Canon 6D Mark II Settings For Portraits

Canon 6D Mark II Settings For Portraits: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

Unlock stunning portraits with your Canon 6D Mark II. This guide simplifies essential camera settings, from aperture to ISO, helping you achieve beautiful bokeh and sharp subjects. Master your Canon 6D Mark II settings for portraits with these easy steps.

Key Takeaways

• Achieve creamy bokeh with wide apertures (f/1.8-f/4).
• Use Shutter Priority for sharp subjects.
• Set ISO intelligently to balance light and noise.
• Focus on the eyes for compelling portraits.
• Shoot in RAW for maximum editing flexibility.
• Utilize Picture Styles for enhanced color.

Are you eager to capture breathtaking portraits with your Canon 6D Mark II but feel overwhelmed by all the settings? You’re not alone! Many photographers find the vast array of options a bit daunting, especially when aiming for that professional, artistic look. But don’t worry, this guide is here to demystify the process. We’ll break down the essential Canon 6D Mark II settings for portraits step-by-step, making it easy for you to learn and confidently create beautiful images.

Understanding Your Goals: What Makes a Great Portrait?

Before diving into specific settings, let’s quickly touch upon what makes a portrait truly shine. It’s more than just pointing and shooting. A great portrait often features:

• A Sharp Subject: Usually, the eyes are the most critical point of focus.
• Pleasing Background Blur (Bokeh): This helps your subject stand out and minimizes distractions.
• Flattering Light: Soft, diffused light is generally ideal for portraits.
• Vibrant Colors: Colors that are true to life or intentionally enhanced.
• Good Exposure: Ensuring the image isn’t too dark or too bright.

The Canon 6D Mark II is a fantastic camera for portraits, and with the right settings, you’ll be well on your way to achieving these qualities. Let’s get started with the foundational settings.

Essential Canon 6D Mark II Portrait Settings

We’ll cover the most impactful settings one by one. Think of these as your starting points. You can always tweak them based on your specific shooting conditions and creative vision.

1. Shooting Mode: Aperture Priority (Av) or Manual (M)

For portraits, you often want to control how much of the background is in focus. This is primarily determined by aperture.

Aperture Priority (Av) Mode

This is an excellent mode for portraits, especially when you’re starting. You set the aperture, and the camera automatically chooses the correct shutter speed for proper exposure. This allows you to control the depth of field.

How to Set: Turn the main dial on top of your camera to ‘Av’.

Manual (M) Mode

Once you’re comfortable with Av mode, you might want to try Manual mode. Here, you control both the aperture and the shutter speed. This gives you complete creative control, which is essential for consistent results in varying light conditions.

How to Set: Turn the main dial on top of your camera to ‘M’.

2. Aperture: The Key to Bokeh

Aperture is perhaps the most crucial setting for portrait photography because it controls the depth of field – how much of your image is in focus. A wider aperture (represented by a smaller f-number) creates a shallow depth of field, blurring the background and making your subject pop.

• For strong background blur (creamy bokeh): Use a wide aperture like f/1.8, f/2.8, or f/4. The Canon 6D Mark II shines with its ability to achieve this when paired with prime lenses like a 50mm f/1.8 or 85mm f/1.8.
• For more of the scene in focus (e.g., group portraits): You might need a narrower aperture like f/5.6 or f/8.

Recommendation for Portraits: Start with f/2.8 or f/4. If your lens allows, f/1.8 is fantastic for portraits. Always ensure your subject’s eyes are sharp.

3. Shutter Speed: Freezing or Showing Motion

Shutter speed controls how long the camera’s sensor is exposed to light. For portraits, the main goal is usually to freeze the subject’s motion and avoid camera shake.

• General Rule: Use a shutter speed of at least 1/125s to avoid blurry images from hand movement. If your subject is moving (e.g., children), you’ll need faster speeds like 1/250s or even 1/500s.
• In Av Mode: The camera chooses this for you, but it’s good to monitor it. If it goes too slow (e.g., below 1/60s), you might need to increase your ISO or find more light.
• In M Mode: You set it yourself. Aim for what works with your aperture and ISO to get a good exposure.

