Wide open Petzval portraits: How to keep focused.

[Lachlan 717]

Okay, here's the scene:

I've set up a portrait using a Petzval at f4. Shooting from a couple of metres (i.e. 6 feet), I have very little DOF. Using the ground glass, I focus on the subject's eyes. DOF allows me about 75mm of sharpness.

What techniques do you use between your last check of focus and inserting the film/taking the shot to make sure the subject doesn't inadvertently move outside this tiny zone of focus?

(Classic example of how important it is to keep the eyes in this zone is in Jim Galli's Jesus at 100)

I've thought about building a "sitting post" - a long rod attached at right angles to a board. The subject sits on the board with the rod up his/her back as the image is composed. Once focused, they simply try to keep the rod in the same position until the shutter is fired. Not too sure if this is going to affect the comfort (and, thus, the overall natural feeling) of the shoot.

Any tips are most welcome!!

Lachlan.

[mandoman7]

I got a 5" B&L projection Petzval from Mr. Galli and have been enjoying the adventure. I wanted to be familiar with its usage before wasting someone else's time, so I decided a self portrait would be a good challenge this morning.
Aside from my disturbing appearance , I was fairly pleased with my focus technique.
Your idea for positioning is a little like my strategy. I used a light stand to hang something where my head would be for focus initially. Then I took note of how items to my right lined up in the room, so I could return to the same place. 2 of the 4 were in good focus, this is the less grumpy looking one.

[Anthony Lewis]

Lachlan,

Your question is exactly what I would like to ask. What techniques has anyone developed / invented to keep the subject in focus between focusing the camera and exposing the film?

I have thought of using one of now outdated light activated devices that shopkeepers used on their shop doors to warn when customers entered. When customers walk through the beam, an alarm sounds. If I set up the beam so that if the subject's face is just say 5mm from activating it, focus in this position, then in theory I just ensure the subjects face is just off activating the the beam again when I expose.

But all these methods sound clumsy to me and off putting for the subject which is the opposite to what I want.

This is Lachlans thread, but I feel someone out there must have developed a good technique to cope with keeping the subject in this very tight focus range?????

[eddie]

you can make some sort of a head brace.

also if you threaten your sitters some times this helps.... LOL just kidding.

most of the time once the sitter has worked with you and the lens and they see how just a bit of movement ruins the shot they are more conscience.

i have been working with wet plate collodion recently so i have had the added trouble of a several second exposure as well as an f3 or f4 petzval.

i get them to sit back into the chair. give them an easy pose. tell them NOT to smile. you would not believe that it is actually harder to sit still AND smile! i tell them they can breathe and blink. i ask them to try and not sway back and forth.

also using a longer lens helps as this allows you to be farther away thus increasing your DOF or if no longer lens is available i move farther away and settle for a 3/4 pose of a full body portrait. tight 1:1 head shots are very very difficult as you may imagine. oh! you could also use a smaller format.

i have not used the below brace....i am making one though.

the picture of al was shot wide open on an 8x10 petzval voigtlander 7B 14 inch wide open at f3. note it is about a 3/4 shot. and al is a LF photographer so he understands the difficulties.

the last is a shot of my wife using the same lens. she has had a lot of practice.... it took some time.......

i hope this helps.

my photo.net portfolio has several petzval lens shots if you care to see more.

eddie

[Walter Calahan]

Focus on the eyes, not the ears. Then bolt the subject in place. HA!

[eddie]

shoot dead people!

[csant]

Why would you shoot them id they are dead already?

[Bruce Schultz]

Tie a string on the camera or tripod, focus then stretch the string to the subject's eyebrow and mark the string. That should give you a quick gauge to check focus.
Actually, I've not tried this method but it seems like a reasonable solution.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

I have used both methods mentioned, string and neck brace. The string works well, but can be an inconvenience. I have a 19 century neck brace which is beautiful, but usually freaks the sitter out, as it feels a bit S&M. Generally prefer to simply use a chair with a back, and if necessary a pillow. Once the sitters back is in place they usually don't move very much.

[Kerik Kouklis]

Having your subject seated or leaning against something helps a great deal. I also have a modern head brace which helps, but isn't a necessity. Most of my portrait work for the last 4 or 5 years has been 8x10 wet plate collodion with wide open Petzvals and often very closeup. I always ask the sitter to relax and then I check focus one last time right before inserting the plate holder in to the camera. These methods have proven to work very well for me.