Problem with my face focusing in a landscape photo. Pls help~

[TerencePang]

Hello everyone and i'm a newbie here. I just want to ask, how to shoot a well focus landscape photo with a people in it? MF instead of AF? Since AF doen't know which i wish to focus, correct me if i'm wrong. Which AV should i use? Should i use F22 pr above which is suit for landscape? If i use F22, the shutter speed will be like 30" and that means i gonna stand in front of my camera for 30"? So, i decided to use F4 for shorter shutter speed, but having focusing problem. The building is well focused but the people didn't. Anyone can give me some ideas about this? Thank you so much.

I currently using Canon EOS 450d 18-55mm kit lense.

Photo informations:
Date taken 05.08.2009 , 11pm
AE-mode
Shutter speed 5s
AV 4
Exposure compensation 0
ISO 100
focal lengh 20mm
WB Auto



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2543/...f35ea0bc_b.jpg

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by TerencePang

Hello everyone and i'm a newbie here. I just want to ask, how to shoot a well focus landscape photo with a people in it? MF instead of AF? Since AF doen't know which i wish to focus, correct me if i'm wrong. Which AV should i use? Should i use F22 pr above which is suit for landscape? If i use F22, the shutter speed will be like 30" and that means i gonna stand in front of my camera for 30"? So, i decided to use F4 for shorter shutter speed, but having focusing problem. The building is well focused but the people didn't. Anyone can give me some ideas about this? Thank you so much.

I currently using Canon EOS 450d 18-55mm kit lense.

Photo informations:
Date taken 05.08.2009 , 11pm
AE-mode
Shutter speed 5s
AV 4
Exposure compensation 0
ISO 100
focal lengh 20mm
WB Auto

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2543/...f35ea0bc_b.jpg

OK, let's keep this simple: Bump ISO up to whatever noise you can tolerate...say ISO400, Aperture priority ~F/8 should work, dial in the focus point on your subject, hold the shutter half down while doing this, re-compose image, and shoot

[TerencePang]

Hi Auto Focus, thank you for your reply! I would like to ask, what is the difference between choosing the focus point when holding the shutter half way down, and before shutter is pressed? One more question, what White Balance should i use for this kind of photo(Night Landscape)? Stay with AutoWB?

[Stryker]

The auto-focus works only when the shutter is half way down, not before. So choosing the focus point before the shutter is half way down will just let you compose the photo rather than actually focus on where you want it. Changing the composition will be easier if you have already focused on the point you want, while keeping the shutter half pressed.

For example, in the photo you have posted, if you want the focus on the face you would point the camera directly at the face and half-press to focus on it. After this, you would move the camera to reframe the face so that it will be on one side of the frame rather than in the middle. This will ensure that the frame will contain what you want while the focus still remains on the face.

If you frame it the way you want and then half press the shutter, the camera will focus on what is on the focus point indicators, rather than on the face which may not be on the focus points. Hope I am making myself clear.

Regarding white balance, you are better off leaving it on "Auto" until you get a hang of it. You can try one photo with auto WB and one with a different setting and then choose whichever you like best. Alternatively you can shoot RAW and then choose the WB in post-processing.

[wulf]

Are you familiar with the term "depth of field"? There is a limit on the zone in which objects appear sharp. The best way to get the building and the person in focus is to get them closer together; failing that, you probably need to focus on the person and let the building be a bit softer.

Wulf

[TerencePang]

Originally Posted by Stryker

The auto-focus works only when the shutter is half way down, not before. So choosing the focus point before the shutter is half way down will just let you compose the photo rather than actually focus on where you want it. Changing the composition will be easier if you have already focused on the point you want, while keeping the shutter half pressed.

For example, in the photo you have posted, if you want the focus on the face you would point the camera directly at the face and half-press to focus on it. After this, you would move the camera to reframe the face so that it will be on one side of the frame rather than in the middle. This will ensure that the frame will contain what you want while the focus still remains on the face.

If you frame it the way you want and then half press the shutter, the camera will focus on what is on the focus point indicators, rather than on the face which may not be on the focus points. Hope I am making myself clear.

Regarding white balance, you are better off leaving it on "Auto" until you get a hang of it. You can try one photo with auto WB and one with a different setting and then choose whichever you like best. Alternatively you can shoot RAW and then choose the WB in post-processing.

Totally get what you meant, i just learnt something! hahaa.. I will go and shoot once more in the coming days and post it here again. And i would like to ask, what is the difference between Exposure Compensation (which can be adjusted while shooting) and the Digital exposure compensation in Raw Image Editor which is means post processing? Let's compare the 2 pictures i made last night.

Information for the 1st picture:
Date taken : 05.08.2009 ; 11pm
Shooting mode : AV
Shutter Speed : 30"
Exposure Compensation : +2
ISO : 100
Focal lengh : 18mm
WB : Auto

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/...f13185b8_b.jpg

Information for the 2nd picture:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3447/...ab82dff5_b.jpg

Everything is the same, the only difference is i edited in the "Digital Exposure Compensation" to +1.8 in Canon Raw Image Editor. Then i think, it's a lot better. So i wonder that, what is difference between the 2 Compensation? I can't take such a better picture unless post processing?

[TerencePang]

Originally Posted by wulf

Are you familiar with the term "depth of field"? There is a limit on the zone in which objects appear sharp. The best way to get the building and the person in focus is to get them closer together; failing that, you probably need to focus on the person and let the building be a bit softer.

Wulf

Hello, i know about "depth of field". But i always have no idea which F value is the best for my particular shooting, what comes in my mind is, Landscape = larger value of F ; Potrait or something you need to be focus mainly = smaller value of F. Other than these, any tips or guide for choosing correct F value when shooting? And which mode do you use when u walking on the street and searching for something to shoot? What is the advantage of P-Mode? Thank you~

[zona5101]

Do any lens mauf still print DOF scale marks on the lens?

[wulf]

It's not as simple as landscape = big F / portrait = small f. The important calculation is what range will appear acceptably sharp. The factors that increase this range are stopping down the aperture and putting the subject further away. Of course, if the subject is too far away, the details are too small to see and, furthermore, lenses start to suffer from an effect called "diffraction" when you make the hole too small.

Here is my favourite DoF calculator and a few other links I have tracked down. For the kind of set up you were trying, read up hyperfocal distance, which is your best shot of getting a relatively near subject and far subject both in acceptable focus.

Wulf

[TerencePang]

Originally Posted by wulf

It's not as simple as landscape = big F / portrait = small f. The important calculation is what range will appear acceptably sharp. The factors that increase this range are stopping down the aperture and putting the subject further away. Of course, if the subject is too far away, the details are too small to see and, furthermore, lenses start to suffer from an effect called "diffraction" when you make the hole too small.

Here is my favourite DoF calculator and a few other links I have tracked down. For the kind of set up you were trying, read up hyperfocal distance, which is your best shot of getting a relatively near subject and far subject both in acceptable focus.

Wulf

Wow.. A lots of knowledge! I just go over one of the links you gave me, and it's so complicated, mayb just for me. :P I cant really understand and i will try again later, or can you explain me in simple way/more on practise way? Headache.. kekeke..