Best AF Mode For Models

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Lautermilch

Senior Member
I have a hobby doing newbie models. - About - Dean Lautermilch

As newbies, they have a hard time staying in the same position. Sometimes it is like they are on large amounts of caffeine.

Saturday I had a shoot in Miami with three at one point and got a lot of decent shots but I got a lot of blurred.
My setting right now is 'Single Area'. I have a D50 for the time being and will be going to a D200 shortly.
I am reading about 'Dynamic Area' and 'Use Closest Subject' and am wondering for the image I have posted which would be better on the basic that the models are moving much of the time?
I am only using the 50mm F/1.8

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singlerosa_RIP

Senior Member
The shots in your flickr account look pretty good and most seem to be shot at a fairly high shutter speed (>1/500 sec). Assuming your technique is correct and your shutter speed is high enough to eliminate blur, you have to look at settings for focus and metering. I'm not familiar with the D50, but with my bodies, I have them set to AF-C, 9-point for auto focus and spot or center-weighted metering. Since you're learning (and so are the models), you can expect your keeper rate to be lower than if you were a pro. It should improve over time.
 
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Lautermilch

Senior Member
singlerosa said:
The shots in your flickr account look pretty good and most seem to be shot at a fairly high shutter speed (>1/500 sec). Assuming your technique is correct and your shutter speed is high enough to eliminate blur, you have to look at settings for focus and metering. I'm not familiar with the D50, but with my bodies, I have them set to AF-C, 9-point for auto focus and spot or center-weighted metering. Since you're learning (and so are the models), you can expect your keeper rate to be lower than if you were a pro. It should improve over time.
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I shoot models only with the 50mm and have found that F/2.8 is the best setting for most shots unless I go up close and go to F/1.8. That is why I have the high shutter speed. But I am finding the model will move and with only five focus zones on the D50 the camera will track something behind her and I get a blurred shot.
 
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skater

New member
singlerosa said:
So you need to lock focus on your subject. Are you familiar with back button focus?
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I'm not sure if that's available on the D50 (I can't do it on my D70, for example). But, another solution would be to simply set it to AF-S, autofocus-single, focus it on the model, then hold the button halfway down, recompose the picture if necessary, then shoot. It shouldn't change focus.
 
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Lautermilch

Senior Member
skater said:
I'm not sure if that's available on the D50 (I can't do it on my D70, for example). But, another solution would be to simply set it to AF-S, autofocus-single, focus it on the model, then hold the button halfway down, recompose the picture if necessary, then shoot. It shouldn't change focus.
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As the models move the camera is focusing on other objects and too many blurred shots. So I will experiment tomorrow morning with the other modes and see what I get. I won't have models but thee is a large long water fountain nearby as well as morning traffic that I will take shots simulating the models moving and will get my answer that way.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Lautermilch said:
The D50 does not have back button focus.
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Your D50 can do back button focus, you just need to re-assign the AE-L/AF-L button. In the Custom Settings menu, go to Option 14 (Assign AE-L/AF-L) and choose the option for "AF ON". This will disable focusing with a half-press of the shutter button and move that function to the AE-L/AF-L button. Now use AF-C and with back button focus enabled you have, effectively, AF-C "on demand": Press and hold for continuous focus, let go of the button to "lock" focus (until you press the button again).

When working with subjects who are not trained models, as I often do, I sometimes find it helpful to simply tell them to hold their position so I can get a particular shot. Something like, "Hold that pose for me... *click-click-click*... Perfect. Thank you." I've not found anyone yet who can't manage to hold a pose for a few seconds at a time. No, it's not how I prefer to work with subjects, generally speaking, but sometimes you do what you have to do. If your subjects simply can't be still, even for a few seconds at a time, you probably need to find new subjects or hire actual models.
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nickt

Senior Member
skater said:
(I can't do it on my D70, for example)
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I'm pretty sure you can. Re-assign the back button to af-on, set af-c mode and you are good to go. Af-c mode is always release priority on the d70, so that is good too. I'm not 100% sure if the d50 has release priority though, so OP might not be able to fire if focus point no longer sees focus. Its essential to have release priority for the technique to fully work. Easy enough for him to test though.
My d3100 can't do it. No release priority. So even though I could initiate focus with the back button, if I recompose, it wont fire if there is no focus under the point.
 
