How I Set My Camera for Stunning Portraits

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[@MartinCastein]

Want to learn how I edit? See my portrait editing workshop here: martin-castein.teachable.com/p/portrait-photography

[@tudorciobanu3895]

Thank you. One of the few youtubers who is in photography and not in equipment sale.

[@dexon555]

Buy Canon cameras, they are the best. 😂

[@TonyFabris-lb2mg]

⁠@@dexon555 not for me ,they are NOT !

[@dexon555]

@@TonyFabris-lb2mg I was just making a joke. Camera brand choice is a personal choice.

[@mikafoxx2717]

​@@dexon555They each do things a little differently. Canon has good menus, ergos, and autofocus. Nikon has better build and ergos, Fuji has good looks and more fun, and Sony has more paper tech specs for the dollar.

[@mikafoxx2717]

And also actively uses 16 year old cameras, today, despite having some of the latest and greatest. Skill over gear for sure.

[@danthegeetarman]

Your videos are a breath of fresh air among the many ‘you X Piece of gear’ or ‘You need to do X myth / rule in order to get good photos’. Yours focus on the craft and skill level with gear more serving as a means to an end. Even when settings is the main subject, there’s still valuable philosophical or creative substance in the video. I still have a lot of past videos to go through, but if you haven’t done it already, dispelling popular “myths and rules” would be a really cool series. Perfect example, you are 100% right with the “brightest” object theory not being true in many cases. That was something that I believed prior to watching this video. That was a cool exercise to try out. In all of the examples the subject is what I looked at, not the brighter background. That teaches me a lesson that I shouldn’t just rule out having brighter things in the background just because, I should use good judgment and analysis before I rule it out. Things like that is why I love coming here for your videos. Most other KZbinr photography channels are an ‘echo chamber’, and just reiterate the same cliches and myths / rules - that lock our creativity up, whereas your videos inspire and give us tools for success in _our own_ photo journey 🙏

[@dmytrohryshyn]

For some reason I have a feeling that I know Martin for ages and he is my best friend. Thank you sir.

[@MartinCastein]

Thank you my friend

I fell the same

[@michaelmc457]

Me too!

[@KatarinaSmelikova]

Can't agree more, Martin. Portrait photography is more than technical skill; it’s about capturing the subject's essence. Creativity starts in the photographer’s mind, not with the lens-how accurate! A great portrait tells a story, reflects emotions, and connects personally. Every choice-lighting, composition, and setting-supports the narrative you envision, making the portrait a true reflection of the individual. A good photographer needs to think before hitting the shutter. Love your work, Martin!

[@grantmedical]

Thank You! The concept of increasing SS to 1/400s or faster for outdoors has dramatically improved my portraits! Yes it means ISO 400 - 600 for me on most days, but the overall subject sharpness and separation has dramatically improved!

[@MartinCastein]

Glad to hear it and don’t worry about the iso

[@romanp8409]

I've only just started watching YT photographer videos, so take this with a grain of salt...but you are the best "teacher" I've come across. I think we have an issue in the social media age where people who are good at a craft think they are equally good at teaching said craft, but that isn't always the case. In fact, I'd argue that we have such a saturation of "influencers" because most people do not possess the skill of both their craft and teaching. I believe you are amongst the minority. I've only seen a handful of your videos, but I've already learned so much. Keep up the good work!

[@MartinCastein]

Thank you very much that means a lot to me very kind.

[@timgasper8748]

I like your way of thinking with creativity. Yes, it is never about a 'number' on your camera. It's so much more. Not only does it come from the mind and your thoughts and ideas, but it also comes from the heart...a feeling, an expression. I also find that at times the aperture can be used a little deeper. Say f5.6 or 8. There are infinite amounts of possibilities in which it can be used. I have used f5.6 on occasion to lend a 3D effect. The subject being tightly in focus while the foliage in the fore and background become blurred. This lends a frame to the subject. It is most flattering. I thank you for your wonderful video and how precise you are in your explanations.

[@ClaesFeldt]

Hi Martin, BTW: This video is 18 minutes long, and do you know what ? I saw every second of it !! You´re voice, and how you explained things did actually made me calm and i really started to listened to you and you´re experience. Not many have done that at youtube. They just want their 10 minutes in the limelight. I understood more or less everything you talked about and i will bring it in to my thoughts when i photograph. Thanks so much, Martin ! And keep up the good work you do.

