Whether it be man, or beast.. ...sharp focus on the eye(s) is always critical in portrait work. Don't let the camera make the selection, it's always best when you, the shooter, selects...

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

...sharp focus on the eye(s) is always critical in portrait work. Don't let the camera make the selection, it's always best when you, the shooter, selects and places a focus point on the eye. Many here will already know this, but I hope it helps some of the new shooters

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Good advice. I always try to remember it.

Carolina Wings Loc: Flew from North Carolina to Pennsylvania

autofocus wrote:

...sharp focus on the eye(s) is always critical in portrait work. Don't let the camera make the selection, it's always best when you, the shooter, selects and places a focus point on the eye. Many here will already know this, but I hope it helps some of the new shooters

What gorgeous portraits...both baby and beast!

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

Carolina Wings wrote:

What gorgeous portraits...both baby and beast!

Thank you Carolina Wings :)

rocco_7155 Loc: Connecticut/Louisiana

Thanks for the reminder, Vince. One of the many reasons this forum is so good. Especially for those of us who rarely do "portraits" but get tapped to do those family shots. Happy New Year!

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

rocco_7155 wrote:

Thanks for the reminder, Vince. One of the many reasons this forum is so good. Especially for those of us who rarely do "portraits" but get tapped to do those family shots. Happy New Year!

Thanks Rocco, and Happy New Year and belated Christmas wishes to you!

RmcBUDDY Loc: Morris County, NJ

autofocus wrote:

...sharp focus on the eye(s) is always critical in portrait work. Don't let the camera make the selection, it's always best when you, the shooter, selects and places a focus point on the eye. Many here will already know this, but I hope it helps some of the new shooters

I would like to be a pet photographer someday because I love animals so much. I have 2 dogs. I absolutely love the cat image. I have learned that the eyes are most important in pets as well as people. Right now I am working on lighting placement in relation to my subject (my poor dogs) I use them as my models. If I work them to much longer I am afraid they may demand money. I just Love, Love the cat image.
:-D

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

RmcBUDDY wrote:

I would like to be a pet photographer someday because I love animals so much. I have 2 dogs. I absolutely love the cat image. I have learned that the eyes are most important in pets as well as people. Right now I am working on lighting placement in relation to my subject (my poor dogs) I use them as my models. If I work them to much longer I am afraid they may demand money. I just Love, Love the cat image.
:-D

Thank you. This was a pretty simple light setup with an AB800 through a 2'x3' softbox camera left and a Nikon SB800 through a small 16" square softbox camera right. I also had a Canon 580EX shooting through a home made snoot illuminating the paper backdrop, but somewhere through the process it's batteries croaked so I'm not sure if it did much here.

The Watcher

Perhaps beauxpatrick will look at your post and see what good pet photography looks like. He was upset with me, when I stated that his dog shots were bad and needed redone. I posted two shots of our cat and he told me they were nothing but snapshots. I wonder what he would call your cat shot? The link below shows his post. My comment is on page five.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-171533-1.html

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

The Watcher wrote:

Perhaps beauxpatrick will look at your post and see what good pet photography looks like. He was upset with me, when I stated that his dog shots were bad and needed redone. I posted two shots of our cat and he told me they were nothing but snapshots. I wonder what he would call your cat shot? The link below shows his post. My comment is on page five.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-171533-1.html

Well, you know what they say, "it takes all kinds." Actually, his shots were not at a professional level, regardless of what he said about his prior credentials. And cold lights and a 1/60 shutter will not freeze action which has to be a critical requirement in shooting "things" that move. I hesitate to be any more critical of his images found on another post..it's just not right for me to do so. The kitten shot I posted here was shot at 1/250, F/7.1, ISO 400 using a 35mm prime on a Nikon D300. This setting obviously pretty much killed all the ambient light making the strobe/flash combo ~100% of the light source for the exposure. Being that the ambient was fully underexposed at 1/250 @f/7.1 the flash providing ~100% of the light easily froze any of the kitten's movement. Works for us, and we would do the same if we happen to be shooting dog(s)

amehta Loc: Boston

autofocus wrote:

...sharp focus on the eye(s) is always critical in portrait work. Don't let the camera make the selection, it's always best when you, the shooter, selects and places a focus point on the eye. Many here will already know this, but I hope it helps some of the new shooters

Totally agree, and not just for portrait work. With any shots of animals (the human or non-human variety) where the face is visible, the eyes, or at least the near eye, should be in focus. As with any "rule", there are times to break it, but that should be done with intent and for a reason. :-)

AnnaZ Loc: SW Wis.

HOW did you get kitty to lay there in the "pose" position?

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

amehta wrote:

Totally agree, and not just for portrait work. With any shots of animals (the human or non-human variety) where the face is visible, the eyes, or at least the near eye, should be in focus. As with any "rule", there are times to break it, but that should be done with intent and for a reason. :-)

The only time I would consider breaking this rule is if the person his/herself is not the primary subject in the photo. An example may be when a piece of jewelry, like an engagement ring being worn is the subject..that can be perfectly sharp with the face of the wearer further back being less sharp. However, when the person (or animal) is the key subject in the photo, most people viewing the photo will find it a bit disturbing if the eyes were soft.

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

AnnaZ wrote:

HOW did you get kitty to lay there in the "pose" position?

Anna, Just like photographing people, you have to make the subject as comfortable and as calm as possible. Rough house play prior to the shot will rarely get you that opportunity. My wife and I are both photographers, and we know from past experiences that timing is very key in shooting young kids or pets. Things change very quickly, especially with kittens, but there are moments in between all the activity that allow for a shot...you just need to be ready to grab it when those opportunities happen. Also, when flash or strobes are your primary light source it becomes much easier to freeze that action when it occurs. Of course, timing and freezing action is only part of the process. Throughout all this, you still need to maintain sharp focus on the subject's eye(s)...that typically can be more challenging. Here is a link in my flickr to a past session with Bootsie, and her brother Sabu (these kitties are my daughter's pets)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20127329@N06/sets/72157634475105930/

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

autofocus wrote:

...sharp focus on the eye(s) is always critical in portrait work. Don't let the camera make the selection, it's always best when you, the shooter, selects and places a focus point on the eye. Many here will already know this, but I hope it helps some of the new shooters

Nice catch lights.