natural light, what settings should i have used?

[jerseygirl]

below is the same RAW image modified as follows:

1. original
2. exposure compensation maxed
3. exposure compensation and fill light maxed

Shutter Speed - 1/160
Aperture - 3.5
ISO Speed - 200
Lens - 50.0mm
Focal Length - 50.0mm

what settings should i have used to get a clear rendition of the lighting in #3? when i bounced the flash (430 EX) it just looked unnatural, not the look i was going for. i am hesitant to increase the aperture too much because i would like most of her in focus, and if i decreased the shutter speed too much it will blur (she moves around a lot). i find if i increase the ISO it gets too grainy. thoughts? help? what to try? thanks...


1.

2.

3.

 

[Big Mike]

What did the camera meter suggest? It's obvious that it's very underexposed so you won't get good results trying to save it...even with a RAW file.

You could open the aperture, yes it would reduce the DOF but that's a trade off for getting more light. You could slow down the shutter speed as well. You will have to find something that is fast enough to freeze the movement...but still lets in enough light for the exposure.

The other option is to add more light. A flash is one way...but flash is not always the look we want.

 

[EOS_JD]

There's a meter on your camera. Use that as a first call. Dial down the aperture until you get a shutter speed you like. If wide open the shutter speed is still slow, you need to raise the ISO speed.

Aim for a minimum of 1/30th

For these shots, I use a 50mm f1.4 and just increase the aperture until I get enough light in. The 50f1.8 lens is a favourite low light lens (and very cheap)

 

[jerseygirl]

What did the camera meter suggest? It's obvious that it's very underexposed so you won't get good results trying to save it...even with a RAW file.

You could open the aperture, yes it would reduce the DOF but that's a trade off for getting more light. You could slow down the shutter speed as well. You will have to find something that is fast enough to freeze the movement...but still lets in enough light for the exposure.

The other option is to add more light. A flash is one way...but flash is not always the look we want.

i guess my question(s) would be then what is the greatest aperture and lowest shutter speed combo i could use to have even a prayer to get a sharp shot given this scenario? and is there a way to introduce the flash to get the look i want or do i have to forget it altogether? i find the metering rather difficult (it's always changing, she's always moving), and it's probably me just not knowing how to use it properly...

 

[Patrice]

Mike makes some good points, especially about not being able to save a very underexposed image. Good photos have to start at the camera, photoshop can not always help a bad image. I like what you are trying to do, available light portraits of children have a charm all their own. My guess is that your photo is about three stops underexposed. Opening your lens to f2 will get you 1 and a half and assuming a 50mm lens, you should still have reasonable dof for your subject. Then as EOS suggests, slowing down the shutter will get you the rest. As for flash, you can attempt to duplicate window light by placing a large white piece of cloth where you want the light to come from and reflecting the flash off of it, it's not as efficient as a photo reflector or a soft box but it can work very well. Good luck, your subject is abosultely charming.

 

[Big Mike]

I can't suggest any settings because I don't know what the light levels were. That's why you need to check what your camera is telling you. Then it's up to you to decide what is more important...getting a fast enough shutter speed or getting enough DOF with a smaller aperture or even how much noise you are willing to put up with (ISO setting).

To get the same effect with your flash, you could turn the flash to bounce off the wall or off of a reflector or something. You don't have to bounce it off the ceiling.

When using the flash, play around with the FEC (flash exposure compensation) to adjust how much light it is putting out.

 

[jerseygirl]

There's a meter on your camera. Use that as a first call. Dial down the aperture until you get a shutter speed you like. If wide open the shutter speed is still slow, you need to raise the ISO speed.

Aim for a minimum of 1/30th

For these shots, I use a 50mm f1.4 and just increase the aperture until I get enough light in. The 50f1.8 lens is a favourite low light lens (and very cheap)

i'm using a 50 1.4, but don't want the DOF too shallow because i want her body in focus . 1/30 would be i *think* too slow because she moves around soooooo much...but i could try...

 

[castrol]

Let more light in the room?

 

[jerseygirl]

Let more light in the room?

if it only were that simple

 

[jerseygirl]

Mike makes some good points, especially about not being able to save a very underexposed image. Good photos have to start at the camera, photoshop can not always help a bad image. I like what you are trying to do, available light portraits of children have a charm all their own. My guess is that your photo is about three stops underexposed. Opening your lens to f2 will get you 1 and a half and assuming a 50mm lens, you should still have reasonable dof for your subject. Then as EOS suggests, slowing down the shutter will get you the rest. As for flash, you can attempt to duplicate window light by placing a large white piece of cloth where you want the light to come from and reflecting the flash off of it, it's not as efficient as a photo reflector or a soft box but it can work very well. Good luck, your subject is abosultely charming.

thanks! here are a couple in another room with the following settings (i adjusted the exposure just a little in RawShooter for the first one, all the way in the second). i find that when i shoot 2.0 and under my focus and DOF gets all out of whack. i don't know if it's my lack of experience or i'm just not going to get what i want given my low light conditions indoors.

Shutter Speed - 1/100
Aperture - 5.0
ISO Speed - 200
Lens - 50.0mm
Focal Length - 50.0mm

Shutter Speed - 1/125
Aperture - 5.5
ISO Speed - 200
Lens - 50.0mm
Focal Length - 50.0mm

 

[StreetShark]

I like the B&W one nice portrait and cute kid.

 

[EOS_JD]

i'm using a 50 1.4, but don't want the DOF too shallow because i want her body in focus . 1/30 would be i *think* too slow because she moves around soooooo much...but i could try...

You don't really have a choice then you need a higher ISO setting.

If she moves quicly 1/50th or 1/60th should freeze most of the motion. Be selective when shooting rather than just hitting and hoping.

No matter the setting I think you'll need to use a large aperture - unless you use flash. Add some light inside the room - brighter bulb or something.

I love the shallow dof when shooting portraits of kids.

Another option is get your girl close to a window in daylight hours.

 

[DSLR noob]

You don't really have a choice then you need a higher ISO setting.

If she moves quicly 1/50th or 1/60th should freeze most of the motion. Be selective when shooting rather than just hitting and hoping.

No matter the setting I think you'll need to use a large aperture - unless you use flash. Add some light inside the room - brighter bulb or something.

I love the shallow dof when shooting portraits of kids.

Another option is get your girl close to a window in daylight hours.

such blue eyes! Beautiful picture.

 

[Groupcaptainbonzo]

One option could be to switch to fully automatic. You will then be able to see what the camera sets as a default. Then you can alter to suit. (Don't forget to alter the exposure time when you alter the aperture).

 

[jerseygirl]

these were taken today with the following settings...needed to adjust exposure compensation on the first one, and both too blurry for my taste - i don't know if the sharpness can be adjusted a bit with PS, even though i prefer a sharper image to begin with

Shutter Speed - 1/60
Aperture - 4.5
ISO Speed - 200
Lens - 50.0mm
Focal Length - 50.0mm

Shutter Speed - 1/60
Aperture - 3.5
ISO Speed - 200
Lens - 50.0mm
Focal Length - 50.0mm