julie_a.

<p>Ken- It worked out really well. I was using the smart sharpen filter as some had suggested to sharpen for print. (I did want to try some of the software recommended but have been watching my budget so was trying to do it through PS). I found that I did not have to vary much in the setting I was using.<br>

Just now.....I did look at my image actual size and it actually IS sharpening!<br>

However, its strange that I could see it on a "fit on screen" preview before when I would sharpen my images(the sharpening effect, I mean), and then all of a sudden, I could not. I guess I just assumed that that meant it had stopped working! *blush* But now that I am looking at it at actual size, it seems to be just fine.<br>

Thanks!</p>

<p>Please, please help me! I go to sharpen my image via the smart sharpen filter. The preview shows an acceptable amount of sharpening, so I hit OK. As soon as I hit OK, it reverts back to the original sharpness, as if I hit "cancel".<br>

What is happening???? </p>

<p>Dan, any recommendations on books, tutorials, etc on how to best learn?</p>

 

<p>How much to sharpen, and what is the best way (in PS) to sharpen images for print? I'm doing portraits, and my ISO is generally 100-200 if that matters.<br /> Or does it vary according to print size?<br>

Also, I was taught the "bloom" effect by someone (make a duplicate layer, apply gaussian blur and use the soft light option). Do I sharpen before I do this (I thought she said it was the last step), or after?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>I am past the portfolio development stage, and would like to start offering prints and products to my portrait clients. I think I want to offer regular prints, canvas prints, session albums, and possibly metal prints? What products sell well to portrait clients? What else should I add, or are any of the above a waste of time?<br>

Also, forgive my ignorance, but what is meant by the term "boutique pricing"?<br>

Also, I've heard in-person ordering yields greater sales, but wouldn't online ordering be better, in that out-of-town family or family members who are unable to make the ordering session can place orders as well?<br>

Thanks for any input!</p>

<p>William, I thought someone might say that, and I know it's true (about shooting stopped down helping) but I looooove the background blur that comes with the shallow depth of field I can get at the large aperatures with this lens.... most of the reason I wanted this lens (yes, yes, I know I'm whining). :(</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I've been shooting with my new 85 1.2 lately. I'm having lots of focus issues, and seem to be noticing that the focus very often seems to be just to the left of where I manually selected the AF point. (For instance, if I select the AF point near the eyes, the foliage the subject is standing next to is what ends up being in focus.) Occasionally the focus is dead-on, but it seems to be more often not. <br /> Some helpful posters on here recommended trying a test with dominos and I felt like it came out to be that my camera and lens were ok, but I am still noticing this problem in active shooting.<br /> I am shooting in Aperature Priority, and although I do like to shoot at a large aperature, I have noticed this problem over a range of the lower f/stops. My shutter speed is not expecially low, and my ISO is low (100-200) and I am shooting portraits.<br /> The lens is pretty new. But I feel like I noticed less focusing problems the first couple times I used it. Could this be a defect with the lens? Any ideas about what the problem might be? I paid a small fortune for this lens and am VERY frustrated, any help much appreciated.</p><div></div>

<p>My husband built a new computer and moved the files from a hardrive to a server. Lightroom is not allowing me to open files now, and pops up a message that says "LR cannot launch catalog. Catalog is either on a network volume or a volume which LR cannot save changes"<br>

I can't open any of my catalogs.... please help! Speak slowly and use small words, I do not have much computer knowledge beyond using LR, PS and the internet.<br>

Thanks in advance for any help!</p>

<p>Ok, so I did do the domino test. There did not seem to be any problem there. I also, while I was at it, I started testing at each f/stop and found that there was negligible difference in background blur up to 2.2. So, maybe when shooting the jittery little people I will see how it comes out if I shoot stopped down a tad. I believe that was my issue all along, that the little girl I was testing on was shifting around between the time I focused and actually took the pic.<br>

However, is there any way to shorten the time distance between when the auto focus "locks" and when the shutter releases? Would the only way be to focus manually?<br>

Thanks all for the help!</p>

<p>Well, what Nadine says about grabbing a more contrasty part makes sense. Often a lock of hair was in focus (one that was very close to the eyes).<br>

I will do these tests tomorrow and hopefully I will not have even more questions! Thanks for your help everyone!</p>

 

<p>Thanks Jeff! I will try this chart out and see what I can come up with.<br>

Michael, the focus seems to be mostly in FRONT of my originally intended area. However, I was testing the lens on a little girl and I think when I asked her to lean OUT of the windowsill, it's possible she was leaning back slightly before I took the picture. Maybe I should be testing on something that I'm sure isn't moving. I am using a Canon 7D and a Canon 85 1.2. If something WERE out of adjustment, how would I know, or remedy? Would this chart Jeff suggested tell me?<br>

