Originally posted by civiletti This image is a good example of perspective distortion. The huge mouth on the kid can be cute in a humorous way, but it is not what most people consider a flattering perspective.
You are correct about personal style. If you shoot more environmental portraits, a wider lens is appropriate.
I think that you missed the point of my posting that particular photo. It was to demonstrate the beautiful bokeh produced by the FA43, which I think is undeniable, except by some people who have fixed ideas about what proper bokeh is. In general, it's not a good idea to stick a camera right in someone's face, which is what creates the distortion, but any focal length can be used very effectively. An overemphasis on "correct" focal length is confining.
To make my point, here are two portraits taken with the FA31. Some might say that it is too short for portraiture, but I disagree.
Rob
FA31, f2.8, ISO 100, K10D
FA31, f2.2, ISO 400, K10D