Self portraits with the new camera!

01/28/2006 03:19:45 PM · #1

It is a whole lot easier taking self portraits with a point and shoot! I am having a hard time with this DSLR. Here is my first attempt. How did I do? Any tips?

fotomann_forever

01/28/2006 03:23:18 PM · #2

Find a model that's not sooo pretty. That way you can blame the outcome on the model ;-)

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

01/28/2006 03:27:55 PM · #3

You are too kind! I am having a hard time getting what I want to be in focus. I have tried manual and auto focus and they still aren't coming out how I want them to.

AlexSaberi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

01/28/2006 03:28:40 PM · #4

I quite like the crop and the poses. And you aren't too bad either. For me , maybe you wanted this, but I find the focus well off. In the first photo the hair is in focus not your eyes?

alex

Anastasia

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

01/28/2006 03:29:01 PM · #5

as for me I really really like those....somehow a bit out of focus, which is not disturbing at all, but shows emotion and softness.
keep up practising... good job!
Cheers
Nasti

Message edited by author 2006-01-28 15:31:31.

fotomann_forever

01/28/2006 03:30:41 PM · #6

Originally posted by mandyturner:

I am having a hard time getting what I want to be in focus. I have tried manual and auto focus and they still aren't coming out how I want them to.

The most accurate way is to use a tape measure to measure the distance between the camera and the place you will be standing and set the focus manually to that range. Might want to close the aperture some to allow a bit deeper Dof too.

Message edited by author 2006-01-28 15:31:49.

jimmythefish

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/28/2006 03:30:58 PM · #7

Focus on the eyes (at the very least) is critical. You can try stopping the aperture down to get deeper focus, or you can find something free-standing at eye height (like a second tripod) and measure the distance to it with a piece of string tied to the tripod with the camera on it. Manually focus on the object you've measured, and then hold the string up to your eyes to make sure they'll be in focus. Even then, it'll take some practise.

01/28/2006 03:32:59 PM · #8

Originally posted by alexsaberi:

I quite like the crop and the poses. And you aren't too bad either. For me , maybe you wanted this, but I find the focus well off. In the first photo the hair is in focus not your eyes?

alex

That is my problem. I am having a hard time getting a focused picture since I can't see what I am doing. It was easy with my kodak. It took great self portraits with no problem.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

01/28/2006 03:33:55 PM · #9

thanks jimmy, I will try that.

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

01/28/2006 03:35:22 PM · #10

Poses are great, as is the light.

Try prefocusing on manual rather than using autofocus. Put something at your position.

The main difference between a P&S and a SLR you may be experiencing is DOF. Almost everything will be in focus in the P&S, but the SLR has limited DOF, depending on your F stop. Make sure you use a sufficient F stop to give you enought DOF for your face and hair.

Shorter focal lengths can give you more DOF.

01/28/2006 03:42:57 PM · #11

I'm curious... to do these self portraits, how *do* you focus the camera? I mean, you can't be both in front of and behind the camera at the same time. Do you get someone else to help you out, or do you set the focus then put the camera on auto and jump into the picture?

If you're against having someone else focus and push the button ... then maybe you could have someone at least stand in for you long enough to set the focus (based on the position of their eyes, which hopefully will be close to the same distance as yours) and then jump into the picture.

Anyway, I'm definitely interested in your technique for shooting self portraits. Let us know.

fallingretina

Nikon D70

01/28/2006 03:52:47 PM · #12

look at those eyes in the third one!

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

01/28/2006 03:55:24 PM · #13

For this shoot, I put a rake where I was going to be standing and used the manual focus on it, set the timer and jumped in. I also tried the auto focus. I never have anyone help me out. I have had my daugher just look through the viewfinder to see if I was in the frame or not while I was waiting for the timer to go off. Having someone stand in for me would be a great idea. I don't know why I never thought of that?

With the Kodak, I just held the camera with one hand and "click"!

Ennil

Nikon D200

01/28/2006 03:59:32 PM · #14

Magnificent! But yeah the focus is really really off. What you can do is use something that will stand in your place so you can focus on it. You get the idea ;) You run and change places with that item, etc...

