Aperture for Headshots - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/17/2004 08:40:32 AM · #1

I'm going to shoot some interim headshots for my girlfriend and I was wondering what aperture to use. I know having a 1.6x crop on my camera does something to DoF (shortens it?) I'm planning on using my 50/1.4.

Can anyone give me some guidelines for taking headshots? She insists on doing them outside for natural light. This is new to me, so any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks.

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

05/17/2004 08:56:57 AM · #2

Not the best lens for portrait shots... you want minimum dof for portraits so your background is blurred. To get minimum dof, use the aperture at it's widest (low number). Try to avoid shadows by not shooting at midday, and by using relective surfaces to bounce light onto the shadow areas.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/17/2004 09:01:24 AM · #3

I also have the kit lens and a 28-135. Would you suggest either of those over the 50? I just figured the 50 had the widest aper. for the shallowest DoF.

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

05/17/2004 09:03:57 AM · #4

Interesting point... but you'd have to get pretty close with the 50mm. I'd be tempted to use the 28-135 at the zoom end. It's a little more flattering to capture a face around 100mm than it is at 50mm. Let's see what other people think...

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/17/2004 09:12:51 AM · #5

I like the 50mm for portraits. I have the 1.8, and shoot wide open. I have also gotten good results with my Sigma 105 f2.8 wide open, but it's a bit tight for the way I like to work. The 28-135 is a nice lens, but not particularly fast, so unless you have the kind of BG that will not detract from your subject, I'd stick to the 50mm because the 28-135 won't really let you blur it well.

50mm f1.8 @ f1.8

Sigma 105 f2.8 @ f2.8

garlic

Canon EOS-10D

Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX Aspherical DG DF for Canon

05/17/2004 09:23:51 AM · #6

IÂ´ve never used it but I think the 50mm f/1.4 is very good for portraits. Take a look at older threads.
Use wide apperture.

jimmythefish

Canon EOS-10D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

05/17/2004 01:18:27 PM · #7

I highly disagree...the 50 1.4 on a 1.6x camera is awesome for headshots. The 80mm equivalent field of view is on the shorter end of what is the classic 85-135mm focal length for a portrait lens. Since it is your girlfriend I'm sure you won't have any issues with getting a bit closer than someone you didn't know. My example was taken from a little over arm's length away.

an example at f/1.8 with my 50 1.4

Originally posted by BobsterLobster:

Message edited by author 2004-05-17 13:20:17.

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/17/2004 01:20:34 PM · #8

Originally posted by jimmythefish:

I highly disagree...the 50 1.4 on a 1.6x camera is awesome for headshots.

an example at f/1.8 with my 50 1.4

Originally posted by BobsterLobster:
Not the best lens for portrait shots... you want minimum dof for portraits so your background is blurred. To get minimum dof, use the aperture at it's widest (low number). Try to avoid shadows by not shooting at midday, and by using relective surfaces to bounce light onto the shadow areas.

I think it would have looked better with a different lens. The forehead looks too big in this shot for my taste, which would have been fixed with 100mm or higher. It's all pretty subjective though, and I don't claim to have the last word.
Edit: I like portraits cropped pretty tight, which is why I would go for the different lens.

Message edited by author 2004-05-17 13:21:53.

pitsaman

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

05/17/2004 01:23:34 PM · #9

At 200 mm I use F4,at 50 mm f2 is just fine ...

Headshot at 200 mm (320)

05/17/2004 01:44:04 PM · #10

Ok, thanks. Here is a shot from a dry run we did this weekend. Please let me know what you think. And, don't be afraid to be brutally honest, we want this to be as professional a headshot as possible until she needs to get another.

05/17/2004 01:52:21 PM · #11

Actually, here's the original straight from the camera. Resized with bicubic sharpen.

Any suggestions for B/W conversion or any comments you think of are greatly appreciated.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/17/2004 02:28:58 PM · #12

Bump

Spork99

OM System OM-1

05/17/2004 02:30:44 PM · #13

Some fill flash would really help to bring out her face, maybe with a slight warming gel to warm up the skintones.

David.C

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

05/17/2004 02:45:49 PM · #14

What stands out most in the photo is the squint. Put her somewhere she does not have to be looking straight into the sun. An angled light works better anyway, IMHO.

Hereis a link that has many helpful tips on lighting and poses for portraits.

David

05/17/2004 02:59:15 PM · #15

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Some fill flash would really help to bring out her face, maybe with a slight warming gel to warm up the skintones.

I tried some flash fill shots, but they totaly blew out her face. I think keeping the camera on aperture priority killed my use of the on camera flash close up.

Thanks for the tip on the warming gel, maybe it'll cut down on the intensity of the flash.

Message edited by author 2004-05-17 15:02:19.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

05/17/2004 03:01:23 PM · #16

Originally posted by Britannica:

What stands out most in the photo is the squint. Put her somewhere she does not have to be looking straight into the sun. An angled light works better anyway, IMHO.

Believe it or not, this was her looking away from the sun. I couldn't really get too many shots with direct sunlight at all. Her eyes just started watering. I had her holding a small white reflector board for a little bottom fill.

Thanks for the link, it looks really good.

nborton

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

05/17/2004 03:03:55 PM · #17

depending on how sunny it is outside, i have found that just going around a corner of a house or building helps even the lighting conditions. which also helps with squinting.

i have a ton of shots in my portfolio of Anastasia where i just went around the corner. i used a 105mm, however, i too think that 50mm can be fine considering the 1.6x factor as long as you don't care about working close. i actually like shooting closer anyway.

Alecia

Canon EOS-10D

05/17/2004 03:09:22 PM · #18

i agree about the 50mm. i am sooner or later going to get the it (the 1.4) specifically for studio/interior portrait-ish stuff.

emorgan49

Olympus E-5

Olympus 50mm f/1.8 MF Normal Zuiko

05/17/2004 03:14:26 PM · #19

A couple more useful links

Lighting an outdoor portrait

DOF for portraits outdoors

05/17/2004 03:24:59 PM · #20

Great links, Ellen. Thanks.

05/17/2004 03:28:24 PM · #21

Originally posted by nborton:

i have a ton of shots in my portfolio of Anastasia where i just went around the corner. i used a 105mm, however, i too think that 50mm can be fine considering the 1.6x factor as long as you don't care about working close. i actually like shooting closer anyway.

Can you tell me roughly what apertures you used for the Anastasia pics? Would I be able to use similar settings to your 105 with my 50 to achieve the same results?

imolaavant

05/17/2004 03:29:39 PM · #22

The lighing doesn't look too bad to me. I would crop the shirt out of the frame, you want her face to be the brightest object in the picture.

As far as changing a color photo to B&W, the first thing I do is adjust levels to get rid of any flat spots on either side of the histogram. Then I change the mode to greyscale and do another level adjustment.