How to Adjust Nikon D5600 Portrait Settings?

How to shoot portrait photography using Nikon D5600

How to Adjust Nikon D5600 Portrait Settings?

The Nikon D5600 is a DSLR camera with 24 Megapixels. It has improved white balance and a wide sensitivity range that lets you shoot stunning photos.

Even though the camera is equipped with all the stunning features, photographers may face certain issues while adjusting the settings on Nikon D5600 for portrait photos.

There are some tips and tricks to make sure your Nikon D5600 settings are correctly adjusted for portrait photography.

Let’s go!

Portrait photography with Nikon D5600

Step 1. Customize the White Balance

You can customize the white balance of your image after considering the amount of ambient light in your scene.

There are several white balance options for you to choose from based on the available light you have in the environment.

Use indoor lighting of a room if you are shooting a portrait inside a room. In that case, you can set the WB to Incandescent.

If you want to rely exclusively on the light of your flash, then set the WB to Flash. You can create a custom white balance mode if your setting has different kinds of light sources.

Nikon D5600 Portrait Settings – white balance auto

Nikon D5600 Portrait Settings – white balance fluorescent

Nikon D5600 Portrait Settings – white balance shade

Nikon D5600 Portrait Settings – white balance incandescent

Step 2. Metering your photo

We strongly recommend the usage of Matrix Metering to all beginners while clicking the best portrait photos with Nikon D5600.

You can, however, use center-weighted Metering, but then you’ll have to place your subject in the center of the frame, press the shutter button halfway for the camera to focus, and meter on the subject’s eyes.

After focusing press the AE Lock and recompose your photograph. Instead of using the AE Lock, you can fully press the shutter button when you are ready to take the photograph.

Step 3. The perfect focus

For precise focus, set the camera to Single Area AF, and make sure that the area you focus on is sharp. The eyes of a subject are the sharpest parts of a portrait. If your subject is away from the center, you will have to make sure the focus point is set correctly.

You can do this by setting a focus point that is at the furthest end of the focus points. Thus, when you compose your photograph, the focus point will accurately fall on your subject.

You can alternately use the AF Lock button in the Nikon D5600 to lock the AF point on a particular area of the image.

You will hear a distinct beep for confirmation that your subject is in focus. Turn on the Focus Assist Lamp when shooting in low light.

Step 4. Choice of lens

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200MM f/4-5.6G ED

Nikon d5600 portrait photography settings

Tamron 16-300 F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Macro

Nikon d5600 portrait photography settings

Nikon AfFxNikkor 50mm F/1.8d Prime Lens

Nikon d5600 portrait photography settings

For a portrait, you would want to use a zoom lens or a telephoto lens with a focal length between 50mm to 200mm.

In the lens of your choice, set the focal length to 60mm, 85mm, 105mm, or 200mm. A wide-angle lens such as the 18-55 lens will distort your subject’s face in an unflattering way.

An extremely long focal length of 300 mm will compress your subject’s face and not look natural.

Taking a still portrait with your Nikon D5600 is not difficult at all if you follow these guidelines.