First post. Looking for advice

I'm fairly new to photography and taking Photography 101 at a local college. I took this picture for a project with my nifty fifty indoors next to a window using aluminum foil on cardboard as a reflector. Using a tripod and model on the chair 3 feet away, I used AF to focus on her eyes then switched to MF so the lens wouldn't hunt every single time. I checked focus before each shot and it always looked good. But now I see her eyes are OOF. I had to do some sharpening in Elements to get this result.

How can I get it sharper? Do you guys think I should just leave it in AF? Is the exposure just long enough for a person to move out of the zone of focus at f9 at 1/2.5sec three feet away? Or is there something else I'm not doing right?

Thanks for all your input!
Mike

I would suggest trying to move your AF to the AF-ON/* button on the back so you won't have to keep putting your lens in MF and possibly messing up critical focus.

Also are you using a tripod because at 1/2.5 seconds even the subject swaying a little bit can add blur or ruin focus.

Yes it was on a tripod. So I guess when working with people I should always have it in AF even if they're sitting still on a chair?

I think you problem was most likely motion blur. Your subject would not have to move far to blur a pore. In the old days, people would be posed against a large solid object so they wouldn't move. Maybe you need a tripod for your subject's head.

The shutter speed is to slow for a really sharp image. Try to follow the rule of 1/focal length (1/50).

poloman wrote in post #9073169
I think you problem was most likely motion blur. Your subject would not have to move far to blur a pore. In the old days, people would be posed against a large solid object so they wouldn't move. Maybe you need a tripod for your subject's head.

JayJphoto wrote in post #9073238
The shutter speed is to slow for a really sharp image. Try to follow the rule of 1/focal length (1/50).

Both great pieces of advice. Thanks!

just looking at the image i can see motion blur. speed up the shutter.

yes even in a tripod you will get some motion blurr at that shutter speed since ur subject would not be perfectly still. u needed to be like 1/60 or above.

can I ask why you chose those settings to shoot the portrait? Just curious.

PaulaLynn wrote in post #9079700
can I ask why you chose those settings to shoot the portrait? Just curious.

ISO 100 for low noise, f/9 because I've taken sharp pictures of objects at this setting and the shutter because that was the exposure. Though I know now that I need something faster to avoid motion blur.

Good advice given and I'm sure the point has been received. To comment on the composition of the shot though, and not the technical aspects of it... I think it's very good. Take the advice and redo the shot--you'll have a winner. Thanks for sharing

What autofocus mode are you using? I always shoot in one shot for portraits. Make sure your not using al servo. I found the nifty fifty to really want to hunt even when you don't think the subject is moving in al servo.

Michael Bottoms wrote in post #9082663
Good advice given and I'm sure the point has been received. To comment on the composition of the shot though, and not the technical aspects of it... I think it's very good. Take the advice and redo the shot--you'll have a winner. Thanks for sharing

Thanks! This is definitely a learning process!

locky wrote in post #9082836
What autofocus mode are you using? I always shoot in one shot for portraits. Make sure your not using al servo. I found the nifty fifty to really want to hunt even when you don't think the subject is moving in al servo.

It was in single shot AF. Though I tried using AF to get the focus, then switching to MF to recompose on the tripod so it wouldn't hunt for focus. A strange habit I got into that I need to unlearn