I've been wanting to take more self portraits, but I've found that getting a good focus with a manual camera has been nearly impossible for me. For some reason, I just can't 'get it.' But a quick search today gave a really simple answer --it's called reverse focusing. What you do is use a tripod. Put your camera on it and then figure out where you want to place it, and where you want to aim it at (that is, where you will be). Then, take off the camera and go to the spot you will be at and then set the focus so that you are focusing on the tripod. Manual cameras, I guess just care about distance, not so much a particular object, and so then you take the camera back to your tripod, set the timer, and scramble to your spot, pose, and wait for the click. Advance the film, and repeat as many times as you can stand to. Sounds simple enough, huh? Now I just have to give it a try. I will let you know how it goes.[For some more ways of setting manual exposure, go here.]
Photo: Black and white film. From my Trainspotting Set on Flickr.
4 comments:
That's a clever idea. Never really thought of that.
For the record, all cameras focus based on distance. :)
Yeah, I know that -- in the back of my head -- but the digital camera I was using had a clever face recognition program built in, and so, when set, I could just go anywhere I wanted at any distance and the camera would search out and focus on my face. Digital focusing is so much different than regular old-crusty camera focusing, and I found that frustrating.
I am such a moron for not considering the reverse focusing technique. I think I need to take my camera on a play date...
Thanks for the link, I've even given it a go.
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