Are your portraits consistently coming out softer than you expect, even after careful focusing? Clarity makes a significant difference in the professional appearance of your images. Here's how to achieve it.
Coming to you from John Gress, this insightful video identifies four primary reasons why portrait sharpness often suffers and provides direct, practical ways to correct these common issues. Gress begins by discussing autofocus pitfalls, specifically the limitations of single-shot autofocus modes. Single-shot modes lock focus at one point, making them unsuitable if you or your subject moves even slightly during the shot. Gress advocates instead for continuous autofocus combined with eye detection, explaining precisely why this significantly improves portrait sharpness. The real-world examples he shares from recent shoots underscore exactly how impactful these adjustments can be.
Next, Gress addresses shutter speed selection, especially when using continuous lighting in portrait scenarios. He explains why choosing shutter speeds too slow—like 1/60th of a second handheld—often results in softness caused by subtle camera or subject movements. Gress provides clear guidance on more effective shutter speeds, recommending at least 1/200th second or faster to substantially enhance image sharpness. The video illustrates this vividly through comparison shots that clearly highlight the practical differences in outcomes. Additionally, Gress details the lighting setups used, including precise gear and lighting arrangements, making the advice directly actionable for your next portrait shoot.
One particularly useful portion of the video examines depth of field considerations, a key but frequently overlooked component in sharp portraits. Through a detailed breakdown, Gress compares portraits taken at various apertures—f/4, f/8, and f/13—demonstrating exactly how depth of field impacts sharpness across different features of the subject's face and hair. Importantly, he emphasizes why choosing an aperture based solely on lens sharpness metrics isn't always effective if your goal includes capturing extensive detail, like hair texture or accessories. Gress’s personal experience reinforces the point, illustrating the nuanced decisions involved in selecting the appropriate aperture for varying portrait goals.
A crucial segment deals with the impact of flash duration on capturing motion indoors, dispelling common misconceptions about high-speed sync. Gress explains clearly how shorter flash durations—not faster shutter speeds—are the real secret behind capturing sharp action shots indoors. He carefully explains how flash duration affects your image and provides practical settings to achieve optimal results, such as using action modes to minimize motion blur. This practical guidance will particularly resonate if you're regularly capturing dynamic portrait poses or fashion shoots involving subtle or pronounced motion. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Gress.
If you would like to continue learning about the art of portraiture, be sure to check out our range of tutorials on the subject in the Fstoppers store.
