The Best Lenses For Storytelling
Ashley Aria
Photography
If you’ve ever wondered why two photos of the same moment can feel completely different, the answer is simple: the lens. When people ask what’s in my camera bag, they’re usually expecting a list of gear. But the truth is, what matters most isn’t what you carry — it’s why you carry it. Your lens decides how close you get, what you include, what you leave out, and ultimately — how the story feels. And when you’re a mom capturing everyday magic or a photographer documenting real life, the right lens becomes more than gear. It becomes your voice.
In this post, I’m breaking down the best camera lenses for storytelling, how I use them, and how each one transforms the way I capture the world.
why Lenses Matter More than you think
Your camera body is important, sure — but your lens is the real storyteller. It decides:
How close you feel to the moment
How much of the scene you include
How emotional or dramatic the image becomes
How your viewer experiences the story
Think of lenses like different brushes in a painter’s toolkit. Each one creates a different mood. Take the below image for example. Each lens captures a different focal length. The first image is captured with the 100mm macro lens. The second – 50mm 1.4 and the third – 35mm 1.4. With each image, I am standing the same distance away from my subjects, but the lenses capture different depths!
The 35mm Lens - The 'Everyday Storyteller"
If I could only choose one lens for documenting real life, it would be the 35mm.
Feels natural and true to life
Perfect for moms photographing kids indoors
Great for lifestyle photographers capturing movement
Also perfect for indoor portraits and is amazing with lighting
Lets you stay close without distorting the scene
The 35mm lens makes you feel in the moment. It’s intimate without being intrusive — perfect for storytelling that feels honest and unposed. The below images are taken with the 35mm 1.4. If you love to capture the scene, feel connected to the subject, and experience the entire story from a slight distance, then this lens is hard to beat!
The 50mm lens - The Memory Maker
The 50mm is often called the “nifty fifty,” and for good reason.
Beautiful background blur
Lightweight and affordable
Amazing for portraits of kids, couples, or families
This lens isolates your subject and creates dreamy, emotional images. It’s the lens I reach for when I want a moment to feel soft, nostalgic, and full of heart. The below images are taken with the 50mm 1.4.
The 100mm Macro Lens- The detail Storyteller
If there’s one lens in my bag that consistently surprises people, it’s the 100mm macro. In my opinion, it is one of the best lenses for storytelling that I have in my collection. Most photographers think of it as a “close‑up lens,” something you only pull out for flowers, rings, or tiny details. But the truth is, this lens is a storytelling powerhouse — especially for lifestyle photographers who want to capture the little things that matter.
Incredibly sharp, even from far away from subjects
Beautiful compression for portraits
Perfect for capturing tiny, meaningful details
Doubles as a stunning portrait lens
Let’s you see the world in a way your eyes can’t
The 100mm macro lens invites you to slow down. It pulls you into the small, quiet moments that often get overlooked — the curl of a newborn’s eyelashes, the texture of tiny hands, the threads of a favorite blanket, the crumbs on a toddler’s face after snack time.
This lens tells the story of details, and details are where emotion lives. I use the 100m during every session. You may be hesitant because of the price point, but, below are reasons you should absolutely make the investment! For every kind of photography, the 100mm adds variety and highlights to most intimate details of a story.
Why Moms and Photographers Love the 100mm macro Lens
Moms are natural storytellers. They notice the chipped nail polish on little fingers, the way their child holds a stuffed animal, the freckles that appear every summer. The 100mm macro lets you capture those fleeting details with clarity and heart. Moms love this lens because storytelling isn’t just about the big moments — it’s about the tiny ones too. The 100mm macro lens helps you capture the details that make your story uniquely yours.
It’s not just a “macro lens.” It’s a memory lens.
For photographers, this lens is a creative playground. It gives you:
Crisp, clean close‑ups
Dreamy background blur
The ability to isolate emotion in a single detail
It’s the lens that turns ordinary moments into art. It’s the lens that, when people look at an image, they say “wow, that’s striking”. Its the lens that makes you freeze and take in the incredible moment that often gets passed by. The eyes of a child, their tiny hands, the little hairs on a baby’s ear, the way a child is looking at their mom. All of these create fine art portraits that families never forget.
How to choose the best lenses for your favorite kind of storytelling
Here’s the truth: there’s no “right” lens. There’s only the lens that tells the story you want to tell. So ask yourself:
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Do I want to feel close to the moment, while also capturing the scene? → 35mm
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Do I want dreamy, emotional portraits? → 50mm
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Do I want to capture the details that make time stand still? →100mm macro
However, I absolutely recommend all three. To me, these, are the best lenses for storytelling photography!
Pro Tip - How I Capture it all in one session
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a photographer — is that kids don’t wait for you to switch lenses. Their attention spans are short, their energy is unpredictable, and their best moments happen in the split second between “hold still” and “okay, look at me.”
That’s why I always walk into a session with two cameras, each with a different lens attached. It’s the single best way to stay ready for anything and capture the full story without missing a beat. Carrying two bodies isn’t about looking fancy or professional. It’s about being prepared. Kids move fast, and the moment you stop to change a lens is the moment the magic disappears.
With two cameras, I can switch perspectives instantly:
One lens for the big picture
One lens for the tiny details
No fumbling
No breaking the moment
No losing their attention
It’s the secret to capturing a gallery that feels complete — full of emotion, movement, and all the little in‑between moments that tell the real story.
My Go-To Pairing
I usually pair:
A 35mm for storytelling, movement, and scene‑setting
A 100mm macro for emotion, details, and close‑ups
This combo lets me capture everything from the full environment to the tiny details — the exact reason these are some of the best camera lenses for storytelling.
A real moment that proved this trick works
During this session, a little boy climbed onto his mom’s back while she knelt down, completely unprompted and full of joy. With my 35mm, I caught the whole scene — his arms wrapped around her, the sunlight, the playful chaos, and the way he looked at her with pure adoration. Then I lifted my second camera with the 100mm, and in an instant I captured the close‑up of his gaze — those soft eyes, the tiny smile, the tenderness you’d miss from farther away.
If I had stopped to switch lenses, I would’ve missed one of those moments. Two cameras meant I didn’t have to choose.
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, the gear in my camera bag isn’t just equipment — it’s a set of tools that help me honor the stories unfolding right in front of me. Whether it’s a toddler climbing onto his mom’s back or a quiet moment of connection between siblings, the right lens lets me capture those fleeting expressions and tiny details that make your family’s story uniquely yours.
If you’re a mom who wants photos that feel real — the laughter, the chaos, the tenderness, the in‑between moments — I’d love to create that with you. Kids grow fast, their attention shifts in seconds, and their sweetest moments rarely happen twice. Let’s capture them while they’re here.
Ready to tell your family’s story? Book your session with me and let’s create something beautiful together.
Want to learn how to use adobe Lightroom to increase the storytelling in your photography? Check out this site
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Get to know me
Hey! My name is Ashley! I am a portrait photographer in Atlanta, Ga! Since 2020, I have I specialized in family, children, baby, and maternity portraits! I have a small studio for babies and children where I am to capture their wonderful personalities! Furthermore, I love to photograph beautiful families in many incredible locations in Atlanta, Ga and beyond! Also! I enjoy traveling to different locations around the world and capturing families in whatever season of life they are in! So, let’s have some fun and make memories that are unforgettable 🙂