It's easy to stress out about lenses. Which ones to buy, which ones to use when—ad nauseum. Fashion photographer Erik Madigan Heck avoids the problem completely by shooting exclusively with one single lens, and you'll probably never guess which one it is.


Heck is no amateur. You might find his work on the cover of the New York Times Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, or a number of other popular magazines. You might expect such a pro to have a huge selection of top-of-the-line glass. But, as the The Wall Street Journal reports, Heck's dear mother loaned him her camera and Canon lens at age 14, and he has never let the glass go. Heck now uses the 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 lens for every project he shoots. Go ahead, check out his website full of stellar work.


Every single image was shot with that one lens—a beat up zoom that was made over 20 years ago. To the left is an example of the model from allphotolenses.com (not Heck's actual lens).

Heck believes the lens, which isn't in the best of shape, possesses a character that benefits his work.


It just goes to show that to create great photography, you don't need a giant collection of expensive glass. All you need is creativity, taste, and the skills to make the best out of what you have. [WSJ]