Jim, I do realize it is a very thin plane, and that may be my problem with shooting portraits. I am hoping there is another possible explanation though because I absolutely love the blur and depth of field I get at 1.2 with this lens.... it's beautiful! Also, what do you mean about adjusting the body for the lens? Is that something with the diopter? (I think I tried once with a lens baby to adjust it and never felt like I understood or could clearly see when it was properly adjusted).</p>

 

<p>Hi I just bought an 85 1.2. I love to shoot portraits on 1.2 to get a lot of nice background blur. The problem is, I am getting a lot of images with the wrong area in focus (say, the dress rather than the eyes) even though I have manually set my focus point. Very occasionally I also notice just general softness (no sharp part of the image) even though I am at a low ISO and high shutter speed. I had not noticed this problem previously when shooting with my old kit lens (at 3.5).<br>

Sometimes, the manual focus points do not exactly line up, so I have been putting the closest focus point over the eyes and depressing halfway, then shifting it ever-so-slightly to properly compose my frame, before depressing the shutter all the way. I've heard that the "rear lock" or "back button focus" might help with this focus problem I'm having, and then from others I've heard it will not work well when shooting larger aperatures than f/4. I'm also wondering if the rear lock would help me to better focus jittery kids, even if I'm shooting so wide open. It seems that maybe at 1.2 if someone moved even a little bit after I set my rear focus lock, that it would be useless.<br>

When I get an image where the focus is on the eyes (or wherever I want it), I find the images with this new lens absolutely breathtaking. The problem is that my "miss" rate on focus is unacceptably high. I guess I'm just looking for any helpful hints or tricks for getting the proper focus on the proper area at a large aperature. I'm not sure if maybe there is something I am overlooking or the lens will take some getting used to, but I'd appreciate any input. Thanks!</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for your help. I will start looking at all the suggestions of possible issues now and tackle one by one. All the input has been tremendously helpful.<br>

Dan, the mask you applied to my image made quite a difference, thank you for trying that. I am still learning photoshop and really haven't tried anything at all with sharpening yet (mostly using for color/contrast adjustment, playing with curves to achieve the color I'd like, etc).I will be sure to try learning this next.</p>

<p>So then for a portrait, in order to have maximum sharpness, I would need more direct lighting? I really would prefer softer diffused lighting for portraits. I suppose this means I will sacrifice some of the sharpness then?</p>

<p>William, I am now shooting with a new 7D. Will this change things?</p>

<p>And I will try that, Peter. Thank you.</p>

<p>Matt, thank you for your input. Here is the original file, just the eyes cropped out.</p><div></div>

<p>Attached is an image as an example. It is not that it is out-of-focus, I am just looking for that sharpness that I see in some images where it's almost as if each individual eyelash is crisp! Maybe that is in the post-processing?<br>

I am using only Photoshop, but not in full capacity as I am still learning the program.<br>

This was shot at f/5.6, shutter speed was 1/250. ISO was 1000. </p>

<p>Not sure why I can't get that image insertion right. Here is the link:<br>

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh90/pajamafeet/IMG_3320WEBedit.jpg<br>

Thanks!</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>I have been using mostly a kit lens (from a Canon 20D) on my new 7D body. I am happy with results other than sharpness of my images. How can I get maximum sharpness?<br>

I have a decent budget and am considering an L series lens. Is there a considerable difference in sharpness? Also, is it better not to buy a zoom?<br>

As an aside, I know little about shooting in RAW. Does shooting in RAW deliver better clarity? </p>

<p>Thanks for any input.</p>

<p>So I was shooting a friend's wedding. I used a brand new 4G card in my Canon 20D. I was seeing all my images in the playback. Then, suddenly, I could not playback my images, just got "busy" in the screen.<br>

And now, when I put the card in, it shows "no image" in the playback. Also, now when I turn the camera on, it blinks "err cf" ( but it wasn't before when I was shooting, that I saw). The computer will not read anything.<br>

I had tons of images I had seen up until the end there. Are all my images gone? Please tell me that there is something that can be done to recover these images. My friend will be heartbroken if they are gone forever.</p>

<p>I have a client that would like to get a photobook of her family photos made, but she does not like the traditional style that the company I have been using offers. Most of the places I have checked offer a very traditional style (probably because they are mostly used for wedding books).<br>

Where can I find a company that produces photobooks that are a more modern, contemporary style?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>What kind of contracts are necessary for doing family portraits? Where would I find the necessary wording? (For instance, holding appointments, deposits, the understanding that images may be used by me for promotional purposes or on my website)?<br>

Also, how do I take a deposit and get a returned, signed contract when my appts are booked mostly through phone or email?</p>

<p>Any help appreciated!</p>

<p>Hi I'm just looking for any info on how to contract hospitals to give me exclusive rights to photograph their newborns? <br>

Basically, where to find a sample contract?<br>

Who to approach and how to go about it?</p>

<p>Thanks for any help!</p>