Telephoto lenses are often the next lens a photographer buys when building up their kit — usually to "get closer to the action". These lenses range from around 70mm up to 1200mm and beyond. Because of their stronger magnification over standard kit lenses, it's easy to assume they're only useful for photographing distant subjects like wildlife or performers at concerts. To think this way is to overlook a powerful creative tool.
Different focal lengths don't just change how close things appear — they fundamentally change the look and feel of a photograph. Telephoto lenses magnify, compress space, and narrow the viewing angle. With a little pre-visualisation, you can use them in ways you might not have considered.
The Many Benefits of Telephoto Lenses
Simplifying Busy Backgrounds
Because a telephoto lens offers a narrower viewing angle, it's ideal when you have distracting background elements you want to exclude. When shooting this way, only the elements directly behind your main subject will be visible, rather than a wide sweep of the scene.
Isolating Subjects
Shooting with a telephoto lens at a wide aperture (f/1.4–f/2.8) helps your subject pop out of the background. The shallow depth of field effect that wide apertures create becomes even more pronounced with a telephoto lens — the background melts into smooth, pleasant blur. Viewers respond positively to these images because it's immediately clear what they're meant to look at.
Compressing Space
Ever seen those stunning super moon photos where the moon looks enormous next to a building or tree? They're created with powerful telephoto lenses. The compression effect of a telephoto brings background and foreground elements visually closer together, which is a powerful compositional tool for showing relationships between subjects.
More Flattering Portraits
Portraits often benefit from being shot with a telephoto lens in the 70–200mm range. The compression effect means facial features appear more naturally proportioned compared to shooting up close with a wide-angle lens. Combine this with a wide aperture and you get a striking, flattering result that isolates the subject beautifully.
Step Back and See What Happens
You may already own a telephoto lens that's been sitting neglected in your camera bag. Or perhaps you're considering your next lens purchase. Either way, experimenting with telephoto lenses beyond simply zooming in is a worthwhile creative skill to develop. Next time you're struggling to make a shot work, step back and reach for your telephoto — you might be surprised by the results.
Sample images shot with a Canon 85mm f/1.8 and 70-200mm f/4 L lens.
Looking for a Telephoto Lens?
Browse Ted's full range of telephoto lenses online, or visit your nearest Ted's store — our team is always happy to help you find the right lens for your shooting style.