Pro Tip: Always check your shutter speed when shooting in Av mode. If it’s too slow for sharp results, you know you need to adjust your aperture (if possible) or ISO.

4. ISO: Balancing Light and Noise

ISO determines how sensitive your camera’s sensor is to light. A lower ISO (e.g., 100) produces the cleanest images with minimal digital noise (grain). A higher ISO allows you to shoot in darker conditions but can introduce noise.

• Ideal ISO: For portraits in good light, aim for ISO 100.
• Low Light Situations: If you’re indoors or in dim light and can’t achieve a fast enough shutter speed or wide enough aperture, you’ll need to increase your ISO. The Canon 6D Mark II handles higher ISOs quite well.
• Balancing Act: Aim for the lowest ISO possible while maintaining a suitable aperture and shutter speed for a well-exposed, sharp image. Don’t be afraid to push the ISO to 400, 800, or even 1600 if necessary; modern cameras like the 6D Mark II can produce usable images even at these settings. According to DxOMark, the 6D Mark II offers good performance up to ISO 1600.

5. Autofocus (AF) Settings

Getting sharp focus on your subject is paramount for portraits. The Canon 6D Mark II offers various AF options.

AF Operation: One-Shot AF vs. Servo AF

• One-Shot AF: Best for still subjects. Once you half-press the shutter button, the camera focuses and locks. If the subject moves slightly, you’ll need to recompose and focus again.
• AI Servo AF: Ideal for moving subjects. The camera continuously tracks and adjusts focus as long as you hold the shutter button halfway down.

Recommendation for Portraits: Use One-Shot AF for posed portraits. If you’re shooting active children or pets, switch to AI Servo.

AF Area Selection Mode: Single Point AF

This mode allows you to select a specific focus point and place it precisely over your subject’s eye. This is critical for ensuring the sharpest parts of the image are exactly where you want them.

• How to Set: Press the ‘AF’ button (usually on the back of the camera near the joystick) and then use the joystick or directional buttons to move the selected focus point.
• Placement: Move the focus point so it covers one of your subject’s eyes.

6. Metering Mode: Evaluative Metering

Metering mode tells your camera how to measure the light in the scene to determine the correct exposure. For most portrait situations, Evaluative Metering is the best choice.

• Evaluative Metering: The camera divides the scene into multiple zones and analyzes each to determine the overall exposure. This is excellent for general shooting and portraits.
• Partial/Spot Metering: These modes meter a smaller area of the scene. They can be useful for tricky lighting but require more understanding.

Recommendation: Stick with Evaluative Metering for your Canon 6D Mark II portrait settings unless you have a specific reason not to.

7. White Balance (WB)

White Balance ensures that colors in your image appear natural under different lighting conditions. Incorrect WB can make your photos look too blue (cool) or too yellow/orange (warm).

• Auto White Balance (AWB): This is usually a good starting point and works well in many situations.
• Custom White Balance (or presets like Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten): For more consistent and accurate colors, especially when shooting indoors under artificial light or in mixed lighting, using a preset or setting a custom white balance can be beneficial.
• Shooting RAW: The good news is that if you shoot in RAW format, you can easily adjust the white balance later in post-processing without losing image quality. This gives you a lot of flexibility.

Recommendation: Start with AWB. If you notice color casts, try a preset or consider setting a custom white balance if you’re shooting JPEGs. If shooting RAW, don’t stress too much about WB in-camera.

8. Picture Style

Picture Styles on your Canon camera affect the overall look and feel of JPEGs, influencing sharpness, contrast, and saturation. While you can adjust these later if shooting RAW, setting them appropriately can give you a good starting point for JPEGs.

• Standard: A good all-rounder for general photography.
• Portrait: This is specifically designed for portraits and aims for pleasing skin tones and moderate sharpness.
• Neutral: Provides a flatter image with less contrast and saturation, offering more room for editing.
• Faithful: Aims to reproduce colors as accurately as possible.