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skater

New member
nickt said:
I'm pretty sure you can. Re-assign the back button to af-on, set af-c mode and you are good to go. Af-c mode is always release priority on the d70, so that is good too. I'm not 100% sure if the d50 has release priority though, so OP might not be able to fire if focus point no longer sees focus. Its essential to have release priority for the technique to fully work. Easy enough for him to test though.
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You're right. I just checked it. I must have missed it before. Also, I took the opportunity to clear pictures from January off the card. :) (Definitely don't use that camera often.)
 
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Lautermilch

Senior Member
This morning I went to the local park and took shots of the large water fountain and all the tropical leafy plants in 'Closest Subject' mode and found the camera performed well. I was trying to get it to blue an image but it was auto adjusting.
 
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skater

New member
Horoscope Fish said:
When working with subjects who are not trained models, as I often do, I sometimes find it helpful to simply tell them to hold their position so I can get a particular shot. Something like, "Hold that pose for me... *click-click-click*... Perfect. Thank you." I've not found anyone yet who can't manage to hold a pose for a few seconds at a time. No, it's not how I prefer to work with subjects, generally speaking, but sometimes you do what you have to do. If your subjects simply can't be still, even for a few seconds at a time, you probably need to find new subjects or hire actual models.
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Yeah, I don't shoot people often, but even kids can hold still for a few seconds. But I'm not sure I understand the original question - the focus, once it's set on the subject (whether it's a model, a bridge, or anything else) will still be correct even if the model moves up and down or side to side, within reasonable limits. The only time it'll be wrong is if the model moves closer to the camera or farther from the camera, and someone trying to hold still for you won't be moving THAT much. (Focus is a function of distance from the lens.) If they do move enough to mess up the focus, then you've got very low depth of field and parts of their face and/or body are going to be out of focus no matter what you do, which isn't what the OP is going for based on the example posted.

So focus shouldn't be such a problem. If the model were running toward (or away) from the camera, the focus would need need to change (and this is what AF-C is for). But static or nearly-static objects? There are several ways to do it, but they all boil down to telling the camera WHAT you want to focus on - in this case, the models. So, set the camera to single-point focus and move the focus point to the models. If your camera doesn't have a focus point on the model given the composition of the picture you want, set it to AF-S and single point focus, focus on the model, then keep holding the trigger down halfway (or use back-button focus and hold it down - this is where BBF becomes much handier), then recompose and snap the picture. This is what AF-S and single point focus is for - it tells the camera to ignore the moving stuff and focus where you said, and hold that focus.

Try it without models - focus on something close by, then hold it while you recompose your picture. For what it's worth, I usually only use single-point focus and tell it where I want to focus (i.e., the subject of my picture).

Back button focus is nice, but ultimately it's just a different way to trigger the autofocus - I think the question here is more about getting the autofocus to work the way the photographer wants it to.
 
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singlerosa_RIP

Senior Member
You might consider shooting in manual (with auto focus). Modes are OK if you don't know how to pick the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. But the camera's computer doesn't know what your vision for the photo is. I started out way back when the cameras (and lenses) were manual, so you were forced to learn how to manage the exposure triangle. When you're in charge of everything, you have no one to blame but yourself if the results are crappy. But the beauty of digital is that practice is cheap and only costs you your time. Plenty of youtube videos out there on the technical aspects of portrait photography.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
skater said:
Yeah, I don't shoot people often, but even kids can hold still for a few seconds. But I'm not sure I understand the original question - the focus, once it's set on the subject (whether it's a model, a bridge, or anything else) will still be correct even if the model moves up and down or side to side, within reasonable limits. The only time it'll be wrong is if the model moves closer to the camera or farther from the camera, and someone trying to hold still for you won't be moving THAT much. (Focus is a function of distance from the lens.) If they do move enough to mess up the focus, then you've got very low depth of field and parts of their face and/or body are going to be out of focus no matter what you do, which isn't what the OP is going for based on the example posted.

So focus shouldn't be such a problem. If the model were running toward (or away) from the camera, the focus would need need to change (and this is what AF-C is for). But static or nearly-static objects? There are several ways to do it, but they all boil down to telling the camera WHAT you want to focus on - in this case, the models. So, set the camera to single-point focus and move the focus point to the models. If your camera doesn't have a focus point on the model given the composition of the picture you want, set it to AF-S and single point focus, focus on the model, then keep holding the trigger down halfway (or use back-button focus and hold it down - this is where BBF becomes much handier), then recompose and snap the picture. This is what AF-S and single point focus is for - it tells the camera to ignore the moving stuff and focus where you said, and hold that focus.