[@MartinCastein]

thanks! Im glad to know someone watched the whole thing, you may be the only one I have no idea but thank you for letting me know and you got some value from it!

[@1EyedJack51]

Thank you kindly for taking your time to make these extremely informative and helpful videos!!! Your videos have helped my photography immensely and I appreciate you sir !! Respect from 🇨🇦👍

[@MartinCastein]

You are so welcome!

[@andrewdenby8239]

I do find your videos exceptionally informative and well pitched/ explained and above all, useful, thanks Martin

[@JohnBrimmer-c3h]

Thank you so much… I’m learning so much from your videos… I’m learning concepts from you and understanding the why behind the settings you’re recommending

[@michaelvenezia2633]

Martin, thank you for this essay on "creativity" in it's application by understanding lighting. It's the progression, or evolution, from mechanical to artistic. Your speaking about finally "breaking the rules", and letting go all the while holding on for dear life to a technological teather. Having that exhilarating feeling of the wind and rain on our face, but keeping a sharp eye on the histogram, and swerving in post to avoid the clipping and banding. Now you've gone and done it...the gagiteers will mock you, but the those more daring souls will march bravely into the harsh, but somehow pleasing, ambient light the way Johnny Depp walked into a new world in "The Ninth Gate".

[@Evanx373]

I honestly prefer 2f.8 or f 3.5 for portraits because with f1.4 a lot of the time only the personce face will be in focus and the rest of their upper body won't be. Where with f2.8 or 3.5 the body is nicely visible with everything behind still being blurred

[@homecareful]

Great job. You are obviously very well acomplished at portrait work and you really want to share what you have learned. While there are certainly times when I don't quite grasp what you are saying, enough comes through. Your work is often not perfectly exposed because there is little drama in 18% grey. Great work, thank you.

[@kolpejna1503]

Thank you Martin! Your videos make actual sense and are not an ego-puff platform. Great work. Cheers!

[@MartinCastein]

I appreciate that!

[@MartinH1701]

I always come here for practical, no nonsense ideas. Thanks!

[@BGTuyau]

A thoughtful presentation in re several of the essentials of portrait photography, with some practical tips.

[@ShareseVHatch]

Your portraits are masterpieces!! Thank you so much for sharing the "how to".

[@MartinCastein]

My pleasure 😊

[@KeithPaynePhotography]

Thanks!

[@MartinCastein]

Thank you!

[@venniev2302]

sincerely thank you for the great videos, the way you explain things is amazing especially techniques, the artistic side the practical side and the reason behind everything . i learned alot from your videos

[@MartinCastein]

thank you very much im glad you learned a lot from my videos that helps me make more knowing people find them useful!

[@Twobarpsi]

Excellent info and advice Martin! I will have to watch this a few more times to fully remember it all. You have taken some incredible portraits! Portraits are my main genre of photography, and the advice you give is much appreciated. Cheers!

[@dillank3240]

Wow, there's so much in this video! I see myself in many of the mistakes you describe. Thanks! This will be worth revisiting in the future too!

[@CliffHairston]

Thank you for all that you have done so far and all that is ahead. As a hobbiest I do get an awful lot out of everything you post, especially your opinion pieces. I’m eager to see your new content and may have to pigeon some money away to join you in your other platform as I know it will be more than worth it. Thanks again!

[@tintin69rr]

Awesome video thanks for all the explaining 👍

[@alimouizina5318]

Thanks for the explanation! I always thought digital cameras capture more tonal information from midtones to highlights, rather than midtones to shadows. But you mentioned that sensors actually store higher quality data in the midtone-to-shadow range, which has me a bit confused. My understanding is that as long as the highlights aren’t clipped, it’s better to recover details there than to underexpose, as underexposure can bring out noise when editing. That said, I now see your point about underexposing when dealing with such a bright background in this particular situation

[@MartinCastein]

I explain it like this because it gets the desired results from beginners. In reality, highlights can increase in value exponentially as opposed to shadows which tend to be more linear and so its easier to just see it as under exposing to preserve the highlights if you need to. I dont think I can explain that in depth in a video well enough to keep peoples attention yet. So basically in harsh backlight the if you under expose the highlights its easy to recover the shadows if they are in good light vs bad light. You only really get noise if the light in the shadows is poor.

