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This week's video I go over my thought process and considerations for a portrait session.  Exposure, camera settings, lens and composition are all discussed.  Hopefully you will get a better idea of what to think about before your next portrait session.

One more thing I didn't talk about much is location.  This really depends on what type of photo you want to create as well as what your client expects.  If you are into grungy urban portraits right now and have a client that wants to have photos of her and her horses you will need to rethink things and make sure you have some ideas beforehand.  Then again if the urban portraits are all you do then turning down that other job could be preferable.  It all depends on your style and what/how you want to do - thats the great thing about photography you can make it your own!

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0 # Pickup2sticks 2011-05-26 07:25
Good info Greg. You seem a lot smaller these days.
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+3 # Colin 2011-05-26 07:40
Interesting vid, but the lens you talk about 70-200 im guessing your on a full frame camera, does the lens choice stay the same if on a cropped sensor as the 70-200 changes to about 100-300.
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0 # Chester 2011-05-26 07:49
Is there any difference in photo quality if you setup your ISO first then aperture and shutter speed compare to aperture and shutter speed first then ISO? Thanks.
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0 # Susan F 2011-05-26 08:04
Great video, though I wish it was a tighter shot of ya! It was like the tree was talking to me ;) But great info as always!
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0 # Ulrich 2011-05-26 08:11
Quoting Colin:
Interesting vid, but the lens you talk about 70-200 im guessing your on a full frame camera, does the lens choice stay the same if on a cropped sensor as the 70-200 changes to about 100-300.

50-150 Sigma ;-) - I love this lens.
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0 # Anthony 2011-05-26 08:27
T-shirts?????
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+2 # Michel 2011-05-26 08:49
Great video. You are the first who is talking about refocusing point to recompose slightly. Good!! I began to do this not a long time ago and it does a huge difference especially (as you said)if it is a short distance (worse in macro). I use center point if it is a quite long distance or a good depth of field!
I have a pentax 50-135/2.8 with a x1.5 crop sensor camera! yes i am a pentax user...Sorry!
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0 # Gary Thursby 2011-05-26 09:12
Quoting Michel:
Great video. You are the first who is talking about refocusing point to recompose slightly. Good!! I began to do this not a long time ago and it does a huge difference especially (as you said)if it is a short distance (worse in macro). I use center point if it is a quite long distance or a good depth of field!
I have a pentax 50-135/2.8 with a x1.5 crop sensor camera! yes i am a pentax user...Sorry!


LOL! I learned on my fathers Pentax P30 manual focus camera with 50mm f2 prime. Hey when I watched Big G's first video exposure, knew exactly what he was talkin about mainly from that camera!.
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0 # Brian 2011-05-26 09:22
Weird - I looked at your stuff and it's nothing like Karsh.
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0 # Dima 2011-05-26 09:45
Thank you Greg, very informative video. Would have been nicer if you zoomed in a bit :)
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0 # Gary Thursby 2011-05-26 09:51
Just wanted to say thank you for this video Greg. It was very very helpful. One last thing I wanted to ask you about portraits and its about background. Was the reason you showed the big tree with all that pretty green you could use as a nice defocused background. In my minds eye I can see a portrait with all that pretty green in the background. Do you look for a nice even background Greg or will that 200 f2.8 "knock out" any distracting backgrounds. Like a parking lot near that park I would consider a bad background.
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+1 # Candice 2011-05-26 10:03
Yupper! I learned something today. In fact I picked up several things. I have to say the choice of scenery you picked for the shoot was awesome. I expected to see horses running through the video. Beautiful. Thanks for taking the time and for making these tutorials. Lots of work and I really appreciate all of it. Great Day to you and yours.
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+1 # sabrina Takorabet 2011-05-26 11:52
Hello Greg, thank you for this great video. I have a question, I have the Nikon 50mm D and the D7000, the point is that I'm always hunting to make sharp photos, and the focus-recompose in just tough for me. I've been told to exclusively use the central focus point with a single mode, this makes me shift a while to recompose my picture, this is time so the subject may move and the exposure changes a lot. I've herd about cross type focus points and other that are not, could you explain? the best thing is to have a whole tutorial( if you have time of course) about focusing and tips that help us always get sharp photos. Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge with us.
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-1 # Blair 2011-05-26 17:20
Love the video, great content but I like to see who is talking to me, you were tiny in that video bud...

Lastly, I stopped watching the Frizzy guys site when you left, you were (in my opinion) 50% of his brand so I'm glad to see you back in action.