Recommendation for Portraits: Try the ‘Portrait’ Picture Style. If you prefer more control in editing, ‘Neutral’ is a great choice.

9. File Format: RAW vs. JPEG

This is a critical decision that impacts your workflow and image quality.

• JPEG: Processed and compressed by the camera. Smaller file sizes, ready to share immediately. However, editing flexibility is limited.
• RAW: Unprocessed image data. Larger file sizes, requires editing in software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. Offers maximum flexibility for adjusting exposure, white balance, and recovering details.

Recommendation for Portraits: Shoot in RAW. This is especially important for portraits where you might want to fine-tune skin tones, exposure, and background blur. The advanced editing capabilities of RAW files are invaluable.

Putting It All Together: Recommended Canon 6D Mark II Settings for Portraits

Here’s a summary of the recommended settings to get you started for typical portrait scenarios. Remember, these are starting points, and you should adjust them based on your environment and creative intent.

This table provides a solid foundation. Experimenting with these settings will help you understand how each one affects the final image. For instance, see how changing the aperture from f/2.8 to f/5.6 impacts the background blur, even if the exposure remains the same.

Focusing Techniques for Sharp Portraits

We mentioned focusing on the eyes, but how do you ensure you nail it every time? The Canon 6D Mark II has a capable autofocus system, but technique matters.

1. Select Your Focus Point Strategically

As detailed before, use Single Point AF. Place that active point directly over the eye closest to the camera. This is your primary target for sharpness.

2. Use the “Focus, Then Recompose” Technique (with Caution)

This is common when using the center focus point.

1. Aim the center focus point at your subject’s eye.
2. Half-press the shutter button to lock focus.
3. While still holding the shutter button halfway, recompose your shot to your desired framing.
4. Fully press the shutter to take the picture.

Caution: This technique works best when the subject is relatively close and the aperture is wide (shallow depth of field). Minor movements during recomposition can shift the focus plane slightly, especially with very wide apertures. For critical focus, especially with wider apertures, it’s often better to recompose using the AF point selection joystick.

3. Utilize Live View for Critical Focus

For static subjects or when extreme precision is needed, the Live View mode on the back of your Canon 6D Mark II is invaluable.

1. Switch your camera to Live View mode.
2. Zoom in on your subject’s eye using the magnification button (usually marked with a magnifying glass icon).
3. Manually move the focus point over the eye.
4. Use the focus ring on your lens to achieve tack-sharp focus. You can see the magnified view change in real-time.
5. Once focused, you can either take the shot in Live View or carefully switch back to viewfinder shooting, ensuring you don’t move the camera.

This method is excellent for studio portraits or when working with a tripod.

Lighting Tips for Beautiful Portraits

While settings are crucial, lighting is king in photography. The Canon 6D Mark II can capture great images, but good light makes them exceptional.

Natural Light: Your Best Friend

Soft, diffused natural light is incredibly flattering for portraits.

• Overcast Days: These days act like a giant softbox, providing even, gentle light.
• Shade: Shooting in open shade (e.g., under a tree, on the shadow side of a building) offers beautiful, soft light without harsh shadows. Avoid direct midday sun, which creates unflattering shadows and squinting.
• Window Light: Position your subject near a window, but not in direct sunlight. Light coming from the side is often very appealing.

Using Reflectors

A simple reflector can make a huge difference. If your subject has shadows under their eyes or chin from the main light source, a reflector can bounce light back into those areas to fill them in.

• White side: Provides soft, neutral fill light.
• Silver side: Offers a brighter, more contrasting fill.
• Gold side: Adds warmth to the skin tones.

A reflector is an inexpensive tool that can significantly improve the quality of your portraits. You can purchase one from most camera stores or even make a DIY version.

Artificial Light (Flash)

If natural light isn’t available or suitable, a Speedlite (Canon’s external flash) is a great option. Avoid pointing the flash directly at your subject, as this creates harsh light. Instead, bounce the flash off a ceiling or wall for a softer, more diffused effect.

