photographing groups

[kaypea]

I'm having a very very hard time getting a crisp shot when shooting more than one person. I can get great shots close up but it seems to get very blurry when I step back. I mostly shot with the Canon 50mm 1.8 but I also just bought the 28mm 1.8 usm thinking that would help my shots. I have a Canon XTi and I'm not sure if it's the camera, the photographer or the lens. I also have the Aperture set around F/10 and the shutter speed depends but I try to keep it above 250 for still shots so I would think it would be clear. Any advice? thanks.

[t blanchard]

Do you have any specific examples that you can share?

[kaypea]

Here is a pictures I took of a family. It's not the best I know but you get the idea.



File Name: IMG_0523.jpg (rename)
.jpg ok cancel

File Size: 146 kb - 800 x 533

Camera Make: Canon

Camera Model: EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi

Date/Time: 2009:03:21 14:34:42

Resolution: 800 x 533

Flash Used: No

Focal Length: 28.0mm (35mm equivalent: 45mm...

CCD Width: 4.58mm

Exposure Time: 0.0063 s (1/160)

Aperture: f/9.1

ISO Equiv.: 400

Metering Mode: matrix

[kaypea]

This is closer and in focus.



File Name: IMG_0421copy2.jpg (rename)
.jpg ok cancel

File Size: 114 kb - 646 x 800

Camera Make: Canon

Camera Model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi

Date/Time: 2009:03:21 09:07:48

Resolution: 646 x 800

Flash Used: No

Focal Length: 50.0mm (35mm equivalent: 393m...

CCD Width: 4.58mm

Exposure Time: 0.0040 s (1/250)

Aperture: f/4.5

ISO Equiv.: 100

Whitebalance: Auto

Metering Mode: matrix

Exposure: Manual

Exposure Mode: Manual

Exposure Mode: Auto bracketing

[kaypea]

I think on the group one I did manual and auto focus while I was there thinking that it was too hard for the Auto focus to focus on the face but even at that I was having such a hard time getting it to work. I got one or two shots that were better than that but nothing great and sharp.

[PhotoJunkieJen]

One of the things I've been experimenting is setting my own focal points. I have an XTi as well... For portraits, I'd recommend you set the focal point at the center point.

This is the XTi manual online... it tells you how to do what I'm talking about on page 57.

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/09000003...i400DIM-EN.pdf

That portrait of your son is adorable, by the way.

[AgBeard]

With the group photo it looks as if the trees to the right are in focus. If this was shot with AF on then I would say that it locked on the trees. Within the view finder the are a number of lights that show which (if any) of the AF points are in use for a particular scene. It is possible to specify a single point - so with the group scene you could pick the centre point & when you press the shutter release half way (i.e. engaging AF) to see that point flash as the AF locks on to the target.

[kaypea]

Yep I always choose the center point when using AF for group shots. I've taken my camera to two different places and they think it's fine. But I don't understand how I'm not getting sharp group pictures. I know the ISO was turned up on those but even when it's not or even on a tripod I get pretty much the same fuzzy family.

[kaypea]

Any other suggestions? I'm to the point of wanting to buy a new camera...

[Swisstony10]

The only thing that I can see with the group shot is that the stuff just behind them is in focus quite nicely. It could just be a practise thing - sometimes it's way easier to "see" the focus when you're focusing on a single person than it is with a group.

I took some photos of bands at a gig the other night, posing backstage for promotional-type shots, and it was really quite dark. I was using my 50mm 1.8, on manual focus, because the auto was struggling with the lack of light. I set it to about f10ish, and then if I wasn't certain I had the focus spot on, I took several of each shot, making a tiny adjustment each time. The handy thing about the Canon 50mm is that you can easily make those tiny adjustments, because of that nice focus-ring.

Do you by any chance have your focus set to AI Servo instead of one-shot? It's handy for subjects that move, like a baby (that baby picture is great, by the way), but can be a real pain if you forget to switch it off...

Russ.