• Photos

  • Level

  • Score

BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Photography Question 

Janet Spears 		 

Focusing a group


 
 
I have been taking family pictures for friends and cannot seem to get a really clear picture. I have a Canon 30D and are taking some inside and outside. When I focus in the center the outer people are blurred some. Or sometimes the background focuses more. If there is a space inbetween the people in the center where I need to take the shot, it focuses there. I have tried to focus on a certain spot and move the camera to keep the focus, but it always refocuses. I don't know what I'm doing and don't know the best setting for my camera for indoors or outside. It's driving me crazy!!! Should I have it set to Al Focus or Al Servo or what. This is all so confusing to me. Here's a sample taken. HELP!!
Janet


To love this question, log in above
November 25, 2006

 

Samuel Smith 		  seems an f/stop problem,what's yours?
all the front row shirts seem to be in focus,sam


To love this comment, log in above
November 26, 2006

 

Raymond H. Kemp 		  Just a little follow up advice Janet, watch your background! There is a tree trunk "growing" from the woman's head on the back left row. Sam is on the right track, sounds like your depth of field is off as a result of your f/stop. What len's are you using is a question I have in addition to Sam's f/stop question.

Ray


To love this comment, log in above
November 26, 2006

 

Janet Spears 		  My lense is Canon 70-200 2.8
At this point I had it on auto because of problems. What f/stop and setting should I use. I photoshop and take the junk out too. We don't have many places to take around here and this is the ONLY angle at this site.
Thanks


To love this comment, log in above
November 27, 2006

 

Alan N. Marcus 		  Hi Janet,

Depth-of-field rule of thumb: Depth-of-field extends 1/3 toward you and 2/3 behind (away from you) from the point focused upon.

As you know, depth-of-field is that span (region) before and after the point of actual focus that maintains acceptable sharpness. What you may not know is, this span is not split in the middle. Acceptable focus extends further to the rear (away). As an example suppose you are focused at 5 feet with an aperture of f/5.6. With a lens set to 50mm focal length, the region of acceptable focus is 4 ft. to 8 ft. Note the middle of this span is not the point focused upon which is 5 ft. but rather 6 ft. You can use this knowledge to your advantage. When composing a group, focus at a point just behind the closest. Try having the middle person extend a target (hand will do nicely) just a little bit towards you. Two-tiered group, have someone in the back row extend his/her hand. Now your task is to focus on this target. Center the camera on the hand (target) press the shutter release to the mid point. This locks the focus (pre-sets). Keep pressure on the shutter release, recompose and then shoot.

That’s how it’s done; your task is to practice what I preach.

Alan Marcus
ammarcus@earthlink.net


To love this comment, log in above
November 27, 2006

 

Janet Spears 		  Thank you. This makes sense. Now I do need to practice. Thanks again.
Janet


To love this comment, log in above
November 27, 2006

 

Samuel Smith 		  boy alan.
70-200,group shot and your talking 50mm.
again your probably right,yet.
janet,set it to f8 and focus on the persons chin,center,back row.move to your left one step and get that tree out of the persons head.
I am dumber than she is alan,so as you know,i don't,sam


To love this comment, log in above
November 27, 2006

 

Mark Feldstein 		  Howdy Janet; The guys may be right. It could be a depth of field problem but looking at the larger version on my monitor, I don't see anything tack sharp from foreground to background and nothing on the sidelines either including the leaves or branches, none of the bench seams or blue jean seams for that matter.

So, what I'm thinking is maybe this is camera shake not depth of field. What shutter speed were you working at and did you have camera support like a tripod?
Mark.


To love this comment, log in above
November 27, 2006

 

Alan N. Marcus 		  Sorry I used 50mm in my explanation. However, regardless of the focal length used, the 1/3 towards the camera and 2/3 further away, as measured from the point of focus, best describes the zone of acceptable sharpness. Short focal lengths and smaller apertures expand this zone. The 1/3 – 2/3 rule remains valid regardless of focal length. I stand by what I wrote. This is a common problem and the countermeasure is proper selection of the point to focus upou. Additionally, a smaller apature always expands the depth-of-field zone.

Alan Marcus
ammarcus@earthlink.net


To love this comment, log in above
November 27, 2006

 

W. 		 
"maybe this is camera shake not depth of field"

Mark's analysis seems on the ball, Janet. Try a tripod to get better focus.


To love this comment, log in above
November 28, 2006

 

Samuel Smith 		  no,it weren't camera shake.
quit being sorry alan,your advice is sound.to the point,long winded,but very teacher like.but good.
now you have people who shoot in auto and?
they have questions.
i still say f8 on matrix or evaulative metering janet,sam


To love this comment, log in above
November 28, 2006

 
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here

Report this Thread