help the noob

machine · Jan 30, 2006

well to start i hate the flash on my sony dsc h1 .
im having a hard time getting the pics i want in the gym as its very big and lighting is horrid .
These pics i took were really the first time i tried getting the flash to look good and i think they turned out horrid . this is one of the better ones of the bunch .i just dont feel any depth to it at all , its very boring to me .

i dont even know how to ask for help on these ones lol

http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/[email protected]/detail?.dir=c6ec&.dnm=2917.jpg

i find the biggest problem with flash is everything thats within a few feet is over exposed , and anyhitng past 6 feet is ok but it dies out after that and i have a bad looking picture .

i didnt have tiem to ty with out the flash as i didnthave a tripod with me and i wouldnt know where to begin on how to shoot fast motion in a poorly lit area

Big Mike · Jan 30, 2006

Link didn't work...

machine · Jan 30, 2006

should be good now ,
im gonna use photobucket so i can link , sorry about the links

Big Mike · Jan 30, 2006

Here's what I see.

There are way too many distracting elements here...the background is cluttered and there is a post that is just too close. If you could choose a better vantage point, with less stuff in the BG...it would be better.
If you could make the DOF (depth of field) shallower...you might be able to render the background out of focus...which would make the subject stand out. To do this, use the widest aperture (lowest F number) and the longest focal length...while getting closer to the subject.

The subject is right in the middle....this really makes photos look like 'snap shots' rather than interesting images. Practice the technique of focus and recompose. Lock the focus on the subject and then move the camera so the subject is not dead centre.

I'm not a fan of the "looking up" at here...not from this angle at least. It's not flattering to anybody. Although, if you get in close and point even higher...it may give the impression that she is higher in the air...which might be good for gymnastic shots.

As far as flash, you may be stuck. The lighting is poor, so without flash you would need a slow shutter speed...or a larger aperture. Since you can't change the lens...and a slow shutter would blur the motion...you need to add light. On-camera flash makes for flat unappealing lighing...as you have noticed. Does your camera have a hot shoe? IF so, you could use an accessory flash which is better and farther away from the lens. If you could use some other light that is off camera...that would be even better. But that might be hard in this situation.

Pro photographers, who shoot sports indoors...use lenses that are very, very expensive...becuase they need those lenses to get the shots. Without those wide lenses...it's hard to get the shot.

machine · Jan 30, 2006

wow , everything you said makes perfect sence .

i can add len's to the camera i just dont knwo if im stuck with sony only lens (they make a tele , wide and close but thats all )

i liek the foucs point you brought up and all the "clutter was buggin me too .

my camera doesnt have a hotshoe but ive seen an adapter for a cold shoe (i thikn its the term, ) would that bennifit me at all ?

Tsimiri · Jan 30, 2006

Having been a gymnast for about 10 years and trying to do the gymnastic shots as well, although I didn't attempt to many pics. I would say that the most interesting of all the shots came from above or directly below. If you can get them on a trampoline from almost laying under them or while they are doing a tumbling pass from up above those make for the best shots. Also the floor exercise is a good place to shot, although large and hard to light well, the same colored carpet throughout makes for a less distracting background and is easy to either take out play with in photoshop.

Depending on the gymnasium, one really cool shot you can do is if its a warehouse like most other gyms, you can use one of the back loading doors that open up really wide to backlight at dusk for a nice silhouette on the uneven bars or in the middle of an airborn trick.

Just some suggestions, but I think that your on to something.

-Fiona