Common Portrait Scenarios and Settings Adjustments

Let’s look at how you might adjust your Canon 6D Mark II settings for different portrait situations.

Scenario 1: Outdoor Sunny Day Portrait

Challenge: Harsh direct sunlight can create strong shadows and blown-out highlights.

• Solution: Move your subject into open shade or use a reflector to fill shadows. If shooting in direct sun is unavoidable, use a faster shutter speed (e.g., 1/500s) and a slightly narrower aperture (f/5.6-f/8) to manage the bright light. You might need to increase your ISO slightly if you can’t achieve a fast enough shutter speed.

Scenario 2: Indoor Portrait with Available Light

Challenge: Often low light, leading to slow shutter speeds or high ISOs.

• Solution: Position your subject near a window. Use Aperture Priority (Av) mode with your widest aperture (f/1.8-f/4). If the resulting shutter speed is too slow (below 1/125s), increase your ISO gradually until you reach a safe shutter speed. The Canon 6D Mark II handles ISO well up to 1600 or even 3200 in a pinch.

Scenario 3: Group Portrait

Challenge: Ensuring everyone is in focus.

• Solution: You’ll need a deeper depth of field. Use a narrower aperture (f/5.6-f/11). Ensure your shutter speed is fast enough to avoid camera shake (1/125s or faster). You might need to adjust your ISO accordingly to compensate for the narrower aperture and maintain exposure. Focus on a point midway between the first and last person in the group.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the best lens for portraits on the Canon 6D Mark II?

A: For portraits, prime lenses with wide apertures are highly recommended. Popular choices include the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM (very affordable and excellent value), Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM (a classic portrait lens), or the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM for wider environmental portraits. The zoom lens you likely have, like the 24-105mm kit lens, can also work, but you’ll be limited in achieving significant background blur compared to prime lenses.

Q2: How do I get that blurry background (bokeh) in my portraits?

A: To achieve a blurry background, you need to use a wide aperture (small f-number like f/1.8, f/2.8, or f/4), position your subject away from the background, and get closer to your subject when focusing.

Q3: Is shooting in RAW really necessary for portraits?

A: While not strictly necessary, shooting in RAW offers significant advantages for portraits. It provides much more flexibility in post-processing to adjust exposure, white balance, recover shadow and highlight detail, and fine-tune colors without degrading image quality. This is especially useful for getting skin tones just right.

Q4: How do I avoid blurry photos when shooting portraits?

A: To avoid blurry photos, ensure your shutter speed is fast enough (at least 1/125s, faster for moving subjects), use a reliable autofocus system and focus on the eyes, and ensure your lens is clean. Using a tripod can also help stabilize the camera.

Q5: What if my skin tones look off? How do I fix white balance?

A: Skin tones can look off if your white balance is incorrect. If shooting JPEGs, try the ‘Portrait’ Picture Style or experiment with different WB presets (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten). If shooting RAW, the best way to fix white balance is in editing software like Lightroom or Photoshop, where you can select a neutral gray or white object in the image or use a dedicated WB tool.

Q6: Can I use my Canon 6D Mark II’s touchscreen for focusing?

A: Yes, absolutely! When in Live View mode, you can tap on the screen where you want the camera to focus, and it will automatically adjust. This is a very intuitive way to select your focus point, especially for portraits.

Conclusion

Mastering your Canon 6D Mark II settings for portraits opens up a world of creative possibilities. By understanding and applying the principles of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and autofocus, you can move beyond basic snapshots and start creating images that truly capture the essence of your subjects. Remember to prioritize sharp focus on the eyes, utilize soft light, and don’t shy away from shooting in RAW for maximum editing control.

The journey of photography is one of continuous learning and practice. Use this guide as your starting point, experiment with the settings, and observe how each change impacts your photos. With patience and practice, your Canon 6D Mark II will become an extension of your vision, helping you create beautiful, compelling portraits you’ll be proud of.