Portraits with Canon Digital Rebel

[mindrules]

I have the 18-55mm kit lens and f 1.8 50mm Lens for use with this camera and I want to take portraits from chest up of people.

I have been able to take decent pictures of flowers, nature so far.

I need recommendations regarding which lens of these two lenses to use, background, aperture, shutter speed, background (indoors and outdoors) lighting, poses to use.

I have seen drop screens hung on walls, used by professionals for portraits. How much do these cost?

Is there an amateur substitute for these drop screens, like a black or brown cloth?

I have a 500 W halogen bulb (I used it in a diffused box for photographing small objects), is this of any use for portrait photos?

[Rhys]

I have the 18-55mm kit lens and f 1.8 50mm Lens for use with this camera and I want to take portraits from chest up of people.

I have been able to take decent pictures of flowers, nature so far.

I need recommendations regarding which lens of these two lenses to use, background, aperture, shutter speed, background (indoors and outdoors) lighting, poses to use.

I have seen drop screens hung on walls, used by professionals for portraits. How much do these cost?

Is there an amateur substitute for these drop screens, like a black or brown cloth?

I have a 500 W halogen bulb (I used it in a diffused box for photographing small objects), is this of any use for portrait photos?


50mm f1.8 is a good lens to use. Others advocate for portrait 100mm and 135mm. Personally I think the 50 will be excellent.

Indoors, use 1/200th and the 420EX flash. Or use th halogen bulb and stick to 1/60th or greater with an appropriate aperture. Make sure the eyes are in focus.

[mindrules]

50mm f1.8 is a good lens to use. Others advocate for portrait 100mm and 135mm. Personally I think the 50 will be excellent.

Indoors, use 1/200th and the 420EX flash. Or use th halogen bulb and stick to 1/60th or greater with an appropriate aperture. Make sure the eyes are in focus.

With the 50 mm f1.8, the aperture remains constant (f1.8) right?

Any suggestions about the background? A white wall appears dirty white in the picture? I was thinking about buying a dark piece of cloth and hanging it on the wall with push pins

[TheObiJuan]

With the 50 mm f1.8, the aperture remains constant (f1.8) right?

Any suggestions about the background? A white wall appears dirty white in the picture? I was thinking about buying a dark piece of cloth and hanging it on the wall with push pins


look on ebay for muslin, buy some material you like.
The 50 f/1.8 has a maximum aperture of f/1.8, but you can shoot atleast to f/22?? I believe.

Some photogs, like myself, like to drag the shutter to get some ambient light in the exposure, like 1/40-1/60, whereas 1/200 will force a black background.
The use of flash in necessary on either one though.
I would recommend shooting at 1/40-1/60 and f/4-5.6, whatever to get a good exposure. Experiment! :cool:

You could go with a faster f-stop, but then your depth of field shrinks and out of focus shots will increase.

edit: you may want to adjust the flash exposure compensation to get proper exposures when dragging the shutter.