where to focus for sharp eyes?

just wondering really. If you have a very fast lens or tele, so you have shallow DoF, do you manage ok aiming at the eyes? Doesn't the AF sometimes grab hold of the nose, which might make the eyes soft? Just wondering if any of you ever focus on the mouth or perhaps forehead?

sorry if its a silly question

I select and place the appropriate focus point on the eyes. Simple.

How about on the eyes...?

If you're catching the nose and not the eyes, you should probably maybe stop down a little bit so the whole face is in focus...or at least give yourself the nose and both eyes. Just because your lens can do f/1.2 doesn't mean you have to be at f/1.2. As a matter of fact, if I can get away with it I'll use an aperture small enough that I only have to aim for the head.

Eye lashes.. When focusing is very critical for me I focus manually and never focus and recompose..

its just I've read that the 'real' centre focus point (for example) can extend quite a bit outside of the little rectangle representing it in the viewfinder. So how do you know its catching the eyes (let alone the lashes!)? Just practice and getting a feel for it?

i know you don't always shoot really wide, I usually don't. But I'd like to try it occasionally.

If you are framing a face tight enough to need this critical of a focus then you should be able to see that the focus is correct. This is why I installed the EE-S focus screen in my 5D though, so that I can visually differentiate sharp and OOF regions. It works for both AF confirmation and MF.