F-stop Versus Number of People?

sjhuse

When using the 50mm f/1.8 lens is there a standard f-stop per the number of people/pets?

amigo

Short answer: no.

Long answer:

The F stop determines the depth of field. At the widest aperture, f/1.8, only a small portion of the plane is in focus. For group shots, in order to avoid having certain individuals in focus and others out of focus, I keep my aperture narrower.

When taking a couple standing still for a portrait, I might take a series of shots varying the aperture between f/2.2 and f/5.6. For a large group of people, I vary from f/4 to f/11 using the flash for filling the shadows.