how to focus on backlit person (portrait)?

ivaylo

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Hello to all,

I have a question regarding focusing backlit person and I hope here will find the answer. Tried to google it but it seems I am not using the correct keywords.

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...21374347890_1048017929_31808779_4957919_n.jpg (cannot upload the picture for some reason, sorry for the URL)

For example if I want take picture like the one provided above and I am using autofocus the camera cannot achieve proper focus, it's hunting all the time and the only way to do it is to set the focus to manual. My question: is there any way (tip) to do it automatically or I should always use manual focus.

All advices are welcome.

Thank you in advance
 
Most cameras have 2 or 3 focusing options Single , Dynamic and Auto in case of my Camera. Basically you want to have only ONE focusing point light up in the viewfinder when you are focusing that way you can lock it in. If the camera is in Auto and using several points , by looks of image if it was windy or slight breeze it will pick up the hair movement etc. and throw you off.
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Hope that helps, shoot well, Joe
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If you post the type of equipment you use on the signature block it may help clearing it up.
 
The photo you linked to should not present any auto-focus problems. Set your camera for single fixed autofocus point. Fix that point on the eyes or chin of the subject. Don't pick a focus point in the centre of the view finder. Set your camera to single servo. Enable release only when focus is achieved. You should be good to go.


PS: it would help to know which camera and lens you are using.
 
Unfortunately, I am not using auto mode on my camera and it is set to single fixed autofocus point. The example I gave is not the right picture but my website was down for a few hours, here is the picture I captured:

http://ivaylotodorov.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/butterflies-399x600.jpg

As you can see the sun was right behind the lady's head and I was able to take it only with manual focus. Probably the light coming from behind was too strong. I was using Canon 5D with 135/2 for this particular shot.

P.S.
I am sorry for the URL again but when I tried to insert an image from URL and pasted the URL above in the field an error appeared: Invalid URL. May be because I am new in the forum and it is not giving me the option to upload an image.
 
The sun isn't fully behind her head and is blowing out your meter. Have her in full silhouette and use a spot meter on her face and then use exposure comp to about a minus 1.

Or stand where she is standing and point your camera at where you were (away from the sun) and take a reading and dial that in to manual mode and then have at it again.
 
Hello Ivaylo,

This is my first post, and I'm from Barcelona (Catalonia). I undestand english and I write it, but I'm shore that several mistakes are present in my writtens. Apologise me for this.

Autofocus needs contrast to work well, so there are several situations where it's going to work wrong. These are: If you try to focus a plain color object, a shinning object or in darkness. The photo you are showing is something similar to a shinning situation. So, the solution is to focus the bottom of the scene and block the focus; so that backlight won't affect the autofocus.

I hope it would be helpfull to you. Looking you forward.

If you would like to know me and my work this is my blog. I will agree any opinion about my works: Carles Porta - Fotògraf: Retrats d'una Indignació
 
thank you all of you :)
 

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