what's your focus routine in LF portraiture?

[alanps]

I usually use wide apertures such as F8 or 5.6 on my 210mm Calumet (5x4) - and in fact usually focus on the bridge of the nose first, not the eyes. Try it - its a trick from the Hollywood greats such as Hurrell, Bull, Bachrach etc :-)

[cjbroadbent]

Have a look at August Sander's full length portraits. There is often something on the ground he used for pre-focus.

[stehei]

I'll try those tricks, thanks,
just did another 2, (cannot post them because they are for a show, and the
organisation would not be happy), I think pre-focussing would help indeed, to help
give more time for interaction. I wish they had an 8*10 grafmatic!!

regards

stefan

[jnantz]

I've shot maybe one or two portraits with my 4x5. I pretty much did the same thing as the original poster and it turned out surprisingly well. Does anyone find it strange though, that you have to tell someone to stay absolutely still while you slide in a film holder, hoping their head didn't waver back or forward at any point? Oh, and i should have mentioned, the portraits i did were both shot wide open which explains my concerns with focus. It seems that with portraits where perspective and focus control aren't very complicated (compared to something like...architecture), wouldn't it be a little more practical to shoot on digital, roll film, or something else that doesn't require GG focusing?

sometimes it is easier to shoot these other formats,
but the beauty ( for me at least ) of making portraits
is to stand next to the camera and dance with the subject a little bit.

i usually size the person up and chat with them as i am setting up the camera - 0-ing everything out &C.
i focus on their eyes. or nose or hair or hands or something ... next to, behind or in front of them.
it is different with every one and depends on what the photograph might be about
(and what i am using to take it with - some lenses DOF is behind the subject and some are in front of it.)
i like using a graflex slr because if i want, you can use it like a "large" format camera ( on a tripod, focus, &C&C&C )
or i can study the ground glass with the film ready to be exposed and trip the shutter --- like a "small" format camera.