Need advise from experienced Canon portrait photographers

[angelusagendi]

Thank you so much for your response. I was also wondering if I have some camera focus issues or I simply didn't do setup correctly.
I usually shoot in Aperture mode and sometimes in Manual mode. Most of the time I use autofocus.
So far my camera set up the the following: ONE SHOT AF. When clicked on Menu. there are 4 options: Face + Tracking, FlexiZone - Multiple, FlexiZone - Single, Quick mode. Not sure what should I select. Usually it is on Face and tracking mode.
Another thing on the menu is Continuous AF and it is set to "enable".

Currently, I take solo shots of people (meaning 1 person in the picture). Most of my photos are nice, but often I miss great shots. So one eye will be in focus and another not. Or sometimes beard is in focus and eyes are not. When I look into the camera window when taking photos I see red dots (around 3 always) and I try to focus on eyes, of course, yet the dots don't cover eyes. I try to to get closer focusing on eyes and then moving away holding the focus, but often this doesn't work. I am missing technique here. I know it. But I am wondering if my camera is set up wrongly, or there is lens focus issues. I shooting with Canon T5i, lens Canon 50mm F1.8.

I appreciate your help.
Natallia

@benhasajeep Could you please reply to my message Looking forward to you advise. Thank you.

 

[benhasajeep]

@benhasajeep Could you please reply to my message Looking forward to you advise. Thank you.

Sorry didn't reply, but did not get notice you had responded. Instead of the @Ben you should click the "quote" button, and insert it into your message, or the "reply" button, of the post of the person you want to reply too. The site then notifies the person there is a message.

Ok, switch to single point AF (one shot af). There is no need to use multiple AF points if your subject is under your control. Then chose a focus point on what you want. Say the eye for portraits. Now in one shot AF press the shutter down half way (that locks focus), you can recompose the scene in the frame. Then push shutter down the rest of the way to take the picture.

Now, if your using a large aperture (small numbers), you will have a narrow depth of field. So, when you take pictures, make sure your nor the subject moves closer or farther apart after you lock focus.

Also with any given aperture setting. The closer your are to the subject the narrower the sharp focus depth is. The farther your apart the larger the depth of sharp focus.

So, if you focus on an eye for instance. And the tip of the nose is not sharp (eye is). You either change to a smaller aperture (larger number) or move back from the subject and refocus. Or even a combination of the two.

 

[jowensphoto]

In terms of fitting everyone in the frame, don't forget to "build up" in addition to "out."

That was honestly the only thing I learned when I worked at Retail Studio That Must Not Be Named.

 

[angelusagendi]

@benhasajeep Could you please reply to my message Looking forward to you advise. Thank you.

Sorry didn't reply, but did not get notice you had responded. Instead of the @Ben you should click the "quote" button, and insert it into your message, or the "reply" button, of the post of the person you want to reply too. The site then notifies the person there is a message.

Ok, switch to single point AF (one shot af). There is no need to use multiple AF points if your subject is under your control. Then chose a focus point on what you want. Say the eye for portraits. Now in one shot AF press the shutter down half way (that locks focus), you can recompose the scene in the frame. Then push shutter down the rest of the way to take the picture.

Now, if your using a large aperture (small numbers), you will have a narrow depth of field. So, when you take pictures, make sure your nor the subject moves closer or farther apart after you lock focus.

Also with any given aperture setting. The closer your are to the subject the narrower the sharp focus depth is. The farther your apart the larger the depth of sharp focus.

So, if you focus on an eye for instance. And the tip of the nose is not sharp (eye is). You either change to a smaller aperture (larger number) or move back from the subject and refocus. Or even a combination of the two.

@benhasajeep Could you please reply to my message Looking forward to you advise. Thank you.

Sorry didn't reply, but did not get notice you had responded. Instead of the @Ben you should click the "quote" button, and insert it into your message, or the "reply" button, of the post of the person you want to reply too. The site then notifies the person there is a message.

Ok, switch to single point AF (one shot af). There is no need to use multiple AF points if your subject is under your control. Then chose a focus point on what you want. Say the eye for portraits. Now in one shot AF press the shutter down half way (that locks focus), you can recompose the scene in the frame. Then push shutter down the rest of the way to take the picture.

Now, if your using a large aperture (small numbers), you will have a narrow depth of field. So, when you take pictures, make sure your nor the subject moves closer or farther apart after you lock focus.

Also with any given aperture setting. The closer your are to the subject the narrower the sharp focus depth is. The farther your apart the larger the depth of sharp focus.

So, if you focus on an eye for instance. And the tip of the nose is not sharp (eye is). You either change to a smaller aperture (larger number) or move back from the subject and refocus. Or even a combination of the two.

Thank you for your reply and for teaching me how to reply Haha In regards to recomposing, sometimes I try and it is not working somehow. I wish I had someone in Montreal who could mentor me.

I apprecite your help.

 

[benhasajeep]

@benhasajeep Could you please reply to my message Looking forward to you advise. Thank you.

Sorry didn't reply, but did not get notice you had responded. Instead of the @Ben you should click the "quote" button, and insert it into your message, or the "reply" button, of the post of the person you want to reply too. The site then notifies the person there is a message.

Ok, switch to single point AF (one shot af). There is no need to use multiple AF points if your subject is under your control. Then chose a focus point on what you want. Say the eye for portraits. Now in one shot AF press the shutter down half way (that locks focus), you can recompose the scene in the frame. Then push shutter down the rest of the way to take the picture.

Now, if your using a large aperture (small numbers), you will have a narrow depth of field. So, when you take pictures, make sure your nor the subject moves closer or farther apart after you lock focus.

Also with any given aperture setting. The closer your are to the subject the narrower the sharp focus depth is. The farther your apart the larger the depth of sharp focus.

So, if you focus on an eye for instance. And the tip of the nose is not sharp (eye is). You either change to a smaller aperture (larger number) or move back from the subject and refocus. Or even a combination of the two.

@benhasajeep Could you please reply to my message Looking forward to you advise. Thank you.

Sorry didn't reply, but did not get notice you had responded. Instead of the @Ben you should click the "quote" button, and insert it into your message, or the "reply" button, of the post of the person you want to reply too. The site then notifies the person there is a message.

Ok, switch to single point AF (one shot af). There is no need to use multiple AF points if your subject is under your control. Then chose a focus point on what you want. Say the eye for portraits. Now in one shot AF press the shutter down half way (that locks focus), you can recompose the scene in the frame. Then push shutter down the rest of the way to take the picture.

Now, if your using a large aperture (small numbers), you will have a narrow depth of field. So, when you take pictures, make sure your nor the subject moves closer or farther apart after you lock focus.

Also with any given aperture setting. The closer your are to the subject the narrower the sharp focus depth is. The farther your apart the larger the depth of sharp focus.

So, if you focus on an eye for instance. And the tip of the nose is not sharp (eye is). You either change to a smaller aperture (larger number) or move back from the subject and refocus. Or even a combination of the two.

Thank you for your reply and for teaching me how to reply Haha In regards to recomposing, sometimes I try and it is not working somehow. I wish I had someone in Montreal who could mentor me.

I apprecite your help.

Look up lens focus test online. And check your lens for front or back focusing. Basically the tutorials tells you how to set up a target with a bunch of lines and numbers. And you take a picture of it. Now, there are many that try to sell you things. But you don't need to. Many places online offer a free printable target. Take a picture of the target and put the results on a monitor. You can then determine if your camera / lens is focusing correctly, or to the rear (back focusing) or to the front (front focusing). There are tutorials on youtube as well. Again don't need to buy anything.