How to get such sharp and vivid shots? Please advise...

[carrie_olsen]

<p>I am very interested in pursuing photography as a profession, or at the very least, as a serious hobby. I get varied results from my D80 with 18-135mm lens. I have been using a DSLR for about a year now. I have read "Understanding Exposure" by Brian Peterson and that's helped me alot, and now I have this wonderful site photo.net that seems very helpful. Recently, I came across some pictures online and have attached a few. I would like opinions as to how to get this kind of quality -- my interest is in taking children's portraits (if I do ever go into business, that will be my area of photography). I find that my own shots are not very sharp or polished looking. Also, maybe the photos attached are enhanced post-production, I'm not sure. They look great and I would love to know how this photographer got such great results. Especially when children this age are typically moving so much that it's hard to get such sharp pictures I would think. Any ideas on how to get this result? Do I need a different lens? What should I do post-production, if anything?</p><p><b>Photo removed. Per the photo.net Terms of Use, do not post any photos that are not yours.</b></b>

[tommyinca]

<p>Try test out an 85/1.8 AF and set it to f1.8 on an slightly overcast day (ISO=100).</p>

[mike_earussi1]

<p>Well the first thing would be to get a decent lens like a 50 and/or 85 f1.4 (or the f1.8 versions if you can't afford the f1.4). Not only will that give you sharper results but a much shallower dof as well, which is necessary for outdoor portraits. </p>

[barry_kenstler1]

<p>Carrie,</p>

<p>This shot looks as if it was taken with a wide-aperture telephoto lens. You could get a similar look (subject pops from a out-of-focus background) with any lens between 85 mm and 200 mm with an aperture setting near f2.8. Of course most lenses that fit this description are professional grade, and are priced accordingly. If you can't afford something like Nikon's 70-200 f2.8 VR lens, I'd take a serious look at their excellent and fairly priced 85mm f1.8 lens.<br>

The image appears to have been taken just as the sun was disappearing behind the horizon, but that's a guess. I say this because the hair is rimmed with blue (skylight from above and behind), and the facial lighting is warm and soft, as you'd expect from a warm, glowing horizon with little or no direct sunlight.<br>

By the way, I find the skin to be a bit "plastic" looking.</p>

[vancouverphotographer]

<p>The image was taken off, can a direct link to the photo be posted?<br>

Carrie, perhaps you can send a message to the owner of the image and ask some questions as well.</p>

[carrie_olsen]

<p>Oops, I didn't realize you can't post sample images that aren't yours. My apologies. I do not have a link to the photo. I had simply copied and pasted it into my file; I think it might have been a stock photo and I can't recall the name of the site. Oh well, thanks anyway guys.</p>

[robert lee]

<blockquote>

<p>They look great and I would love to know how this photographer got such great results.</p>

</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html">Lighting</a> is a key component.</p>

[seanbreadsell]

i have the 50mm f1.8 and oits brilliant, sharp as sharp as sharp...and at the cost it is, buy it and you wont regret....ultra sharp photo, still use a tripod<div></div>

[brett_y]

<p>Sean. how did you get that photo so crisp? I have a canon 40D with a 50mm 1.8 lense and for some reason my images arnt comming out crisp like that. did you use flashes? what were your f and shuttter set to? did you manual focus?</p>

[francie_baltazar]

<p>Focus is the key to a really sharp shot - I did this with a 40D - 50mm 1.4 - natural light with fill flash - ISO 100 - APP 1.8 - Shutter 125 - I did sharpen just every so slightly in PS to bring out his freckles but that is it out of the camera - I use one focus point - and put it on the eye that is the futherest away from me - then take a breath - hold the camera steady and shoot....</p><div></div>

[nathan_stiles]

<p>Strobe or really high shutter speed, lighting the background at a different ratio from the subject, curves layer, good focus (I'm amazed how many times I see shots that are focused on the background).</p>

[lightsmith1]

<p>Technique even with digital cameras is still important to get images of the caliber you seek. It helps to have a good lens as well and zooms decrease in the image quality possible as the range of focal lengths increase. Stick with single focal length lenses or moderate zooms like a Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens and avoid apertures smaller than f8 (will improve both image sharpness as well as image contrast).<br>

Shoot RAW and learn how to process your images in Photoshop (Photoshop Elements is a great value or use Lightroom) or a similar application. With film the labs that process the film and produce the prints make many adjustments based on the type of film used and the exposure. None of this is done when you shoot JPEGs and then have them printed at Wal-Mart. Often just adjusting the white balance and the Levels will make an image start to "pop" and are important first steps.<br>

The great thing with digital cameras is that once you have purchased a camera and a good lens you can practice for free and take as many images as you want and learn from what worked and what did not. Shoot at different apetures and shutter speeds and see what changes. Change the lighting by simply shooting later in the day, away from foliage, in the shade and with the sun as back lighting. There are no magic answers - you will need to read, practice, and learn, as we all do.</p>

[tonyarnold]

<p>Hi<br>

I am a professional photographer so here are Crucial. If using daylight ensure subject is well lit...just use your 'eyes'. If using back lighting from say a window you must add suplemnatry light on subjects face. best way is to use a reflector-if you don't own one just use large sheet of paper(white) or try and buy a sheet of polysterene-used in all studios as it is cheap and very lightweight. If you have some cash invest in a Lastolite Reflector (silver one side and white the other)<br>

For lenses use a manual lens for best focusing manuallyand focus on the eye evertime!!!<br>

Look for a Nikon f2 105mm but there are no rules here...an older manual Nikkor 50mm will be 75mm on a digital and benefits from a wide aperture etc.<br>

I have some portraits on my websites: <a href="http://www.arnold-photo.co.uk">www.arnold-photo.co.uk</a><br>

kids i have here: <a href="http://www.tonyarnold.co.uk">www.tonyarnold.co.uk</a><br>

Any questions just ask!<br>

Tony</p>

[tonyarnold]

<p>Sorry uploaded this twice!</p>

[tore]

<p>To have a good lens is important, but there is not one value that works for everything.<br />It depend on what you want to achive just the eye in focus ore the full face?<br>

70-200 F8<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7488998">http://www.photo.net/photo/7488998</a> (the sun hitt the model too hard it was too windy to put up any lightbreakers)<br>

24-70 F2.8<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7454152">http://www.photo.net/photo/7454152</a><br>

Shoot raw but that is already mentioned but one of the most inportant thing is the highpass sharpening, you can put on a layermask mask to just sharpen details if you want to.<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00BFs5">http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00BFs5</a><br>

for people photo a value between 0.3 to 3.0 would be nice</p>

[paul_aylett1]

<p>Sean, was the background in your picture blurred in PP?</p>