Need advice on head shots/portraits

[JohnT]

I might have an opportunity to shoot some informal outdoor portraits and head shots in the near future (will be a first). Probably my best lens for this is going to be the Canon 100mm f/2.8. I know I don't want to go too wide with the aperture, resulting in a focussed nose and OOF ears. What would be a good aperture range for shooting in this situation?

[srwatters]

Originally Posted by JohnT

I might have an opportunity to shoot some informal outdoor portraits and head shots in the near future (will be a first). Probably my best lens for this is going to be the Canon 100mm f/2.8. I know I don't want to go too wide with the aperture, resulting in a focussed nose and OOF ears. What would be a good aperture range for shooting in this situation?

I tend to like f/5.6, but it all depends on how much flash vs. ambient light you'll be using. Use the DOF caculator to determine your depth of field (doh) given your camera body, focal length and working distance. Then adjust the aperture to get the desired DOF. I'd suggest 0.5 feet minimum if you want ears and nose in focus along with the eyes which is the most important feature AFAIC.

[JohnT]

Thanks, Scott. I'm planning to use available light as much as possible, shooting during the PM golden hour. I will use flash, however, if absolutely necessary.

I think I'll practice on my teenage son before the actual shoot. He just loves being my "guinea pig."