Dear Jasmine,
I love shooting with prime lenses and use primarily the 85mm 1.8 and a 50mm 1.8. I seem to have trouble getting the eyes in focus in situations when the subjects are moving. I've always noticed that your subjects eyes are typically sharp and I can get that as well if I shoot a lot of images but its extremely difficult to be tack sharp every image.

So my question would be: are you just that good or are you shooting multiples of each pose to ensure focus isn't an issue?
Sincerely,
Staying Focused

Dear Staying Focused,
You and I share a common love for prime lenses, so I like you already. Since that's out of the way, let's chat about ways we can ensure our photos are sharp.

I used to have a hard time focusing on my subjects when they were walking because they often times walked too fast toward me and my lens couldn't keep up…what resulted was one focused photo and three unfocused photos. That's when I realized I needed to do three things:
1. Be Specific.
When guiding my clients through a pose (like, say, walking toward me) I need to tell them, precisely, what I need (where they should place their hands, where to look, etc.) before they actually fall into the pose. This way, I'll know what to expect and how I need to sync my walk. Which leads to me to…
2. Sync Your Walk.
I've found that if I focus on my subjects when they are standing still (perhaps four feet away from me) and then they begin to walk, if I walk (backwards) at the same pace, I can sync my steps with theirs and consistently keep the four feet between us, which makes consistent focus much easier. This way I don't have to change my focal point.
Here's a example of what I'm referring to. These photos were taken just seconds of each other as the couple walked toward me and every photo was in focus because I synced my steps with theirs and kept equal distance from them for each shot.

3. Focus in Between Each Shot.
This seems basic, but it's worth repeating. During moments of stress/excitement/pressure, it's easy to put your finger on the trigger and shoot like you're using a machine gun. I prefer to focus in between each shot. Think like a sharp shooter, anticipate the shot, then fire. Confidence is a sign of a solid shooter, so take your time and capture just what you need.

If you'd like to read more about shooting with wide apertures, check out THIS post where I explain how I rely on focal planes to ensure my photos are focused.
Cheers!
j*