[@alimouizina5318]

@@MartinCastein Ok I get it now. Thanks for the clarification and to make it accessible for beginners (like me)

[@smooth111012]

Excellent advice, I have had a couple of white wedding dresses slightly blown out in the past, mainly on sunny afternoons etc

[@geraldinebryce594]

I often think of what do want to take away in the light in my photo then I decide what light do I want for my photo. I always set up for my ambient first. Really good video Thank You

[@samcvisuals]

Really helpful and informative. Love your videos. I’ll put this on practice, lately I’ve been working on improving my portraits

[@jongilmour211]

I bought a canon 5D mark ii $250, great photos. Thank you for the great info, duke from Philly

[@krisk5196]

5d2 is one of the best !

[@wmbrennan]

Loved your video and I watched the whole thing twice!

[@MartinCastein]

wow thank you!

[@jlaw8882]

A most valuable video, thanks. It would greatly assist someone learning to show the actual image taken vs the edited final image in a tutorial like this.

[@KayriM18]

More people need to hear this. Excellent advice! Thank you

[@lerrynhawke3375]

Another vid that make me practice! I love the shots I'm taking (and how/why) now after watching your vids.. and LOVING your recommendation of the nikon d810, im just having a blast.. thanks again champ, just got lightroom happening so won't be long before I Crack into some of your editing videos

[@freekvanbuul5100]

Amazing tutorial, very informative. Happy to be a new follower!

[@MartinCastein]

Welcome aboard!

[@fintonmainz7845]

Excellent

[@kornelnyp]

What a fantastic explanation what and why! Thank you for the video! Subscribed!

[@MartinCastein]

Thanks for the sub!

[@bratsdelight]

What a gem Martin is Thankyou sir❤

[@adg8269]

This is very useful. Please make a video about skin tones. I struggle to get them right.

[@xcx8646]

White balance is key there, but it also comes down to personal taste as manufacturers use different colours and renderings. Personally I prefer older Canon DSLRs and Fuji for skin tones, but YMMV. That said, you don't always (rarely, in fact...?) need perfectly accurate skin tones. The colour palette is vital, and an 'unnatural' skin tone often looks best when part of an overall colour harmony blend.

[@adg8269]

@@xcx8646 great insights, thank you!!

[@bottomendbliss]

Brilliant video. Learnt a lot. Havnt heard quite a lot of this info before even though iv watched loads of photog vids. Thanks very much. Sub.

[@janwilson9485]

Thanks Martin - really useful tips.

[@briansimmons3175]

Just found this by accident. Found it really helpful and informative. Thanks very much

[@mesesq]

Great presentation, great info. I’m not a beginner, but there is still much to take away from discussion of concepts like this. One thing though mate : even as a pro, and certainly for amateurs, one concept that rounds out the consideration of DOF has to do with the actual lens being used and the distance from the subject. That is, using 2.8 on a 135mm lens for portraits is not the same as an 85 mm. In terms of bokeh or falloff and in terms of compression and composition, it matters. I don’t think amateurs really get this immediately. It’s a big consideration - shooting a portrait at 2.8 in the studio on a 135 or 200 mm lens requires a decent amount of space, and also starts to introduce problems (unless it is intended), with the DOF even from the tip of the nose to the ears. This problem still exists, and can be exacerbated by medium format kit, like Fuji GFX 50s or 100 for example, where the 110 f2 lens or the 85 1.7 have substantially different DOF at 4.5 or 2.8 than any full frame Canon or Sony lens for example. Anyway, its a deep subject that requires examples and diagrams to fully explain. Again, you channel is tops. Cheers.

[@dan.knows.photography]

This was super informative Martin 👏

[@Georgie_B_]

Fantastically helpful and straight-to-the-point information as usual Martin. Thank you! Btw do you have any videos on your editing process? Your photos often have a very appealing smoothness and silky finish to them. Any windows into your editing workflow would be really cool. Thank you!