Try it without models - focus on something close by, then hold it while you recompose your picture. For what it's worth, I usually only use single-point focus and tell it where I want to focus (i.e., the subject of my picture).

Back button focus is nice, but ultimately it's just a different way to trigger the autofocus - I think the question here is more about getting the autofocus to work the way the photographer wants it to.
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I agree completely and, adding to what you've said regarding focus, depth of field etc. ...

I think what most photographers are looking for when shooting models with a very wide aperture is a nice, smooth, creamy background. To get this effect often times the first answer is to shoot with a wide aperture. While this will work it does so at risk of having the eye's in focus but the nose and ears being soft. Because of that I typically shoot models using f/4; which I find gives a shallow depth of field but one deep enough to keep the entire head in sharp focus. A better method, in my opinion, to get a soft, diffuse background is to simply put sufficient distance between your subject and background. For models, I like the background to be ten times the distance behind the model as I am in front of the model. For instance, if my model is 8 feet from me, I want the background 80 feet or more behind the model. I don't use a tape measure for this, it's a rule of thumb; but it's one I've found works very well and allows me to shoot with a slightly smaller aperture (e.g. the aforementioned f/4) and still have a nice, diffuse looking background. When I simply can't have that much distance, then I look for a background I can integrate into the shot.

Regarding focus mode for models I use AF-C and Single Point, sometimes Group. Back Button Focus is my preference but as you point out, it won't help you "nail" correct focus.
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Bob Blaylock

Bob Blaylock

Senior Member
Lautermilch said:
I have a hobby doing newbie models. - About - Dean Lautermilch

As newbies, they have a hard time staying in the same position. Sometimes it is like they are on large amounts of caffeine.
Click to expand...

I haven't had any such sort of problem with models.

For this model tank, for example, although it can move pretty well, there's no problem getting it to stay put to be photographed.

geoHDR_csc_9579_csc_9578_csc_9580dp.jpg


This model submarine was a bit tricker, since it was in water and tended to drift slowly, even when it wasn't specifically trying to move under its own power, but still not difficult.

geoHDR_csc_0158_csc_0157_csc_0159N.jpg
 
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nickt

Senior Member
Lautermilch said:
Try to understand what back focus would do but cannot. Anyone got a tutorial with images or some kind of examples that explains it?
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Basically it lets you have instant access to af-c focus and a pseudo af-s mode. You achieve this by setting af-c mode, but it is used only as needed when you press the back button. Its sort of like manual focus at the push of a button. Hold the button down and you get normal af-c continuous focus. Good if your subject is active. Let the button go and focus stops right where it was. So you can now easily recompose. Even a minute later and as many times as you want. No need to keep a half press on the shutter like you would with normal af-s mode. Its also good for anticipated action. Focus on a location, let go of the button and you are ready to snap a picture when the subject arrives. I'm not sure if your d50 will do it though. I flipped through the pdf manual and I'm not convinced. You need to be able to set release priority for af-c mode. Or the camera needs to automatically use release priority in af-c mode. Release priority will let the camera fire even it it does not see focus. You would need this ability to focus and recompose with bbf since the focus point may no longer see focus. My d3100 cannot do it.


How to use Nikon's AF-ON and back button autofocus | Nikon Rumors

Mastering the AF-ON Technique with Nikon DSLRs | Digital Photography Insights by Jason Odell
 
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hrstrat57

Senior Member
nickt said:
Basically it lets you have instant access to af-c focus and a pseudo af-s mode. You achieve this by setting af-c mode, but it is used only as needed when you press the back button. Its sort of like manual focus at the push of a button. Hold the button down and you get normal af-c continuous focus. Good if your subject is active. Let the button go and focus stops right where it was. So you can now easily recompose. Even a minute later and as many times as you want. No need to keep a half press on the shutter like you would with normal af-s mode. Its also good for anticipated action. Focus on a location, let go of the button and you are ready to snap a picture when the subject arrives. I'm not sure if your d50 will do it though. I flipped through the pdf manual and I'm not convinced. You need to be able to set release priority for af-c mode. Or the camera needs to automatically use release priority in af-c mode. Release priority will let the camera fire even it it does not see focus. You would need this ability to focus and recompose with bbf since the focus point may no longer see focus. My d3100 cannot do it.


How to use Nikon's AF-ON and back button autofocus | Nikon Rumors

Mastering the AF-ON Technique with Nikon DSLRs | Digital Photography Insights by Jason Odell
Click to expand...

Great linkys !
 
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