# crap portraits of me



## alexturton (Mar 9, 2013)

I have a 5d3 and I do my best to take good shots of my family when we're out and about on holiday, but when it comes to photos of me no matter what instruction I give, everyone takes crap shots that are either blurred (Because they didn't hold the camera steady enough) or completely OOF because the camera picked an AF point which wasn't my face and they couldn't correct it.

I want to get some nice shots of me when on holiday (that aren't @ f11), what can I do to make it easier for people to use my 5d3?


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## daniemare (Mar 10, 2013)

I have the same problem. I an using 3 techniques to get better results (of my wife and I in front of the camera together)
1 - Scout for someone with a 60D or better, preferably with a red ring lens
I feel this helps getting someone who has the basic technique down and who can understand instruction (see point 2)
2 - I am less worried what people think so I actually ask them to shoot (try) as I explain because I am trying something specific
3 - I put the cam in P mode or at least in auto AF. 9 out of 10 times you are the closest to the camera, thus if you arecovered by an AF point the cam should select you. Focus and recompose is lost on almost everyone (if point 1 did not work)

With these mykeeperrate is much better


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## Orangutan (Mar 10, 2013)

Are you asking strangers to take the photos, or asking your family?

1. P mode. Does the 5D3 have a full auto mode? Or set a custom setting for "clueless tourist settings"

2. Tripod + remote

3. (for your family) Practice/experiment in advance to find out what works


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## emag (Mar 10, 2013)

I dunno. When I looked in the mirror this morning I looked crappy, blurred and OOF. Kinda feel that way today also.


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## cayenne (Mar 10, 2013)

I've given people (often waiters in restaurants in New Orleans) my camera on full blown auto..and they STILL can't seem to get a good pic with ME in it....


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## RS2021 (Mar 10, 2013)

1) First set the AF to one of the "zone" modes and ask them to keep the "orange squares" on your face. Certainly do not use spot or single point. If they are really inept, perhaps even the 61-point automatic slection mode (large "tampon" shaped indicator)  In the latter case the camera typically chooses the closest subject so hopefully you are that object. I personally prefer zone AF I mentioned first in these cases. 

2) I think Tv mode might work bettert than even P mode, crank up the shutter speed to a reasonably high level as lighting will allow... with higher shutter speed works with wide open apertures giving you good bokeh and also minimizes the shake issue (get a sense of how fast the shutter speed should be using AV metering first wide open).... Increase ISO as needed to set shutter speed to minimize shake.

3) If lighting is particularly challanging, consider using a flash, if only as a fill. One assumes these are snaps and not studio level portraits in which case you hopefully won't be asking people who can't focus to take the picture.

4) Ask Gomer to take several shots so you get a few good ones  

Cheers


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## Eli (Mar 10, 2013)

Set one of the custom mode dials to Av, set aperture to what you want, set min shutter speed to 1/250 or 1/125 and auto iso, zone focus, lock focus priority, and you're all set.
Pretty much full auto mode, with controllable dof that you can preset the aperture to accordingly.


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## J.R. (Mar 10, 2013)

Compose the shot yourself and get the AF off the shutter button and only on the back focus button. That way you can ensure that the focus will not change when someone else handles the camera. 

Additionally, you could set up a custom setting of a fast shutter speed, reasonable aperture ... Say f/6.3 and auto ISO.


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## Mr Bean (Mar 10, 2013)

After a few attempts at explaining to folk about the focus points in the view finder, and still ending up with out of focus pic's, I've resorted to the green A mode (Scene Intelligent Auto mode). It uses all 61 AF points.

And to be sure, I get them to take 3-4 pic's, just in case. After all, it's digital


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## canon8 (Mar 10, 2013)

These are some excellent suggestions--which I will try to keep in mind! In scenic areas I'm happy to haul around a dslr or two, but when I give a stranger my camera to take a pic of me......I have much better luck if I hand them my iPhone. I will often look for somebody who has an iPhone or at least some recent smart phone. Then I only have to tell them to lower the camera a bit to not leave a big gap above my head (my experience is that invariably most folks will default to framing with the center of the image on one's face).

So it is not only that I am uncertain how well a random stranger will do with my 5D3--it is also that they will almost always produce a good photo with my little iphone.


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## expatinasia (Mar 10, 2013)

emag said:


> I dunno. When I looked in the mirror this morning I looked crappy, blurred and OOF. Kinda feel that way today also.



+1 

The best is to stick your camera on a tripod and shoot with the timer. Seriously.

I have given my camera to pros (when we are covering the same event) in order to get a nice picture of yours truly, and have been shocked at some of the results. I even asked one if he was joking when I looked at the two shots he had taken, they were that bad! Now I rarely bother.


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## distant.star (Mar 10, 2013)

.
Can't give you much from a tech standpoint. It's the luck of the draw -- keep settings as simple and foolproof as possible and hope.

You may also want to think about karma. I know anytime I see tourists or families I offer to take a picture of all of them with their camera. I pay attention to background, get them posed well, make them smile a bit -- and take six or eight pics real quick. I've taken pictures of thousands of people that way over the years.

Maybe it comes back. Who knows!


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## pwp (Mar 10, 2013)

There you go...this is why people need to hire professionals...
They don't screw up.

-PW


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## RGF (Mar 10, 2013)

If you want poised pictures, put the camera on a tripod, have someone fill in for you and prefocus and set the exposure. Compose loose so you can crop later.

Tell them only to push the shutter button and not to touch anything else

Have them take 10 pictures of you.

Or spend time with the most promising member of the family and teach them the basic of photography.


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## ahab1372 (Mar 10, 2013)

RGF said:


> If you want poised pictures, put the camera on a tripod, have someone fill in for you and prefocus and set the exposure. Compose loose so you can crop later.
> 
> Tell them only to push the shutter button and not to touch anything else
> 
> ...


If you go that far, you might as well go all the way and use a remote


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## nightbreath (Mar 10, 2013)

Tripod + remote:


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## Sporgon (Mar 10, 2013)

nightbreath said:


> Tripod + remote:



I think these are quite good, especially the first one: it's captured a moment, something only still photography can do. 

( + I'm intrigued to know how you didn't bump into the camera on first shot. Did you both jump over it


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## Hillsilly (Mar 10, 2013)

I'm often out in remote areas with nobody to help, so I've become adept at using a wireless remote and/or timer.

Thinking about it, the only time strangers take my family photos is when they come up and offer. And generally, they know what they're doing. In the same way, if I see someone taking a photo of their family, I'll often volunteer to take the shot so that the whole family can be in the photo. Sometimes I won't even charge for this  There is a good spirit of camaraderie amongst photographers.


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## nightbreath (Mar 10, 2013)

Sporgon said:


> I think these are quite good, especially the first one: it's captured a moment, something only still photography can do.
> 
> ( + I'm intrigued to know how you didn't bump into the camera on first shot. Did you both jump over it


It was 17-40 at 17mm, we landed right in the front of the camera. Dancing practice during last years helped ;D


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