It gets easier with time. Oh and choose and aperature between f/5 and f/11. It's always better.

01/28/2006 04:03:14 PM · #15

Originally posted by mandyturner:

With the Kodak, I just held the camera with one hand and "click"!

With the Kodak's smaller lens and sensor, probably just about everything was in focus. You're playing with much shallower DOF now that you're using a DSLR. You could try stopping the lens down a bit... but I much prefer portraits with shallow DOF, so if you can work around the focusing issue, I think you'll be better off.

01/28/2006 04:03:31 PM · #16

How do I do that? Can I do that with my lens? I only have one right now. Waiting for the income tax to get a better one.

01/28/2006 04:04:43 PM · #17

Originally posted by mandyturner:

How do I do that? Can I do that with my lens? I only have one right now. Waiting for the income tax to get a better one.

Do what, stop it down? If yes... do what Ennil said, try for something betwee f/5 and f/11.

01/28/2006 04:05:57 PM · #18

P.S.
Love the lighting in all three of these images!

P.P.S.
Congrats on the new camera! :-)

LoveSpuds

Canon EOS-550D Rebel T2i

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/28/2006 04:09:06 PM · #19

Get yourself a release cable. I picked mine up for about Â£6 on Ebay. You can then refocus over and over while sitting infront of the camera. Law of averages are that your camera will focus on your eyes at least once or twice

wavelength

Nikon D300

01/28/2006 04:15:46 PM · #20

Originally posted by dwterry:

Actually, and I have no idea why people keep saying that, the size of the sensor is NOT in inverse proportion to the DOF available at whatever f/ you choose.

//www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Run it through and watch your actual DOF shrink when you choose anything smaller than 35mm, and grow when you go up to 4x5 and then go to infinity on 8x10 film.

Message edited by author 2006-01-28 16:16:13.

01/28/2006 04:16:11 PM · #21

Originally posted by LoveSpuds:

Get yourself a release cable. I picked mine up for about Â£6 on Ebay. You can then refocus over and over while sitting infront of the camera.

I don't know about the 350D, but... the 300D had a little wireless (infrared) remote which only costs about $30. I loved it and used it a lot - wish the 20D had one! Anyway, you might look for the wireless remote for the 350D.

01/28/2006 04:26:30 PM · #22

Originally posted by wavelength:

Originally posted by dwterry:

With the Kodak's smaller lens and sensor, probably just about everything was in focus. You're playing with much shallower DOF now that you're using a DSLR. You could try stopping the lens down a bit... but I much prefer portraits with shallow DOF, so if you can work around the focusing issue, I think you'll be better off.

Actually, and I have no idea why people keep saying that, the size of the sensor is NOT in inverse proportion to the DOF available at whatever f/ you choose.

//www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Run it through and watch your actual DOF shrink when you choose anything smaller than 35mm, and grow when you go up to 4x5 and then go to infinity on 8x10 film.

Don't forget that on that website you need to set the ACTUAL focal length of the lens. (not the 35mm equivalent, but the real length of the lens) You'll find that DOF jumps on those small sensor cameras.

Need real world proof instead of just calculations? Go shooting with a P&S and compare it to a DSLR. It will be a lot harder to get shallow DOF with a P&S.

Edit: for spelling mistakes

Message edited by author 2006-01-28 16:27:13.

Nusbaum

Fujifilm X-T1

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/28/2006 05:14:13 PM · #23

You nailed the eyes in the third shot! Great image.

I think you have all the hints you need to get the focus down:
1. Use aperature priority or manual mode so you can get the depth of field you want. I like a fairly shallow depth of field 2.8 - 4.0 but I know many people who like a more traditional f11 for portraits.
2. Tie a pencil or short stick to the end of a piece of string. You should be able to autofocus on the stick and then click the lens over to manual focus so it doesn't refocus.
3. Set your timer.
4. Use the string to put your eyes at the appropriate distance to be in focus.

I have used this approach when I wanted to test a lighting setup and couldn't find anyone willing to help out.

You are going to love the 20D!!

esdarby

Canon EOS-50D