Aperture settings and headshots

There are a number of DoF calculators available. Type in the focal length and distance to the subject and you can see how DoF varies with aperture. Would that help?

there is not correct setting for portraits, your only guiding factor is the lighting situation and the abilities of your camera gear

enjoy the moment and don't worry about the technicalities 

I shoot quite a lot at f/1.2 with an 85mm lens. In the studio, Iturn the flash off and use the modelling lights.

Looking straight at you, f/1.2 will get both eyes sharp (as long as you don’t let the camera focus on the eyebrows by mistake). With a DSLR I put the focus point on the lower eyelid. Mirrorless Eye AF works well.

Slight angle, you’ll only get on eye. Looks OK if it’s the closest eye. This was f/1.2.

Otherwise, use f/2.0 or f/2.8.

Practice with someone, doesn’t have to be a model.

Oh…    One more thing. I never, ever use a tripod for portraits. I like models to stay awake ;)

Edited by Huw

A famous photographer once said about camera settings "f8 and be there". I've forgotten who, 10 purple points to the first person to answer without googling.

This was f/2.0 with a 135mm lens.

About 1 stop smaller for the same effect as the 85mm

There's no right or wrong when it comes to DOF and aperture settings. There's what you like and what you don't.

Remember 2 main factors will impact your DOF : aperture AND distance to the subject. Combining both (wide aperture at short distance) will drastically reduce your DOF to a point that only iris can be in focus and sharp (just a few millimeters).

Most Youtube videos are just noise... Experiment, that's the only thing that matters... And when you think you're finished, start over again !

Edited by Guillaume de Lafontaine - DWAMPIX

MacMaghnuis I’ve heard that quote soooo many times, but I first heard it with a story about a Photographer called Arthur Fellig, not sure if it originated from him.

When I take a close up portrait, I usually shoot at f/2.8, using my 35mm prime lens. At the end of the day, I just fiddle with settings until I get a picture I like. I don't think about it too much, just shoot until I get a pic I like.

Huw how do you get the nose in focus at that depth of field?

Is it simply the distance you are away from the model?

Margo Jost said

Huw how do you get the nose in focus at that depth of field?

Is it simply the distance you are away from the model?

Probably the distance….

Closer you are, the less depth of field. Serious macro lenses tend to be 105mm to 180mm (micro-Nikkors) for that reason. Easy to make 35mm and 50mm macro lenses, but they are harder to use.

Tip of the nose isn’t perfectly sharp, but you can’t tell on PP, and I don’t worry as long as the eyes look good :)

Paul Montgomery said

There are a number of DoF calculators available. Type in the focal length and distance to the subject and you can see how DoF varies with aperture. Would that help?

I can certainly take a look. Though for me it’s about the use of a very narrow plane of a few inches and how to place a headshot within this plane. 

Thanks for suggesting. I expect as well as the app there will be written articles and YouTube videos. It’s sometimes just knowing what to look for. 

Theory?

Come on guys. Find someone with a head, spend twenty minutes experimenting….  :)

Huw said

I shoot quite a lot at f/1.2 with an 85mm lens. In the studio, Iturn the flash off and use the modelling lights.

Looking straight at you, f/1.2 will get both eyes sharp (as long as you don’t let the camera focus on the eyebrows by mistake). With a DSLR I put the focus point on the lower eyelid. Mirrorless Eye AF works well.

Slight angle, you’ll only get on eye. Looks OK if it’s the closest eye. This was f/1.2.

Otherwise, use f/2.0 or f/2.8.

Practice with someone, doesn’t have to be a model.

Oh…    One more thing. I never, ever use a tripod for portraits. I like models to stay awake ;)

Edited by Huw

I like the suggestion of focussing on the lower eyelid. I usually use the eye. 

I specifically bought the Nikon D780 for eye focus. But it only activated when using eye view, and I prefer DSLR and viewing through the prism. 

I hardly used it, so I sold it to help pay for a Pentax 645z. This will hopefully compress the headshot image and render just that bit more than a full frame DSLR. That’s the plan any way. An initial play around gives promise so I just need to try with a fully made up model in a decent location.

I am also awaiting the 120 f4 prime with 1:1 macro and I am looking forward to see how this copes with tight in headshots or not. 

Very subjective, and all depends what is the look you are after, how much you want to edit and type of light you're using. Your sensor size, focal length, and aperture will depend on the amount and type of light you are using, broad, medium, hard. Always wide open is nonsense as much as stopped down to f11 is too in some instances, as f2.8 on crop is different to f2.8 full frame and completely different to f2.8 on Medium format.

I came across Sails Chong on YT yesterday whilst browsing, great for a Sunday morning bit of inspiration....he does some nice portraiture/photography/fashion/styled shoots and a bit different, well worth a look.

I would say there is no perfect aperture setting it all depends on how far you are from the model and what look you want to get. sometimes I shoot at F6 sometimes I shoot at F1.2 sometimes I shoot at other apertures its just trial and error. Recently I have been shooting at the wider end and although the focus may be perfect on one eye closest to the camera and the other is a little soft I actually think that can be quite a nice look.  If they are face on to the camera with both eyes level then you can go very shallow.  there are no perfect settings only the perfect settings for what you want in a given lighting and situation.