| Author | Thread |
|
|
09/04/2005 12:21:01 PM · #1 |
... with my 24-70L? I want the people in this group portrait to be in focus, but the ugly background to be as blurry as possible. I don't, however, want to mess up and have some of the people turn out blurry.
Thanks for the advice! |
|
|
|
09/04/2005 12:25:21 PM · #2 |
|
|
|
09/04/2005 12:26:59 PM · #3 |
| Use the aDep setting. Let the camera choose the best aperture for you. |
|
|
|
09/04/2005 12:41:00 PM · #4 |
the aDep setting... I'm not sure how that even works on the 20D. I thought it was basically just a random number it picks. I second using the DOF master website it's very helpful. Also you can use your DOF preview button, check your manual for it's location if you're unaware.
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 12:48:06 PM · #5 |
I am familiar with the aDep setting on my 20d, but I worry that it will be overly conservative and include too much of the hideous background. As far as the dofmaster.com, I tried it but I'm not sure exactly what distance I will be from the subjects.
I do assume I'll be on the wide side of the lens because we'll be indoors. My plan was to have them as far from the wall behind them as I can and use the shallowest depth of field I can. I also plan on using my 550ex to light them.
How does this sound? Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Eric |
|
|
|
09/04/2005 01:09:24 PM · #6 |
How are the group of 30 going to be positioned? Is it going to be one line or multiple lines with the people in the background standing on a tier?
I would also recommend getting the Stofen OmniBounce for your flash, it will help ditribute the light evenly.
I would use the A-Dep setting and also shoot a few with f/5.6, f/8 and f/11 this should give you the range you're looking for. I would also shoot in RAW, so you can process in PS with more freedom.
Good Luck! |
|
|
|
09/04/2005 01:41:31 PM · #7 |
Also preview your shots in the field to check the outer edges of your shots to make sure everyone is in focus. You shouldn't have a problem like that with L-glass though.
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 01:46:53 PM · #8 |
Here is your problem:
You need a relatively wide angle view to include 30 people in about any photo. You are going to have a hard time getting a shallow depth of field even if you shoot at f/2.8. The combination of short focal length and subject distance from the camera is going to put about everything in focus.
Your solution is to put them in front of a more pleasing background instead of trying to blur it.
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 02:05:35 PM · #9 |
A couple of things to think about...position the group as far from the background as practical, use as fast a shutter as you can sync with and as small an aperture as your flash power will allow. That will give the best chance of having the background very dark. Your dof is not as important as the illumination of the background in this scenario. Also positioning the strobe in such a way (high overhead directly above camera) will not only give pleasing lighting, but will reduce the light spill on the background.
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 03:13:48 PM · #10 |
Thanks for all the advice. The place where I am shooting is HUGE (indoors) but the outside of it is basically a parking lot. There will be a dancefloor and a ton of tables (300 guests) so I'll probably position them at the front of the dancefloor (as far from the wall as possible).
I also have a 10-22 and a 70-200L IS that I can use. Would either of them help? And as for the flash (550ex), should I just set it to auto?
Thanks for all your help!
Eric |
|
|
|
09/04/2005 04:04:53 PM · #11 |
| you can always blur the background in PS afterwards... |
|
|
|
09/04/2005 04:45:11 PM · #12 |
if you have the time in your workflow I would shoot it wide open to be safe and use ps to blur it later. If that is not an option though, I would try moving the group either to a different background or just use a black curtin. and of course there is always the third option of not caring about the background, for group pics most people just look at it one time and forget about it. I know it's sad, but it's true.
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 06:05:15 PM · #13 |
As a rule of thumb, the available DOF at any aperture is 1/3 in front of and 2/3 behind the point of focus. If you can predetermine the actual, physical depth of the group (call it 15 feet for illustration purposes) you can use the DOF calculator to determine how far down you need to stop the lens to get 15 feet of DOF at "x" focusing distance.
You then set the aperture at that setting and focus (manually) 1/3 of the way into the group, and that's the best you can do (with that lens) for keeping the group in focus and throwing the BG OOF.
Robt.
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 06:33:26 PM · #14 |
I'm avidly following this thread cos I have to take the rugby team shots on Wed night and I haven't done this sort of thing before. I'm hiring some lights from the local hire centre and hopefully have the loan of an off camera flash. Location is in a hall, time of the shoot is 6pm, lighting in the hall is diabolical.
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 06:53:30 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by suemack:
I'm avidly following this thread cos I have to take the rugby team shots on Wed night and I haven't done this sort of thing before. I'm hiring some lights from the local hire centre and hopefully have the loan of an off camera flash. Location is in a hall, time of the shoot is 6pm, lighting in the hall is diabolical. |
If the lighting is diabolical, you need angelic skills...
R.
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 06:57:26 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by bear_music:
If the lighting is diabolical, you need angelic skills...
R. |
Better start polishing my halo then hadn't I :/
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 07:14:48 PM · #17 |
just use 9-11
gosh this isnt a hard question to answer people
|
|
|
|
09/04/2005 08:03:34 PM · #18 |
If your shooting synchronized to strobes go with shutter priority at your synchronized speed, then just dial in the aperture for proper exposure
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Prints! -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/18/2024 07:58:26 AM EDT.
