>I dispute the idea that there is anything like a uniformity of choices, and I dispute the idea that documentary photographers choose a focal length for authent

>I dispute the idea that there is anything like a uniformity of choices, and I dispute the idea that documentary photographers choose a focal length for authenticity purposes. Documentation: the act or an instance of furnishing or authenticating with documents [Merriam-Webster]. Documentary photographers are thus by definition chiefly concerned with representing events as authentically as they happened. I've done several years of work as a photojournalist [1-3]. Of the other photojournalists I've bumped into, the wide-normal zoom or a 24/28mm prime gets used most of the time. Barring logistical mandates, only amateurs aren't able to choose their distance to the subject and rely solely on telephotos; more experienced PJs know how to get close. “If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough” - Robert Capa. I also do a lot of personal street/documentary work and have shot around prominent photo circles in Japan and New York [4,5]. As I've said repeatedly, the most popular cameras in this genre (Ricoh GR, Leica Q, Fuji X100) sport fixed, i.e. unchangeable, 28mm or 35mm lenses. Many of those who shoot on Leicas, whose system lenses are so expensive you can only have a few, often choose either a 28mm or 35mm. It's a running joke within New York specifically that you don't shoot street unless it's with a Leica M6 and 28mm. > Then don't say that. What does this statement have to do with this conversation? With regards to documentary photography, which is trying to portray things as authentically as they happen, by your standards, normal lenses would be the principle option because of the distortionless proportional perspective, but this is empirically not the case. I think we're on different levels of experience here, and I will sign off this conversation as I advise again: go photograph grass with a 28mm. [1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CHS-DHPHV8c/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CHS-DHPHV8c/ [2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CHVdZ0SHuI2/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CHVdZ0SHuI2/ [3] https://www.instagram.com/p/CBBK85GnVPA/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CBBK85GnVPA/ [4] https://www.instagram.com/p/CSEvyDkHA-i/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CSEvyDkHA-i/ [5] https://www.instagram.com/p/CRY8O_znC2G/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CRY8O_znC2G/