Live View 5Dmk3 for portraits

So does anyone use live view for portraits? And if so how do you focus on the models eyes? Or do you use live view just to get the exposure close and then go back to single spot or single focus on the eyes? I did use the face detect but when shooting wide open I need to control more accurate focus

Use 10X magnification and focus manually. You'll need a tripod.

Wouldn't it just be faster to set a respective AF point, and focus via the viewfinder to rattle off a bunch of different shots? I guess it depends on what type of modeling shoot you are doing. I personally never use a tripod or live view for senior portraits and family shots.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17673324
Wouldn't it just be faster to set a respective AF point, and focus via the viewfinder to rattle off a bunch of different shots? I guess it depends on what type of modeling shoot you are doing. I personally never use a tripod or live view for senior portraits and family shots.

I agree. I don't understand why you would even want to. Live view is useful in a few cases but portraiture is not one of them.

In fact, it seems to me that trying to do portrait shooting using live view would be a major pain in the butt.

I have never done it that way. What happened was I was reading about exposure simulation and in live view I can adjust the exposure and see the results on the screen and can get very close to the exposure in one or two test shots. Otherwise I merely focus on the eye using spot focus and fire away

If you just want to use live view vs just snapping a few test shots to gauge exposure, then it probably doesn't necessarily matter where you focus using live view. One great use of portraiture during live view is using the multiple exposure option, if you like to dabble with it. You can take your first shot and and then use live view to compose your second shot and line it up exactly where you want it vs guessing in the view finder.

The more you complicate portraiture technique, the more likely you are to lose the subject. Good communication and emotional content are more important than live view amd fiddling with the camera. Focusing isnt that hard that you need all of that.

use tripod, trust in your AF, or use another camera that is built for that purpose.

do you really need exposure simulation? take some test shots.

I have always just taken test shots. And its not hard to do. Just wondered if live view made it easier...apparently not!!

I never use Live View except for video of course.

esinghal wrote in post #17674212
I never use Live View except for video of course.

LiveView is good but you need a tripod. Exposure simulation and critical focus assessment with T/S lenses is a prime example of something that's real tough without LV.