Deep Portraits

I'm interested in learning about how to take portraits which work without the benefit of shallow depth of field.

I have a new full-frame DSLR on order but, like everyone, am more often with my phone or a compact. I'm interested to see how people handle the challenge of producing a good image without being able to obliterate the background.

I'm not interested in posed shots. More in good examples of reportage images that work, in reasonable closeup, without blurred backgrounds.

Can anyone post examples. I'll bet I'm not alone in being able to learn a couple of new tricks.

There is more to getting edge-to-edge clarity than just aperture although that is primary. Factors that will help minimize blur include: use a wide angle; don't get too close to your subject; make sure your subject is embedded in or, at least, close to the background; and, make sure your aperture is narrow enough for your purposes. Also, the more parallel your subject and background are to your sensor, the more it will all be sharp. None of these factors are absolute; vary one and you can vary the others to compensate.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/brev00

Brev00 said:

There is more to getting edge-to-edge clarity than just aperture although that is primary. Factors that will help minimize blur include: use a wide angle; don't get too close to your subject; make sure your subject is embedded in or, at least, close to the background; and, make sure your aperture is narrow enough for your purposes. Also, the more parallel your subject and background are to your sensor, the more it will all be sharp. None of these factors are absolute; vary one and you can vary the others to compensate.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/brev00

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've not been clear.

I am not asking how to get sharpness. I'm asking for examples of portraits that work DESPITE huge depth of field.

With a small sensor and a slower lens there's no choice. Most portraits exploit shallow depth of field. I want to see what can be done when that's not an option.

My guess this guy is very good
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=40354443

AlexG47 said:

My guess this guy is very good
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=40354443

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Pretty girls but those aren't reportage and he's using a blank background.

I want to see great images taken in real environments which aren't posed.

I.e. The kind of 'family' photography we all do.

MrSkelter said:

Thanks, I've not been clear.

With a small sensor and a slower lens there's no choice. Most portraits exploit shallow depth of field. I want to see what can be done when that's not an option.

Click to expand...

I am still not clear. I would think getting a shallow (er) depth of field is always an option while shooting portraits with deep dof would be a choice. Maybe you could explain your situation a little more fully. Unfortunately, I have few examples of portraits shot with much dof so perhaps others can provide examples. I like my blur.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/brev00

Here's the situation.

You have a compact cam with a small sensor. How do you take good reportage portraits? You can't use shallow depth of field, it's not an option. The camera's not capable of it.

I too have "bigger guns" but I'm interested in solutions that'll work when they're not to hand.

I may have answered my own question here:

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/01/24/traveling-light-in-myanmar-with-a-nikon-v1-by-colin-steel/

Any more examples? The V1's not really a compact. I 'm talking about fixed-lens cameras .

The long and the short of it is that you want to make the subject of your picture stand out from the background. Most people take the easy way out and just blur the ba-jesus out of it with really shallow dof. That or they plop the subject in front of a white or black (or similarly nondescript and bland cover) sheet of material so the viewer is naturally drawn to the subject.

There are other options, namely working with the light levels to create defined separation between the subject and the rest. If the background is primarily dark, a person that is brightly lit (not overexposed) will tend to stand out. Conversely, a dark subject with a light background will stand out.

Also, a lot can be said for choosing a good background to start with. It doesn’t have to be a white or black sheet, but choosing a background that doesn’t distract goes a long way.

If memory serves, strobist has a number of articles about on location shooting that may or may not be relevant to you. Also check out jfinite’s work around here. A lot of his stuff is done “out and about” and he does not rely on the ‘ol blur-to-separate technique with every shutter press.

-Suntan

Thanks for the tips. That is exactly what I meant.

Mr. Skelter:

All you need to do is watch some of Orson Welles partnerships with Gregg Toland and you will see beautiful examples of deep DOF that still manages to look exquisite, largely because of the use of effective use of chiaroscuro lighting technique. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiaroscuro

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_Toland#Deep_focus_technique_and_lighting_schemes

It can be difficult to find in reportage but not impossible and of course, with your own lights you can always create it.

If you combine large DOF with flat lighting, it always looks amateurish. Most of my best iPhone photos have been a result of good lighting and interesting contrast in the zones.

Dan
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I am all about the images not the gear.

Accept it.
Shallow DOF isolates your subject.
So it is written - so shall it be done.

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My Art, Your Pleasure

DBCapybara said:

Mr. Skelter:

All you need to do is watch some of Orson Welles partnerships with Gregg Toland and you will see beautiful examples of deep DOF that still manages to look exquisite, largely because of the use of effective use of chiaroscuro lighting technique. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiaroscuro

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_Toland#Deep_focus_technique_and_lighting_schemes

It can be difficult to find in reportage but not impossible and of course, with your own lights you can always create it.

If you combine large DOF with flat lighting, it always looks amateurish. Most of my best iPhone photos have been a result of good lighting and interesting contrast in the zones.

Dan
--
I am all about the images not the gear.

Click to expand...

Yes, I agree. It seems to be that with a lot of DOF and an uncontrolled background you have to rely on light to help isolate.

I think that's why people are so in love with adding vignette's to images now. It is a crude way to draw a highlight.