Beginner looking for help!

[Mhall2714]

Hi experts,

I need some help with what I believe is my camera skills. I have 2 photos here that are both taken with the same camera ( Canon t5i and 18-55mm lens). My problem is that I am not able to match the quality with the first picture. 1st picture looks more clear/sharp/focused as well as having a depth of field kind of look all around(am i using the wrong term?). The whole photo is focused and the second photo I only get the middle of the eye focused not the end of the eyebrow or the skin around. The quality overall does not match the first picture. 2nd picture is grainy, not clear/sharp/focused, and looks very flat. Both of these photos are edited with photoshop but that doesn't matter here cause the quality isn't the same when raw. I have done some research and from what I read I think in order to get the whole picture in focus I have to use the focal points to focus in multiple areas in the frame, use a higher F stop, and use the wider angle lens by zooming back instead of zooming in on the eye. Is there any other camera settings I am missing that could improve my skills to match the first picture? Thanks

 

[Derrel]

The second shot was lighted with a ring light, a type of like that is (in)famous for flat, shadow-less light output, and for showing minimal texture, while the first shot looks to have been lighted entirely differently, and NOT with a ring light. Surely you can see the first shot has lots of detail, down to the pore level, while the second image has very little detail at the pore level of the skin.

And yes, it looks like the first shot has almost perfect focus placement for the f/stop that ws used, and the second shot is maybe less-perfectly focused. And also, the second hsot seems noisier, as if it were made at a higher ISO level, or the exposure was tweaked in post, from a slughtly under-exposed in-camera shot.

This is beauty photography, and EXACT camera-to-subject distance can make or break these kind of shots. Minor,minor focusing shifts, or ever-so-slight rocking of the camera by bnending your body at the waist, back and forth, can make the difference between shot 1, or shot 2 type results. This is called focus bracketing, when you shoot 3,4 shots with minor focus point shifts using the manual focusing ring. This si the kind of shot where you can fire off 10,12 frames, and ONE ot tWO can be awesome--and the rest? Not so awesome!

YES, the f/13 to f/22 zone will get more in-focus. Or, try moving the camera back a ways, and stay at f/11, and then shoot from farther back where focus is not uber-critical, and then crop-in at the computer. But still--focusing is CRITICAL on these kinds of shots! One INCH forward or back, can be the difference between a keeper and a clunker. Shoot plenty of shots to ensure that one absolutely NAILS the ideal focus placement.

Same with the lighting: it has to be just so, or it will not look right.

 

[fmw]

Since you are using a strobe, then shutter speed is not an issue. Control depth of field with aperture and control "graininess" with ISO. Pretty basic stuff.

 

[Mhall2714]

The second shot was lighted with a ring light, a type of like that is (in)famous for flat, shadow-less light output, and for showing minimal texture, while the first shot looks to have been lighted entirely differently, and NOT with a ring light. Surely you can see the first shot has lots of detail, down to the pore level, while the second image has very little detail at the pore level of the skin.

And yes, it looks like the first shot has almost perfect focus placement for the f/stop that ws used, and the second shot is maybe less-perfectly focused. And also, the second hsot seems noisier, as if it were made at a higher ISO level, or the exposure was tweaked in post, from a slughtly under-exposed in-camera shot.

This is beauty photography, and EXACT camera-to-subject distance can make or break these kind of shots. Minor,minor focusing shifts, or ever-so-slight rocking of the camera by bnending your body at the waist, back and forth, can make the difference between shot 1, or shot 2 type results. This is called focus bracketing, when you shoot 3,4 shots with minor focus point shifts using the manual focusing ring. This si the kind of shot where you can fire off 10,12 frames, and ONE ot tWO can be awesome--and the rest? Not so awesome!

YES, the f/13 to f/22 zone will get more in-focus. Or, try moving the camera back a ways, and stay at f/11, and then shoot from farther back where focus is not uber-critical, and then crop-in at the computer. But still--focusing is CRITICAL on these kinds of shots! One INCH forward or back, can be the difference between a keeper and a clunker. Shoot plenty of shots to ensure that one absolutely NAILS the ideal focus placement.

Same with the lighting: it has to be just so, or it will not look right.

Ahhh I see! Thank you I will try these out!

 

[Mhall2714]

Since you are using a strobe, then shutter speed is not an issue. Control depth of field with aperture and control "graininess" with ISO. Pretty basic stuff.

Awesome, will do. thanks!!