2.3 Focus

Brief

I have been asked to find a good location with good light and take a portrait shot. I must select a wide aperture and long focal length, I must also take a viewpoint about one and a half meters from my subject. It is suggested to focus on the eyes.

Planning and execution

I decided I would take this photo at the beach where there are loads of weather beaten cliffs and dunes. I felt outdoors would be the best place to get good lighting and hoped that the sand would contribute in some way of reflecting light back onto my subject.

I selected a wide aperture and focal length and took the shots, I made note of the fact that I wanted my background a bit blurry so the main focus was on the face.

I feel this photo is very effective, the eyes are the main focus and the way the wind has blown her hair is very natural looking. The dunes in the background give some warmth to the photo and the light house also lets the viewer know that we were at the beach.

Final thoughts

I found this very interesting and I am very happy with the results, it has made me want to take more portrait shots. It has also taught me that lighting and location are very important and I would not change anything in the future.