Focus is the key element of Fundamental Photography

Do you like portrait photography? If yes, then read this article. If no, then read it more carefully. As an amateur or semiprofessional, you might click maximum portrait shots of your dear ones in your outing with lots of landscape and macro photos. Focus is the key element in portrait photography. Focus is the fundamental part of photography. You cannot excuse yourself for not focusing a shot correctly. Now a days every camera sensor record perfectly the area of the subject.

You can play a lot with exposure before and after taking a picture. Exposure is a combination of ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed. You can manually change these three options or rely on camera’s auto mode. In post processing you can opt for lighter or more contrast in your picture.

But a shot without focus gives you a reward of :( emoji. As per my observation, whenever you focus a portrait subject, focus on his/her eye. It should be pin sharp. If you want to hear the word ‘WOW’ from your dear one or your clients call you again in their next programme then focus on the portrait eye.

Now the question arise about f/2.8 or f/1.8 etc. and the subject sit at an angle or gives a perfect post for portrait photography (various poses in portrait photography: my next write-up) try to focus nearer eye ball of the subject with respect to the distance of your camera. Even if you click at f/8 or f/11, focus on the eye ball correctly. As a rule, with portraits you are generally quite close to the subject so the depth of field is reduced.

A recent development in camera is Face Detection. I don’t know the exact advantage of it in portrait photography. Face is 3 dimensional and there is a huge difference between nose tip and ear distance in relation with focus issue. Switch off or disable this option for portrait photography.

A single focus on the nearer eye ball gives your shot more vibrant, dynamic and storytelling.