I did it!!!

I did it and I am so excited. I finally nailed the focus. The focus in this photo is perfectly on Meghan's eyes. If you zoom in enough you can even make out the shed in our backyard through the catchlights in her eyes. Nailing the focus is actually much easier said than done, especially with a toddler. Not only do you need to have the correct focus point you need to have the correct settings on your camera (ISO, shutter speed, and aperture). I shoot in manual mode so I choose all the settings. The right combination of settings will yield the proper focus and clarity. What you also have to keep in mind is that with a shallow depth of field, as in this photo, the focus plane may only be an inch or so. So, if Meghan moves an inch she will no longer be in focus. Try getting a toddler to not move an inch.

This picture is SOOC (straight out of camera) with one small exception. The only editing I did was to remove the giant booger beneath Meghan's nose.