Pose and Sip

André Costantini’s Tamron 35-100mm F2.8 zoom captures intimate casual portraits at a Sonoma County winery.

Author: Jenn Gidman
Images: André Costantini

André Costantini’s Tamron 35-100mm F2.8 zoom captures intimate casual portraits at a Sonoma County winery.

Some of the best portraits emerge not out of meticulously planned photo shoots with elaborate lighting setups, but from simply hanging out with family or friends, sharing a meal and some laughs and letting your camera subtly capture all of those moments. That was how André Costantini’s recent outing to a small winery in Healdsburg evolved, as part of a larger shoot in Northern California’s vineyard-happy Sonoma County. “This was the final stop during our ‘girls weekend away’ type of shoot, where we visited shops, a restaurant, and finally, this winery, where we did a wine tasting with appetizers just as the sun was starting to go down,” André says.

On his camera: the new Tamron 35-100mm F/2.8 Di III VXD standard zoom lens, a dream zoom that features multiple popular portrait focal lengths—35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 100mm—all in one lens. “You’re rarely going to go wider than 35mm when you’re shooting portraits,” André explains. “And having that 100mm reach allows you to isolate your subject beautifully when you need to. The 35-100mm’s fast F2.8 aperture and close-focusing capabilities are also really nice, and the lens is super-sharp. I photographed most of these images wide open, and that shallow depth of field helped blur away distractions in the background, so the focus stayed on everyone enjoying themselves in front of my camera.”

What André especially appreciates about the 35-100mm F2.8, however, is how portable it is. “The biggest thing for me is how lightweight and compact the lens is,” he says. “It’s so easy to carry around and pull out in these more intimate types of settings. That portability means you’re more likely to have your camera ready when spontaneous moments happen.”

Read on for André’s tips on using the 35-100mm F2.8 zoom lens for crisp, eye-catching portraits at the casual venue of your choice.

ANDRÉ’S QUICK TIPS

Pay attention to the light.

Even when you’re capturing casual portraits, lighting is still key. At the winery, we were relaxing outside just as the sun was starting to set. The quality of light at that time of day is fantastic—soft, warm, flattering—but there’s less of it than earlier in the day, so the F2.8 aperture on this lens really helps in those situations.

I chose where we sat based on where the light was going to look good on everyone. That way, I could choose a seat where I wouldn’t have to move around or worry about much else other than my friends’ interactions and expressions. You don’t want to interrupt the moment as you’re jostling for position. Behind my subjects were the winery buildings and some greenery, which added depth and texture to the images.

Let the lens do the work.

The Tamron 35-100mm F2.8 lens is ideal for a casual portrait shoot like this thanks to the flexibility of its zoom range. If someone across the table laughed or turned toward the light, I was able to quickly zoom in and isolate them. If two people were interacting, I was able to zoom out a little wider to include both of them without changing lenses or shifting position. That’s a very useful feature to have in social situations where things are happening organically. And because the lens stays at F2.8 throughout the zoom range, you don’t lose that beautiful background blur when you’re zooming in or out.

Complete the story with detail shots.

While portraits are the centerpiece of a casual shoot like this, photograph the details as well. At the winery, I captured photos of wine glasses on the table, the tasting menu, and other small elements that helped tell the story of the evening. These shots add context and atmosphere to the final collection of images. The Tamron 35-100mm F2.8 makes that easy thanks to its close-focusing capabilities, including a Minimum Object Distance (MOD) of 8.7 inches and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.3 at 35mm. These kinds of detail images become especially worthwhile if you’re sharing the photos on social media, creating an album, or otherwise trying to create a more comprehensive visual narrative of the day.

Don’t stress about perfection.

Not every frame will work, and that’s completely fine, especially when you’re shooting casually like this. In some photos you might miss the moment, someone might blink, or the composition may not quite come together. But if the lighting is good and the atmosphere is laidback, you’ll still come away with plenty of keepers that look and feel genuine.

To see more of André Costantini’s work, check out his website or Instagram.