The most engaging portraits seem to have direct eye contact between subject and viewer, as if the camera were simply a window through which we’re looking. But is it that simple? So much goes into making a good portrait, can success simply come down to eye contact between subject and camera and is it even necessary to concentrate on the eyes for a portrait? There are certainly wonderful portraits that do not focus exclusively on the eyes that illustrate character with other aspects of the body, from posture to hands, but as an introduction to the craft of portraiture, it’s important to understand how and why attention on a subject’s eyes is important, and to be familiar with methods of achieving that attention.
The Whys of Focusing on the Eye
The “why” of this equation may be as simple as the adage about eyes being the window to the soul or, better, the wonderful William Henry quote, “The eyes shout what the lips fear to say,” but the eyes are our most visually expressive tool. We appreciate and encourage direct eye contact in personal encounters, and our ability to communicate is enhanced when we look into one another’s eyes. A portrait is intended to communicate, and having your subject’s eyes engaged with your gaze as a photographer will convey characteristics about that person to the viewer. As a photographer, it’s your job to ensure that the characteristics are true to the person, not caricaturized nor only true to the fleeting moment of that exposure. This is the challenge. The eyes can tell so much, be sure that your image does not convey only a generic expression. Before and while you photograph, create an atmosphere that will allow the sitter to be comfortable and let their eyes reveal deeper aspects of their personalities. And be ready to capture those instances.
Photographs © Cory Rice
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As stated, there are many portraits that do not focus on the eyes but, assuming you will feature your subject’s eyes, an important first question to ask yourself when directing a portrait session is: do you want your subject looking directly at the camera, engaging, even confronting the photographer and viewer, or do you want them to look slightly away and be more observed by the photographer and viewer? Your understanding of and relationship with your subject will help you come to the best conclusion and you can certainly do both within the same session, but in both instances, it is important to register the expression of the eyes and keep them in focus.
There are also questions you must ask if you plan to shoot in profile or have one of your subject’s eyes closer to the camera. In addition, if the portrait includes more than one person, you will have to decide if all of their eyes will be in focus or just one person’s. It is normally considered appropriate to focus on the eye closest to the camera if the head is turned slightly and, when you have multiple people in frame, you can use lens and camera settings to keep each person’s eyes in focus or choose your primary subject and have only their eyes be in sharp focus.
The Hows of Focusing on the Eyes
Directing the viewer’s eyes to that of the subjects can be accomplished in many ways and the skilled portraitist can utilize and combine several techniques to do so.
Proximity
A simple technique, if you want to call it that, is to be very close to your subject, a close-up on the face that almost demands the viewer engage with the eyes. Place your camera directly in front of your subject and be as close as focus and comfort will allow and fine-tune the focus to be sure the closest eye or both eyes are sharp.
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Posing
As a portraitist, it is important to be able to direct your subjects, to give easy-to-follow instructions that will put them in the best light and with the most flattering expression. Often, a photographer will “direct” the sitter’s eyes, whether to look directly at the lens or, perhaps, to the light source or even to glance away from the camera for effect. Placing hands on the face, using poses and head positioning to your advantage are proven techniques to direct attention to the subject’s eyes.
Aperture
Setting the lens’s aperture to establish shallow depth of field (or depth of focus) is another way to create a powerful portrait with a focus on the eyes. Lower aperture settings, f/2.8 and below, create depth of field that is very shallow, placing focus on only a narrow plane, while the rest of the image is out of focus. When shooting with a large aperture, be sure to maintain focus on the eye; it is not always easy—even the slightest movement will move focus to the nose or hair. When captured successfully, a portrait with shallow depth of field focused on the eyes is gorgeous; the rest of the face and background will exist in a beautiful blur, while the eyes sparkle and draw the viewer’s attention. This is a common technique, but remember that you have to be very accurate with your focus and understand that more light is entering the frame with an open aperture, so compensate with your ISO and shutter speed settings. Most mirrorless cameras offer features to help focus more accurately, including focus peaking and focus magnification.
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Lighting
Effective use of lighting is another way to create powerful portraits with focus on the eyes. Whether you use warm sunlight that is low on the horizon and “lights up” someone’s eyes, or a studio strobe setup to highlight the eyes, these lighting techniques will become a portraitist’s best friend. Using the proper studio lights and light-modifying equipment, one can create shadows everywhere but have eyes glow within the shadows. Another technique utilizes “catch lights,” which are the reflection of the light source itself in the sitter’s eyes. This is a proven technique to create engaging portraits.
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Eye AF Modes
Not all portrait subjects sit still and follow commands; not even the ones who are trying to sit still can do so for long. Fortunately, recent models of cameras have included focus modes that register eyes in the frame and maintain focus on the eye, even when the subject or camera is moving. These features, generally referred to as Eye AF, are a kind of artificial intelligence and provide an automated digital solution for one of the biggest challenges of the portrait photographer.
Most camera manufacturers include some form of Eye AF in various models, from cameras suited to enthusiast photographers to medium format digital wonders. Nikon’s Z system mirrorless cameras are noted for their autofocus systems, and the latest Nikon Z 5 Mirrorless Digital Camera supports Eye Detection AF, which uses facial recognition to help lock focus onto subjects’ eyes.
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Sony’s AI-driven Real-time Eye AF is supported by most of its current mirrorless cameras, including the a7R IV, and works in AF-S and AF-C modes for stills and video. Sony also offers Animal Eye AF for capturing stills of pets! Cameras by Olympus feature Intelligent Subject Detection AF, which enables Eye AF to prioritize the left or right eye, and Panasonic Lumix models use Advanced AI Technology for their many focus-detection capabilities.
Additionally, Canon and its Dual Pixel AF system uses “Deep Learning” technology for improved subject tracking and precise eye, face, and head detection for humans and animals. Across FUJIFILM’s broad range of digital cameras, from the FUJIFILM X-T200 Mirrorless Digital Camera to the GFX Mirrorless Medium Format system, its processors also support Face- and Eye-Detection AF.
While these Eye AF functionalities represent a remarkable technological leap, they are not infallible. Help these systems work by placing sufficient light on your subject’s face and by using your continuous or tracking autofocus modes with the Eye AF mode to increase the likelihood of maintaining focus on the eyes when your subject is moving.
Placing sharp focus on your subject’s eyes is a crucial step in making consistently arresting portraits. Let us know your thoughts on portraiture and perhaps share some of your best images with us in the Comments section, below.
All the photos used to illustrate focus techniques in this article were made by Cory Rice as part of B&H’s “What is Photography?” portrait series.
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