PHOTOGRAPHY HELP PLEASE!!!

I’m currently new to photography and I’ve been watching youtube videos trying my best to learn everything I can. I’m wanting to start out taking portraits first but I seem to be struggling with my camera settings everything seems to be blurry or my models have spots on them with higher the aperture I go (could camera or lens be dirty?) I will link pictures so you can see yourself.

I have a Canon rebel t6 and a 50mm 1.4 lens (I got the lens used)

Possible dirt on lens. Possible dirt on sensor.

It's worth Googling 'Sensor dust' to see the range of effects of a dirty sensor.
Taking a photo of sky with a small aperture is a good way to see it, or a wall that is well lit.
Switch lens to MF and take the photo de focused, ie focus close to minimum for sky, focus at infinity for the wall.

Some dust or dirt can move and won't be visible for every shot but if you have 10 obvious spots, half or more will likely stay put and so be visible in every shot in the same location.

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=RefeiMAC4c0

cmarie9413 wrote in post #19060541
...(1) everything seems to be blurry or (2) my models have spots on them with higher the aperture I go...

These sound like very different problems. If this were a sensor-dust problem, I'd expect to see more consistent problems. The typical sensor dust spot shows up in the same place on every picture. Staying with the "spots" problem first:

Ideally during the day with a clear blue sky
Set the camera in "Av" mode
Set the aperture to f/16
Set the switch on the lens barrel to MF (not AF)
Set the focus distance on the lens barrel to infinity
Take a picture or few of the sky, and move the camera around (portrait/landscape, etc.) between each shot.

Taking a picture of a blank sky (or any subject will cause the camera to "hunt" for focus, that's why turning off the AF switch on the lens and manually setting the focus to infinity will help.

As for blurry EXIF would be helpful. Depending on the DOF in the first shot if it was shallow there is no place that looks in focus to determine if it may be front or back focusing. Again without shutter speeds, etc it hard to tell if that is just motion blur. Sensor/lens dirt could effect AF as well.

The second appears a little better but still soft. I believe I read that the T6 has Live View. Have you tried a few shots using that? Also try stopping the lens down to about f8 and try a few shots. The 50 1.4 lens can be a little tougher to work with when wide open. Also try a few with fast shutter speeds to eliminate shake in both regular and live view.

These tests would also benefit from using a tripod if you have one. Record everything you do.

I don't think that your focus problems have anything to do with dust spots. You are very close to your subjects, are you sure that the camera is locking focus before you actuate the shutter?

rrblint wrote in post #19061648
I don't think that your focus problems have anything to do with dust spots. You are very close to your subjects, are you sure that the camera is locking focus before you actuate the shutter?

That lens has a minimum focus distance of 1.5'. Meh. It focuses fast and quiet, which is nice. It also will fail fast if closer than MFD.

I was wondering the same question and think there are two separate issues. I was hoping to separate them out, and hopefully cmarie is finding some of this helpful.

rrblint wrote in post #19061648
I don't think that your focus problems have anything to do with dust spots. You are very close to your subjects, are you sure that the camera is locking focus before you actuate the shutter?

AI Servo would help if there is movement.

Try a couple test shots with any product or stationary object you have. If you can get them sharp and in focus, then it's a focusing problem which can be remedied with AI Servo for moving subjects. If this isn't the case, try stopping down the lens to look for improvements (the 50 1.4 is known to be very soft wide open). It's been noted by other posters but make sure the lens is not closer than the minimum focus distance.