-Blair Wright
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+3 # Matt 2011-05-26 18:37
Thanks for another great video! I love this type of info. Thanks.
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+1 # Ari in DC 2011-05-27 07:07
A follow up question about shooting from above the subject's eyes...what if your subject is taller than the photographer? I'm on the short side, 5'5", so should I be bringing a stool to do my headshots?
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0 # Erick 2011-05-27 09:13
I understand that you use Full Frame cameras but most people are using crop-sensor cameras and the considerations are a bit different, what is your advice for portraits in this case?
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-1 # Felice 2011-05-27 15:03
Mr. C. awesome...

Grazie/Gracias

i get confused on aiming focus points
and exposure and how changing one
effects another, especially in contrasty
scenes...
thanks again for sharing.
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-1 # Scott M 2011-05-27 15:55
Another great video Greg. I too have lost interest in the "other" site since you left. Keep the videos coming!
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+2 # Rick Raively 2011-05-27 18:35
Hi Greg,

Another great video and wonderful info. Many thanks but...

you looked like a yard gnome and it was distracting :)
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+2 # Kleemy 2011-05-28 16:00
100 Percent information, 0 Percent self-portrayal. That´s how I like it. Thank you Greg. This video was very helpful again.
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+3 # ved 2011-05-29 11:33
Thanks for sharing Greg! dont you think you're standing too far in the video? We can't see you
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+1 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-06-07 07:46
Quoting Ari in DC:
A follow up question about shooting from above the subject's eyes...what if your subject is taller than the photographer? I'm on the short side, 5'5", so should I be bringing a stool to do my headshots?

Yes.
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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-06-07 07:48
Quoting Brian:
Weird - I looked at your stuff and it's nothing like Karsh.

That doesn't mean a thing. I don't want to copy his work, only learn from it to develop my own style.
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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-06-07 07:49
Quoting Anthony:
T-shirts?????

T-shirts have been on my mind ;)
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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-06-07 07:50
Quoting Colin:
Interesting vid, but the lens you talk about 70-200 im guessing your on a full frame camera, does the lens choice stay the same if on a cropped sensor as the 70-200 changes to about 100-300.

Yes, you still need a 70-200 f2.8.
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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-06-07 07:51
Quoting Chester:
Is there any difference in photo quality if you setup your ISO first then aperture and shutter speed compare to aperture and shutter speed first then ISO? Thanks.

As long as your settings are the same, no. I recommend my way because shutter speed and aperture are more important to the composition and technical quality of the image than ISO. Our cameras are so good these days that high ISO isn't a factor like 3-5 years ago.
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0 # sabrina Takorabet 2011-06-07 11:45
What about the 105 f/2.8 for portraits instead of the 70-200?
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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-06-07 11:59
Quoting sabrina Takorabet:
What about the 105 f/2.8 for portraits instead of the 70-200?

Instead of? No. In addition to, yes. The 70-200 2.8 has so much flexibility in the images it can create you just don't understand it until you own one.
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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-06-07 17:01
Quoting sabrina Takorabet:
Hello Greg, thank you for this great video. I have a question, I have the Nikon 50mm D and the D7000, the point is that I'm always hunting to make sharp photos, and the focus-recompose in just tough for me. I've been told to exclusively use the central focus point with a single mode, this makes me shift a while to recompose my picture, this is time so the subject may move and the exposure changes a lot. I've herd about cross type focus points and other that are not, could you explain? the best thing is to have a whole tutorial( if you have time of course) about focusing and tips that help us always get sharp photos. Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge with us.

Only using the center focus point is the worst advice ever. Just as I say in the video, shoot with a single point and put it on the eyes/face and only recompose slightly when you need to, if at all.
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0 # Bob Skinner 2012-07-03 11:47
Thanks Greg, thoroughly enjoy all your videos and, as a relative beginner, I have learned a great deal from your lessons. Many thanks and I will continue my support of your site. Regards Bob (UK)
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0 # Roger Rawson 2012-08-03 12:27
Just been told about this site. After watching just3 of the vidieo I think it is great. Your link is now on our web forum ."Wisbech Camera Club" Hope the members dont get too good after watching you. Now back to the rest of the videos. Cheers great help. Roger (uk)
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0 # yoanna 2012-08-14 20:16
Hi Greg, and thank you for all you do! i have nikon D5100 and heard you suggesting nikon 70-200mm VR lens for portrait shoot, weddings. as i understand that lens would be good for full frame body like nikon D3 series, which lens would you recommend using that is the same caliber just for D5100? Thank you very much!!!
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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2012-08-27 09:43
Its good for any camera.
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0 # Magaly 2013-01-22 20:39
Hi Greg, I'm loving your videos!

If I can't afford a 70-200 2.8 FX at the moment, is it worth buying a less expensive DX lens even if I own a FX camera? (Nikon d600)

thx
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