Focus Hunting

[ketan]

Hi,
May be this is a stupid (and funny) question but could not resist asking.
With my 30D I am charged up experimenting various options.
Yesterday night I got in the bathroom with the lights swiched off. I opened the door about half an inch so a light slit is created from bulb in the passage. In this light I tried to shoot close up of my son's face who was with me (confused about what was I attempting!) I was tring to get someting like that we see a model close up with only half the face lighted and rest pitch dark...
In low light conditions the lense goes 'crazy' attempting to focus. How one gets very low light photographs?
How does one get good close ups with lighting effects?
Ketan:blushing:

 

[LokiZ]

Are you using a Tripod? May not be the right way but I have focused with the light on and then switched off auto focus on my lens. Then worked from there. Also used F8 or higher to help make up for any movement of depth by the subject prior to the shot.

 

[dipukp]

lowlight focussing is a tricky job. Best is to use a tripod and manual focus if the scene is too dark. Also, check if you can get a lock with pointing to areas where high contrast differnce is present...

 

[Apex]

i believe digital matt has the answer to getting the picture you want but if i remember correctly you might need to buy certain equipment for the job. thats not saying there isnt a makeshift way of doing it though

 

[Don Simon]

There is a way of doing it that doesn't cost anything except adding slightly to your electricity bill... switch light on, focus, lock focus, switch light off.

 

[Flash Harry]

The effect your trying to achieve is called hatchet lighting, all you need to do is position a light close to subject offset to one side, meter with your camera the bright side and fire the shutter, experiment with subject distance to light, normally further away produces the hardest light for more dramatic effect, closer is softer but usually more pleasing to the eye. H