The “SECRET” to Great Portraits It’s In The Eyes!
Learn how to capture tack-sharp portraits with this step-by-step
tutorial about expert camera focusing techniques.
Whatever method you choose, those eyes need to be
tack-sharp. If the focus is off, it’s usually only by a
whisker, so don’t be fooled into thinking you’ve got it
right just by glancing at the LCD screen.
Portrait photography often means using a wide
aperture and longer focal lengths to create a shallow
depth of field, throwing the background out of focus.
This makes focusing more important than usual, as
sharpness is captured across a very narrow plane, often
of just an inch or two.
FOCUS ON THE EYES
If in fact, the eyes are the window to the soul, that is
exactly where we need to focus our shot to be sure we
capture the person in the photograph. The eyes are
the most vital element of a portrait, so it’s essential to
record them sharply, particularly if you’re using a wide
aperture.
Some photographers like to focus using the central
focus point and then recompose, while others will set
an off-center focus point, as I did.
Review the image properly by zooming in on the eyes
to make sure they’re sharp.
SELECT THE FOCUS POINT
As mentioned, some photographers focus using the
central focus point, then half-press the shutter release
to lock the focus, and recompose to place the subject
off-center. However, that slight movement when
recomposing can be enough to throw the plane of
focus off. For greater accuracy, use your SLR’s singlepoint autofocus. Most SLRs give you a choice of nine
or more focus points, which can be selected via your
camera’s rear joystick or dials.
Setting an off-center focus point over the subject’s
nearest eye will give you an extra modicum of precision
that could mean the difference between soft and sharp.
USE THE REAR BUTTON
SLRs are almost always set up so that half-pressing
the shutter triggers the autofocus. But when you think
about it, is this really the best way? Why entrust both
focusing and shutter release to the same button, when
a button for each can potentially give you greater
control?
Lots of pros prefer a custom function that triggers
autofocus with a rear button positioned where your
thumb usually rests (see your camera manual to see
how to set it up). It takes some getting used to, but can
give you greater control when focusing and composing
your shot.