meadowsphotography opened this issue on Feb 25, 2010 · 8 posts
meadowsphotography posted Thu, 25 February 2010 at 10:27 PM
Attached Link: http://www.wix.com/meadowsbykim/webpage
Need help, any suggestions on setting for sharper images in portraits? Don't want to use auto...any users that can help feel free!!
bclaytonphoto posted Fri, 26 February 2010 at 8:26 AM
What type of lens? My first thoughts are..keep the ISO low. Increase your DOF, by increasing the F stop number.. Auto or manual focus? Watch which auto focus point you have selected, especially when shooting below F 4
meadowsphotography posted Fri, 26 February 2010 at 7:17 PM
What ISO do you suggest? I am so new to all of this I don't even know how to change an F stop or what it is.
inshaala posted Sat, 27 February 2010 at 10:47 AM
100 ISO as your first port of call. Dont stray from it unless you have to compromise because of light strength.
As for sharpness - what Bruce says above is true - if that doesnt get the look you are going for you should try some post processing steps. I posted up a tutorial which touches on sharpening (and generally contrast) which you might find helpful (it does assume you have photoshop):
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/tutorial/index.php?tutorial_id=2056
"In every colour, there's the light.
In every stone sleeps a crystal.
Remember the Shaman, when he used to say:
Man is the dream of the Dolphin"
Rich Meadows Photography
inshaala posted Sat, 27 February 2010 at 10:49 AM
Oh - but dont rely on post processing for the sharpness - i sometimes do and can tell that it would have been soooo much better if i had nailed it in the shot first - and that goes for colour, lighting and everything else - post processing should merely enhance what is already there - not put in something which wasnt there to start with, and sharpness is top of that list...
"In every colour, there's the light.
In every stone sleeps a crystal.
Remember the Shaman, when he used to say:
Man is the dream of the Dolphin"
Rich Meadows Photography
bclaytonphoto posted Sat, 27 February 2010 at 12:39 PM
ISO is like the film speed with a analog camera..Your manual will tell you how to change your settings..
I will suggest an easy to read, well written book..
Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera
The key to good photos is undertsanding HOW your camera works..once you know what things do, then you can begin the process of making the camera do what you WANT it to do..
That's where the magic is
watapki66 posted Mon, 01 March 2010 at 12:03 PM
The number one most overlooked method of obtaining sharper images is to use a tripod! Especially on portraits of people and even animals focus on the eyes. I use manual focus for portraits. I use a tripod for at least 90% of all my images.
danob posted Wed, 03 March 2010 at 11:07 AM
Well use of Auto is part of the learning process as you can then see what the camera has selected and then have an idea where to start changing when going manual, esp if you don't know what a F stop is and doing wedding photography!
Sharper images are not always the thing for portraits, when it is often the softer look that hides the wrinkles..
Danny O'Byrne http://www.digitalartzone.co.uk/
"All the technique in the world doesn't compensate for the inability to notice" Eliott Erwitt