perspective Distortion
   • Perspective distortion results from the relative positioning of the camera and the subject. It’s a common issue in portrait photography and happens when your lens and camera positioning make parts of your subject appear disproportionately large or small.

Let’s look at each in more detail. All About Camera Modes for Beginner portrait Photographers

Perspective Distortion: It’s All About Positioning

Perspective distortion happens due to our positioning relative to the subject within the frame. If you’ve ever taken a wide-angle flatlay and noticed items at the edge seem to “slip” out of the frame or look distorted, that’s perspective distortion in action. This effect is especially noticeable in portrait photography when using wide-angle lenses for close-up shots.

In simple terms, perspective distortion occurs when the subject appears disproportionately close to the camera compared to the background, making it look oddly large. This is particularly common when photographers have limited lens options, often resulting in unnatural-looking shots.

Quick Recap on Perspective Distortion

When using a wide-angle lens up close, your subject can look disproportionately large in relation to the background, creating a distorted look. For instance, a cake shot with a wide-angle lens may look oddly shaped or positioned in the frame even if the angle of the camera hasn’t changed.

Optical Distortion: The Result of Lens Error

The other type, optical distortion, stems from lens error. This type of distortion, also called optical aberration, often results in straight lines appearing curved or bent.

There are a few subtypes of optical distortion, including:

• Barrel distortion
• Pincushion distortion
• Mustache distortion

Each of these distorts lines in unique ways, making them appear curved inward, outward, or as a combination of both.

Reducing Distortion

How you reduce distortion depends on the type you’re dealing with. Here’s how to minimize each:

Reducing Perspective Distortion

Since perspective distortion is related to focal length and subject distance, adjusting either can reduce the effect. To make your subject appear larger without distortion:

• Switch to a narrower lens (e.g., a 50mm or 60mm lens) instead of a wide-angle.
• Position the camera farther from the subject and crop in during editing to achieve a similar framing without distortion.

For portrait photography, flat subjects generally experience less distortion when shot from above.

Reducing Optical Distortion

Optical distortion, on the other hand, can’t be reduced by changing positioning. Instead, it requires post-production corrections. Many photo-editing software, like Lightroom, offer simple tools or presets to correct curved lines caused by lens error. Depending on your program and lens type, you can usually make adjustments with a single click or through manual corrections for better control.

Recap

Distortion can give photos an unnatural look, but knowing how to handle it can make a big difference. Here are the main points to remember:

• Distortion can alter your subject or straight lines within a photo.
• Perspective distortion happens due to the relationship between lens focal length and subject distance, distorting the subject’s size.
• Optical distortion is a lens error that bends straight lines.
• To reduce perspective distortion, change lenses or adjust your distance from the subject.
• To reduce optical distortion, rely on post-production software.

Quick Experiment to See the Difference

Next time you’re out for coffee, try this mini-experiment to see distortion in action.

1. Use your phone’s normal camera to take a close-up photo of the coffee so it fills the frame.
2. If you have “portrait mode,” take another photo from a little further away and then make the coffee the same size in the frame. Compare the two images.

Don’t have portrait mode? Use your regular camera and move back, then crop the photo with an editing app. Which looks better?

This small experiment will help you see how adjusting distance and lens settings impacts distortion!