Best f/stop to use for portraits?

What is the best f/stop to use for portraits? I was told f/8. Thank you!!!!

It varies depending on the effect you desire to achieve, as well as the format you are using (medium format, large format, or 35mm/equivalent). The larger the aperture, the shallower the field of what will be in focus.

hello holly,

this really depends on your subject matter and what you would like to achieve. when you have a large group of people all of whom need to be in focus, a f/8 would certainly be useful to have the entire group in focus. however, the general opinion seems to be that portraits should be flattering and very slightly soft. blurring the background, thus adding a shallowed depth of field adds to the mystique. for this would would need to be around f/2.8 depending on the lens. in my zuiko 100m f/2.8 i never go above f/4 for portraits.

Photography is all about experimentation. Get out there and try the same shot at every single aperture. See

which you you like for the subject matter.

It also depends on your background. In a studio or other situation where you have a controlled, plain, non-distracting background, you may want to use your sharpest aperture, perhaps <i>f</i>/8 or so for 35mm. But outdoors with a somewhat distracting background, something much wider, like <i>f</i>/2 or so may be useful to get a shallow depth of field and blur the distracting background to a smooth appearance.

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If there were a single best aperture for portraits, then portrait lenses wouldn't come with adjustable diaphragms. Experiment.

It depends on what you are shooting, the lighting setup, and what you are trying accomplish. There really is not a single

magic bullet f/stops it comes down to what you are trying to achieve.

For casual, candid or "environmental" portraiture, a fast lens and shallow depth of field can help you minimize background distractions. To be effective you'll usually want a fast lens that's also sharp wide open, altho' some great portraits I've seen aren't particularly sharp.

 

With formal portraiture, you have control over the subject's cosmetics, lighting and background, so there's no need to rely on shallow DOF unless it's desired for a specific effect. Most formal or controlled portraiture is shot with a very small aperture to combine maximum DOF and sharpness.

 

These are really two very different approaches so the best solution depends on which type of portraiture you have in mind.

Here's an example of very casual portraiture, closer to candid photography than portraiture, really, in which not only is shallow depth of field used to help separate the subject from the background, but it's not really even particularly sharp due to motion blur.<div></div>

in a studio the f stop should be adjusted to your lighting arrangement i can tell you when i worked at sears we were set up at f12 i use f8 now for my own but if your outside it will depend on the lens and available light

I use as shallow DOF as I can to really throw the background out of focus (i.e. f1.4). Sometimes only the eyes are in focus, but they still work.

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"Thank you" EVERYONE!!!!!! You all have been a GREAT help!! Your time is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

Thanks for useful discussion, it was really healpful,i do agree with F4 is the maximum for nice portrait,

Holly: There is no single "best" f/stop for portraiture. F/8 and BE THERE was/is advice given to the "old troops" of

4X5 press camera days, when f/8 WAS the sharpest aperture on their 135-150mm Ektar, Optar, Wollensak or Zenar

lenses, and depth of field hid a multitude of sins.

Of course, modern digital lenses of the most prevalent sort have the same range of maximum apertures...3 5-5.6.

Soooo, have we progressed?

 

My personal preference is that first and always, the eyes be in focus. If the eyes aren't sharp, the photo will never be

more than mediocre.

 

Next, I dislike a demarcation between sharp and out of focus on the subject's face/head, but that's just me.

Out of focus backgrounds eliminate distracting elements, be they outdoors or in a studio.

If you are not using a special portrait lens, out of focus will be just that. Most of today's lenses are sharper than we

can hold, and become scary sharp when used on a tripod. They will show every winkle, wart, and line!

 

That's why Tiffen and others invented their "softening" filters. They minimize minor flaws. The same effect can be

had less expen$ively, by getting a couple of old nylons, white and black, and stretching a thickness over the lens,

secured with a rubber band.

 

You should experiment, till you understand how your camera/lens combination affects DOF, which is a nice thing

about digital. Standardize! Choose the one or two effects you find most attractive, then write them down, so you

won't forget them at the worst possible time. Once you have the nuts and bolts down so you don't have to worry

about them, you can begin to give all your attention to the image.

 

Practice a lot. It will pay huge dividends.

To shoot safe, stay on the sharp side. A sharp background can be blurred later in your editor; but blurred face details

cannot be recovered (lost information). And experiment; it will differ depending focal distance, the frame size, after the

aperture.