Large DOF in low light for portrait in front of a landscape?

Question

I am using a Nikon D610 and mostly I can get nice landscape shots with long exposure (with f/8-f/11) range using a 35mm f/1.4 lens. However now my issue is, I want to take pictures of a person in front with a nice landscape as the background on the 35mm lens. If I open up to f/1.4 I can get nice shots but then background is blurred out.

On the other hand, even with tripod if I go with f/8+, there is not enough light, and the long exposure will blur the person.

I want to find a compromise for best possible results in such conditions that I can capture the background along with the person.

I am wondering is there anything I can do with camera technique?
Or perhaps something with software like take two shots at f/1.4 with the subject in focus and then the background in focus and somehow blend them together?
Or perhaps take under exposed and over exposed shots and try blending them; unfortunately what I know it makes a fake HDR look, how can I achieve natural looking shots with tack sharp pictures of both subject and background for evening shots in the Alps?

ElendilTheTall · Accepted Answer

You can either use a flash to expose the subject (you won't be able to see them walking into or out of the frame), or you can, as you suggest, take two shots and blend them in Photoshop - a matter of a few minutes work.

Making an exposure blended shot would require the subject to stand preternaturally still between shots for a decent effect.

Jakub Sisak GeoGraphics · Answer

If done right, these kind shots can look amazing. One technique is to have your subject stay perfectly still for the 25 - 35 seconds you need for the exposure. Some photographers do this really well; Paul Zizka comes to mind. The other common technique is taking several exposures and masking in Photoshop. Depends on how skilled you are with masking, this can produce very realistic but on the other end of the spectrum very unrealistic results.

Answered by Jakub Sisak GeoGraphics on August 24, 2021

user95069 · Answer

Use a long exposure (with the subject sitting still) and a flash.  Inevitable subject movement will cause blurring, but the flash fixes at least one sharp image in place.  The light balance will be better if the natural light puts the subject in the dark: in that case giving it a -0.3EV flash (or even a bit more) will not give it overexposure.
Use second-curtain flash: you don't want to capture the subject while getting startled by the flash.  Red-eye will be a concern; using off-camera flash might be a good idea.
Here is an image using flash and 30s exposure.  It's not exactly the primordial portrait, but you see the combination of long-term exposure with use of a flash.

Large DOF in low light for portrait in front of a landscape?

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