[@andrewcroft2570]

Great video, Martin

[@lifesbeautiful3024]

Awesome teaching. Amazing job. Many thanks. Subscribed.

[@mariemclaughlan5404]

Thank you Martin.

[@ilmatanela1816]

Great content, informative and well explained. Liked and subscribed.

[@tundrusphoto4312]

Wonderful. Thank you.

[@janedagger]

Lovely, perfect even. I have learned again. Shapes, that's what the eye is drawn to. Think of it as painting with people. :)

[@des7638]

awesome perspectives. thanks for this

[@janedagger]

It's my belief that when we look at a person's face... its the shadows that make it. It's as you said, the contrasts. When a face is lit so there's a darker side and a lighter side, that intersection of light and dark creates a shape derived from it's planes. And those shapes, I think, subliminally register along with whatever other info we are going to get thru both simple examination and (and we all do it) the 'evaluation' process we can go thru as we compare the face with our... little preferences or type. :) and let's trash all ring lights.

[@MartinCastein]

Love this mate, I missed this post it’s very nicely written

[@janedagger]

@@MartinCastein Danke, Bruh :). I'm trying to remain positive as I watch my country reveal it's true face and it's desire to make millions of people's lives... miserable.

[@Lubo54]

Martin 👍👍👍 EXCELLENT. THANKS

[@sigurdrille9693]

Thank you, great video🙏🙌

[@martinedwards3082]

lovely,clearing up some stuff for me.

[@blindsquirrelmedia]

Master class. Thank you for doing this.

[@MartinCastein]

No worries!

[@nelsono4315]

excellent video ! Thank You

[@charlesfisher2134]

Could you do a video on shooting a run and gun event . Like the Halloween one I have coming up . One 580 EX II flash. Use a flash modifier ect. E-TTL? Indoors. Thank you.

[@luissalazar2021]

Well say, thanks for sharing

[@jannavratil9846]

you are pretty good, thank you for sharing

[@Alensbove]

I love this video I’m adding it to my library we don’t need college

[@KerryFreemanMelbourne]

Great lesson...

[@PJ-om2wq]

You talked at the end about the wedding dress scenario. If I go near to the bride filling the frame so I can check that the dress isn't blown out, and then step back for a wider shot, presumably the near up exposure is still valid (providing that ambient light didn't change) ?

[@MartinCastein]

Yes that would work but you can take a test shot with blinking highlights on and see where the picture is blowing that’s faster

[@ronnieleebailey]

I always felt our eye is indeed drawn to the brightest thing - but it doesn't necessarily stay there more than a moment. We identify what it is, and then we move on.

[@johananGR]

Thank you. Great!

[@RohannvanRensburg]

With most high end modern sensors, you get about 4-5 stops of shadow recovery without bad colour issues, and around 1.5 stops of highlights overexposed.

[@paularnold9009]

Thanks Martin.. can you share your philosophy of white balance ?

[@charlesfisher2134]

Man great job 👍

[@ukaszspoczynski2533]

Perfect!

[@TheMIMEOFGOD]

Great video, I have a question. Are you using a grid on you softbox for your studio portraits?

[@MartinCastein]

no generally not, sometimes i do but i think not on any in this video, just control the light on the background with the distance to the background.

[@JR-ro5kv]

Very interesting and informative. If you were to add a sentence or two on white balance setting, what would they be? I have Nikon mirrorless and find setting wb to 5000K works well when reviewing images in camera

[@MartinCastein]

Carry on as you do, find the white balance that works best for you when you review your images.

[@JamesMears76]

Great, thank you very much

[@r423fplip]

Fast shutter speed beats optical image stabilisation, if your subject is moving.

[@notcirrious]

Great advice from a pro- ta x

[@robigerovasilisphotography]

I’m gonna binge watch all your previous videos. You have drawn me in 🙋‍♀️

[@vincentoliver]

I kept looking at the light in the background even before you mentioned it

[@dwaynepiper3261]

Thank you, well done. Advice thats a level above your typical youtube photography channel. Your comment about mid and shadow quality seems to contradict the ETTR crowd. Can you elaborate on this point more or do a more in depth video on the topic. My gut tells me that getting the exposure as close to ideal in camera and minimize post exposure adjustments is going to give the best tonal qualities. Under and overexposure only on a need basis like in the example you give.

