Wide open technique?

[Acadian]

Hello,

Curious as to the different techniques used by some of you when shooting wide open (1.2 - 2). I have recently moved from a 135 f2 to an 85 f1.2 for most of my portrait work and have found that I have had to adjust my technique slightly to accommodate the limited DOF wide open on the 85. During a session yesterday I found myself relying heavily on the "one push" method for acquiring focus/shutter release. This did help somewhat but I am limited by having to rely mostly on the weaker perimeter AF sensors of my body due to the composition orientation I most heavily use.

[witz]

Hello,

Curious as to the different techniques used by some of you when shooting wide open (1.2 - 2). I have recently moved from a 135 f2 to an 85 f1.2 for most of my portrait work and have found that I have had to adjust my technique slightly to accommodate the limited DOF wide open on the 85. During a session yesterday I found myself relying heavily on the "one push" method for acquiring focus/shutter release. This did help somewhat but I am limited by having to rely mostly on the weaker perimeter AF sensors of my body due to the composition orientation I most heavily use.
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I tend to bracket my focus and fire bursts of 10 frames or so.

[Acadian]

I tend to bracket my focus and fire bursts of 10 frames or so.
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Do you find that helpful with live subjects however? Back in my catalog days we would focus bracket for off figure creatives (zipper/stitching details etc...) but found that technique not really useful for on figure (live) subjects. I focus mostly on headshot's these days and as you will see by the attached samples, focus is critical for me at the eyes. I tend to get quite close to the subject which only exaggerates the problem so I tend to gradually orient myself more perpidincular to the subject the closer I get, the further out I get the more I am able to rotate my position in relation to the subject.

[witz]

Do you find that helpful with live subjects however? Back in my catalog days we would focus bracket for off figure creatives (zipper/stitching details etc...) but found that technique not really useful for on figure (live) subjects. I focus mostly on headshot's these days and as you will see by the attached samples, focus is critical for me at the eyes. I tend to get quite close to the subject which only exaggerates the problem so I tend to gradually orient myself more perpidincular to the subject the closer I get, the further out I get the more I am able to rotate my position in relation to the subject.



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well, all that really matters to me is that the closest eye is sharp for this kind of work, so I hover my focus around that, very slight moves. sometimes I'll move the cam if its hand held rather than the focus ring. my 85 1.2 is right on... but my 50 1.4 is not trustworthy in af. live view on the 1ds3 really helps!

but.... the main thing for me is that the client is happy and options of brackets is the safest bet.