C&C on how to good focus and crisp and clear images!

[whit~foto]

I'm having trouble with my focus. Any C&C to help me out with this? I usually shoot with a 17-40mm or a 50mm (and I manually focus the 50)
I want to achieve CRISP and CLEAR images. Help me with that!
Thanks.

2

3. I want CRISP AND CLEAR IMAGES

 

[themedicine]

These all have a crisp focus, just not where you would want them to.
1: Mom, Dad, Older sister are in focus, the two younger ones aren't from a couple of things. The aperture is probably too big (small number) to have the depth of field required to have the entire group in focus. And the younger two may have been moving some so a slower shutter speed would cause blur.
2: The little boys' shoes are perfectly in focus and bright too. This is just a focusing mistake. Focus on eyes most of the time! If you wanted Mom and Dad in focus too, this again, is an aperture issue.
3: Same exact thing as number two except I don't see anybody in perfect focus. The guy is close, but not quite there.

Tripods help, but i don't know the shoot situations or lighting setups, looks like ambient lighting to me though. hope this helps, any questions, let me know.

 

[whit~foto]

I understand that keeping the having the aperature to big give a larger depht of field and smaller focus range. However....... I feel like I loose my lighting/brightness when i take it smaller aperature (larger number). How do I continue to keep the lighting bright? Should I bring down the shutter speed...60-100? And then what if I reach 60 than I'm going to need a flash, correct?

 

[themedicine]

I mean, I use flash, off camera or on camera, on almost EVERY setup shot I do. It helps me keep my DOF in control and my shutter speed fast. Check out strobist.com and go through lighting 101. read it twice. Its amazingly liberating knowing what extra light will do for you. And if you are going for the shallow depth of field like in your last two photos you can still do it. Its all in what you want to do.

And I think you meant to say larger aperture=less depth of field. but i was giving you the benefit of the doubt for that one anyway.

 

[TiaS]

What was your ISO at? If you have a higher ISO, than you can make that aperture smaller and pick up that shutter speed. You don't want your ISO too high though or you will get some noise. ISO makes all the difference on cloudy days, indoor shots, and so on.

 

[themedicine]

That's a great point. I don't know what type of camera you are using, but if you turn the iso up some to like 800 or so the noise should be under control and you can have more stopped down apertures!

 

[clbd39]

ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture...

If you can't balance those out without horrible noise, a flash may be your option

 

[kundalini]

I like the compositions of #2 & 3, but you have obviously missed focus and also overexposed the shots IMO. While #1 is slightly better, I still think it's overexposed, but also think if you were to bring down the exposure in post, what little bit of detail you have in the clothing will be lost completely. This, and all of them in fact, would greatly benefit from the use of an external flash....... plus know where to focus.

For people photos, lock in on the eyes. With groups (#1) make sure your DoF is deep enough to get all in the focal plane. With trying to create a sense of separation (#2 & #3) your aperture is pretty good, but work on focus point. If you camera is capable of AF lock, focus your shot (on the eyes) and lock it... recompose and trip the shutter. This method is surely in your owners manual.

I still think you have a good eye for the not-so-typical shot..... apart from #1.

 

[Dominantly]

Like mentioned the issue I see is with focal plane and DOF.