Portrait of Ayla

[Cem_Usakligil]

As you can read in this thread (http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8542), I am enjoying the usable higher ISO settings of my new 5DII very much. This morning, my daughter was sitting at the table across me while I was playing with the 5DII & the 70-200L 2.8 IS mounted on it, so I couldn't resist taking some pictures of her to see how the camera would perform. This one was quite OK, I thought. Please feel free to C&C. PS: I did doubt whether I should crop away the right hand side (dark vertical part) or not. What do you think? Or any other cropping suggestions?

ISO 6400, f2.8, 1/60s, 70mm
http://www.usakligil.com/photo/fora/opf/aylaportrait1.jpg

Cheers,

[Asher Kelman]

As you can read in this thread (http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8542), I am enjoying the usable higher ISO settings of my new 5DII very much. This morning, my daughter was sitting at the table across me while I was playing with the 5DII & the 70-200L 2.8 IS mounted on it, so I couldn't resist taking some pictures of her to see how the camera would perform. This one was quite OK, I thought. Please feel free to C&C. PS: I did doubt whether I should crop away the right hand side (dark vertical part) or not. What do you think? Or any other cropping suggestions?

ISO 6400, f2.8, 1/60s, 70mm
http://www.usakligil.com/photo/fora/opf/aylaportrait1.jpg

Cheers,

Of course it's a please to say "Hi" to her again, "Hello Ayla! Wendy swore she'd never marry a photographer, LOL! You are commended for being a loyal volunteer".

I'd definitely leave the dark space as it provides a depth to the picture and is not full deep black, anyway. The total blurred background is a satisfying contrast to the detailed rendering of her wavy hair, (to which, Im partial)!

How was she lit? The shadows are soft, so is it window light? Did you open it up at all in Shadows/Highlight in PS?

Now here's a question for you. John Sheehy suggests that with the 5D II there's no gain going above 3200 ISO. He advises instead to use - EV and then one gains up to 4 stops in highlight headroom and brighter jpgs. could you try this and see if you find it hooks you as a new shooting guide to best use of the ISO range.

Asher

[Asher Kelman]

Of course it's a pleasure to say "Hi" to Ayla again, "Hello Ayla! Wendy swore she'd never marry a photographer, LOL! You are commended for being a loyal volunteer".

I'd definitely leave the dark space as it provides a depth to the picture and is not full deep black, anyway. The total blurred background is a satisfying contrast to the detailed rendering of her wavy hair, (to which, Im partial)!

How was she lit? The shadows are soft, so is it window light? Did you open it up at all in Shadows/Highlight in PS?

Now here's a question for you. John Sheehy suggests here (http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8542) that with the 5D II there's no gain going above 3200 ISO. He advises instead to use - EV and then one gains up to 4 stops in highlight headroom and brighter jpgs. could you try this and see if you find it hooks you as a new shooting guide to best use of the ISO range.

Asher

[Cem_Usakligil]

Of course it's a please to say "Hi" to her again, "Hello Ayla! Wendy swore she'd never marry a photographer, LOL! You are commended for being a loyal volunteer".

I'd definitely leave the dark space as it provides a depth to the picture and is not full deep black, anyway. The total blurred background is a satisfying contrast to the detailed rendering of her wavy hair, (to which, Im partial)!

How was she lit? The shadows are soft, so is it window light? Did you open it up at all in Shadows/Highlight in PS?

Now here's a question for you. John Sheehy suggests that with the 5D II there's no gain going above 3200 ISO. He advises instead to use - EV and then one gains up to 4 stops in highlight headroom and brighter jpgs. could you try this and see if you find it hooks you as a new shooting guide to best use of the ISO range.

Asher
Yes, Ayla and Hanny are definitely my loyal "volunteers". The main light was coming from the large garden windows on the left hand side. Secondary light source were the windows at the far right hand side. I did not open up shadows or highlights. Most PP was about getting the color balance right and a little bit of a noise reduction. After that, resize and output sharpen.C'est tout!I have printed this at 8x10 size and it looks great on paper I should add.

I am curious about the method recommended by John and I was planning to test it fully anyway. So I'll do that soon.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

I am curious about the method recommended by John and I was planning to test it fully anyway. So I'll do that soon.

I believe John also has a 5D2, or at least tested one. He probably found that the sweetspot where amplifier noise exceeds shot noise + darknoise + Post Processing, is around ISO 1600-3200. So it's best to stay at that ISO even if you need more sensitivity and just underexpose and push in post processing. You can force that underexposure with a -EV correction of the built-in exposure meter, or use Manual exposure with a deliberate underexposure if ISO 3200 is not enough. Underexposure automatically safeguards (specular) highlights.

I'm not familiar with the 5D2 specifics, but one also typically wants to stay at 'full ISO increments' with most Canon models (i.e. 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200). I've disabled the intermediate settings on my 1Ds3 with a Custom Function (I don't know if the 5D2 also has such an option).

Anyway, don't forget that there is no substitute for real photons if you can find them (additional room lighting, reflectors, etc.) for ultimate quality. Having said that, the 5D2 seems quite capable of making the best of whatever littlle light is available ...

Bart

[fahim mohammed]

Cem, you have a lovely daughter and are lucky that she is also a volunteer for your 5DII tests you .

My eyes somehow are distracted by the darkness on the right side and I would crop that. I know Asher
prefers to give a lot of ' breathing' room.

Re: high ISOs, I go to b/w above 640 myself. that's just me.

Best.

[Cem_Usakligil]

..I'm not familiar with the 5D2 specifics, but one also typically wants to stay at 'full ISO increments' with most Canon models (i.e. 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200). I've disabled the intermediate settings on my 1Ds3 with a Custom Function (I don't know if the 5D2 also has such an option).
Hi Bart,

This was one of the things I have immediately changed in the custom functions when I first got the camera. Yes, the 5DII can ;-)

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Bart,

I've disabled the intermediate settings on my 1Ds3 with a Custom Function (I don't know if the 5D2 also has such an option).
Probably - the 40D does.

Best regards,

Doug

[Mike Shimwell]

Cem

I'm with Asher on this one and would leave the right side of the pic in to give her space to breathe. I too underexpose at iso 1600 or 3200 and push in post, but then I don't have an alternative

Mike

[Kathy Rappaport]

Ayla looks lovely - I really see both you and Hanny in her image here. The image and light is wonderful but I agree - remove the side. I might consider a slight vignette to the image to focus on her although the bokeh is perfect and it's not necessary.