[@tatcavicon]

chào anh, tôi sử dụng nikon d300 và d800 nhưng màu sắc nó không như tôi mong muốn, tôi thấy ảnh của anh rất thích nó, hy vọng anh có thể làm 1 video chi tiết về cách anh hậu kỳ, chỉnh sửa vài tấm ảnh chụp chân dung trên file nikon. cám ơn anh rất nhiều.

[@artrellwillson2113]

I have a question I have a canon 5D mark 2 and I want to do street pictures and I have a 28-300mmm is that good for me to use

[@MartinCastein]

id get a 40mm 2.8 stm

[@MartinCastein]

or a 35mm f2 is or a 50mm 1.8 stm but id prefer the other two i mentioned.

[@hackinghifi]

In a pinch a mannequin head can work well to practice on. Thanks for the video!

[@johnson_guite]

What lens or focal length so u use for shooting this talking head video?

[@MartinCastein]

50mm

[@johnson_guite]

@MartinCastein thanks...

[@pematamang9268]

Do you know Hollywood’s celebrity photographer Greg Williams? He uses any available light for great portraits and even he uses car LED lights. He said not to complain about the light and he said it depends way to used.

[@MartinCastein]

Yes he does pretty much as I say in this video.

[@theren8311]

I agree that it's not just light which draws the eye, but I disagree with the example given. That example works because of the fact that it's the only object in an empty area. So one would therefore assume that the eye is drawn to a subject that has prominence in the frame (not separation). For example if you took the same example and replicated the dots in a grid format, then what's the subject now? So give your subject prominence and it'll always stand out, even if something as bright as the sun is in the frame.

[@MartinCastein]

I was just trying to show it’s not a solid rule. It always depends.

[@jimpool6096]

It would be nice if you could demonstrate with a model what you're trying to tell us. And demonstrate for each idea you're talking about.

[@MartinCastein]

I will try and do this at some point but it costs me £400 every time I do that.

[@karlx19]

Good old Amber 😉

[@SolViewStudios]

My eyes were drawn to the white, should i be worried? 1:20

[@MartinCastein]

No but you won’t survive a zombie apocalypse, you’ll be staring at street lights and bright stuff

[@SolViewStudios]

@@MartinCastein apocalypse comes and im first guy with a gun in my mouth

[@MartinCastein]

thats not going to scare the zombies

[@robertradke8026]

Ha. That’s funny

[@fandangofandango2022]

It's a Science.

[@onemanband3579]

Cheers, another top-notch video! Good luck with telling your model that she's not the brightest thing in the picture.

[@MartinCastein]

That’s brilliant 🤣

[@odysseusreturns9133]

Yes I agree, very wide appertures are over rated. My f1.4 lens isn't much good until f1.8 and my f1.8 lenses only come into their own at f2.2. The only lens that is I found is just as sharp as a prime and throughout the zoom range and at all f stops is the Nikon 80-200 f2.8 ed.

[@Manuelimages]

No i saw the white area

[@MartinCastein]

🤣

[@flamindigo]

f-stops do not a photographer make - light is the page, the photographer is the pen - the image is the story

[@Andreee73]

16:32 ... Sorry but it's not correct to my eyes ... ETTR states the opposite ..

[@MartinCastein]

in the sense that there is more recoverable dynamica range in the. shadows than highlights, if you take the whole point in context but I agree the wording wasnt perfect. The image in the example is ETTR in relation to that highlight region. If i did ETTR on the entire image it would be disasterously under exposed and unrecoverable and noisy.

[@E.Michael]

#2 - Dec. 2, 2024.

[@destinyangel5]

My I phone Pro max has portrait mode no need to muck around with settings and big heavy very and expensive devices .

[@onemanband3579]

Please leave the room.

[@MartinCastein]

your phone is more expensive than my camera by about 4x but ok.

[@wellsyboy]

Hi Martin - just found you and glad I did. In the example of Ellie with the lights in the background - when you say that you under expose ⅔ to 1 stop what in camera metering mode are you using?

[@MartinCastein]

Hi thanks! im using matrix