Portraits: Missed Focus?

So i did a small shoot for a friend today and managed to get around 15 shots. i noticed that some of them looked very soft and even out of focus/blurry or something. I haven't had this happen before so could it be the sunlight from the background making it look soft?

anyway here's the pics. I shot with a XSi from ISO 100-400. 50 1.8 mkii @ 1.8 for most shots. i used spot metering too and confirmed focus twice before taking each shot.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

It is very common for everyone to start shooting at f1.8 or f1.4 when people get their "nifty-fifty" because it's the first lens they seem to have that creates awesome bokeh due to a short depth of field. However, it's also the problem in these shots with "missed focus" I think. The last shot is the best example of this as she is somewhat in focus but he is not. On a Canon XSi with a 50mm f1.8 at about 10 feet from the subject you have about a 10 inch depth of field. There would be no way to keep both of them in focus in the last shot.

This shouldn't have been as big a problem with #1 and #5 though based on their pose and your distance. While the bright spots itself shouldn't throw the focus off, it may if you do not choose your focus point well. For portraits always focus on the eyes. Note that you have to focus and hold the shutter half way down while you re-compose the shot. I, personally, prefer back button focus which avoids the accidental re-focusing.

What is the shutter speed that you ended up with on these shots? Is it possible it's a case of camera shake?

Hope this helps!

Yep, I've learned the lowest you should go ever on the Mark II 1.8 is 2.2. Once you perfect that and shoot when the sun is less intense you will have some amazing shots!

jerefish wrote in post #12631763
Yep, I've learned the lowest you should go ever on the Mark II 1.8 is 2.2. Once you perfect that and shoot when the sun is less intense you will have some amazing shots!

Even at 2.2 you will not have enough DOF for #5.

thanks for the replies. I had the shutter speed at 1/200 or higher for almost all the shots (the ones i posted anyways). I get how shooting at 1.8 would create a very shallow dof but i did focus on Kyle (the guy's) face in the 1st and 5th shots. I actually had him oof in the last shot on purpose but i guess it didnt turn out how i expected it.

its still funny how the entire #5 looks oof. like i viewed it at 100% and couldnt find one spot that seemed in focus.

I also have the XSi, and I've noticed that sometimes it just misses the focus. It looks alright in the viewfinder and on the screen, but once you upload them to the computer you're like,"What the heck?"

I also agree with what was stated about f/1.8. I shoot at f/2.8 a lot and a couple's faces won't be in focus at that aperture.

^^ i normally shoot with a 20d but i wanted to use my friends XSi to ensure shots were in focus since it has a larger lcd. ironic huh ahaha. since it was just a shoot for a friend she wasnt expecting pro results but im just disappointed that i had to throw out more than a few shots that weren't focussed properly.