Portrait Photography/Focusing

Portrait Photography.

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. On top of this, you have a moving subject, so focusing on precisely the right point at precisely the right moment is crucial. 

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-centre focus point. Review the image properly by zooming in on the eyes to make sure they’re sharp.

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-centre. However, that slight movement when recomposing can be enough to throw the plane of focus off. For greater accuracy, use your SLR’s single-point 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-centre 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.

SLRs are almost always set up so that half-pressing the shutter triggers the autofocus.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.

(Images sourced from wiki how because i cant upload my own from my memory stick atm).