A few portrait tips (please)

[Tired but willin]

Hi all - I'm determined to take a few pics of my one year old daughter over the weekend (if she'll sit still) and was hoping for a few pointers to start me off.

I don't have any back drops so was going to use a white sheet hung against a wall and then onto the floor - does this sound like a good idea?

Also the issue of lighting - i have an oldish 420 EZ speed lite which isn't compatible with my Canon 500D (not off to a good start) so will the camera flash be sufficient?

If you think it's not worth even trying until further products are purchased could you please point me in the direction of best buy (but not breaking the bank)

Thanks in advance for any help....

 

[Boomn4x4]

For 50mm f/1.8 will be fine to use for portraits w/o flash... just make sure you have good lighting. Do the portraits by a window and use a second white bed sheet to reflect some of the light from the window back on your subject. If windows aren't available, then regular old table lamps can be used. You may need to move them around and keep adjusting them and using white sheets as reflectors... but you'll be able to find something acceptable.

DON'T use your camera flash... PERIOD.

The white sheet for a background will be fine... just make sure you iron it.

 

[Stradawhovious]

For 50mm f/1.8 will be fine to use for portraits w/o flash... just make sure you have good lighting. Do the portraits by a window and use a second white bed sheet to reflect some of the light from the window back on your subject. If windows aren't available, then regular old table lamps can be used. You may need to move them around and keep adjusting them and using white sheets as reflectors... but you'll be able to find something acceptable.

DON'T use your camera flash... PERIOD.

The white sheet for a background will be fine... just make sure you iron it.

You forgot to say "And post the pictures of your kid here for C&C when you're finished."

I'm surprised you missed that, but don't worry. I'm here to help.

 

[Boomn4x4]

You forgot to say "And post the pictures of your kid here for C&C when you're finished."

No I didn't.

 

[Davor]

well you could always pop on a home made defuse for the pop up flash, and it be sufficient. its not that bad

 

[kundalini]

If you can use a large window or glass door as your main light source, you should be able to get very nice lighting if the time of day and angle of the sun are working in your favor. I would also consider using another white sheet over the Light source (window) to diffuse the incoming light, making it softer. Using a white bounce board to fill in the details on the shadowed side would be a bonus.

If possible, position your subject so that they are ~30° to 45° from the camera axis (left or right is your preference), body positioned towards the light source. Having the bounce card/board/reflector just out of frame to brighten the shadows and make the transition from lit to shadow sides more gradual. Subject head direction can be anywhere from looking at the camera to looking at the light source.

If possible, have the subject 1.5-2 meters from the background.

Camera position should be at eye level to slightly higher.

If sitting, place a small wedge for the subject to rest their bottom opposite camera. Not sure how this will work too well for a one year old though. This helps prevent that flat bottom look and creates a more dynamic pose.

If needed, increase your ISO so that you can shoot at or near f/8 and keeping your shutter speed probably not less than 1/125s.

Practice with an adult first to get as close as possible to nailing it before you place the child there. Read attention span.

Hope some of this helps.

DON'T use your camera flash... PERIOD.

Not necessarily true if you can adjust the output down. Can be used for fill flash.

 

[SlickSalmon]

Beyond all the technical stuff, I suggest that youget your daughter to engage with the camera. At the age your daughter is, kids have a boundless curiosity. Get her curious about the camera and capture that.

 

[JeffieLove]

Beyond all the technical stuff, I suggest that youget your daughter to engage with the camera. At the age your daughter is, kids have a boundless curiosity. Get her curious about the camera and capture that.

Hold some kind of noisy toy over the top of the camera and get her attention with it.

Bribe her with her favorite snack? Doesn't have to be something fatty, if you have fruits or something that she really likes those are awesome for this kind of stuff. I use raw baby carrots with my 3 year old. He LOVES them

 

[Bridget Greenwood]

She probably won't sit still unless she is not a typical one year old, when I take portraits of kids that age I sit on the floor with them and let them play with something to keep them where I want. And you have to take a lot of shots really quick.

 

[JenLavazza]

I take a small stuffed animal and get their feet with it....seems to work well! Or a large "tickle feather"!!

I shoot much lower than f/8 most of the time indoors....for one subject I'm usually around 2.8-3.5 and that helps from having to up my ISO too much and helps soften the background.

 

[gsgary]

Nice day forcast on Saturday so get outside (not mid-day) get an old metal wire coat hanger and cover it in tin foil (home made reflector) place her in a nice location (shade) and get your wife/partner to reflect some light onto her face or hold camera in one hand and reflector in other

 

[Tired but willin]

Wow - awesome response guys i really appreciate it!!! I'll have a good read through tonight, but from a quick glance looks like loads of really good pointers/advice. I'll get back to you if there's anything else, otherwise i'll post over the weekend - wish me luck!

Lastly, is it best to shoot in TV or AV? Children have a tendency to move around a lot? Thinking about it i suppose it's down to the back drop and if i need to blur it out or not.....

Thanks again...

 

[JeffieLove]

With kids, I'd use Tv and set your shutter speed no lower than 1/200

 

[RockstarPhotography]

Get a helper!!!!!!....I have a one year old and its almost impossible to get good portraits of him without mommy here to keep him occupied!!

 

[gsgary]

Wow - awesome response guys i really appreciate it!!! I'll have a good read through tonight, but from a quick glance looks like loads of really good pointers/advice. I'll get back to you if there's anything else, otherwise i'll post over the weekend - wish me luck!

Lastly, is it best to shoot in TV or AV? Children have a tendency to move around a lot? Thinking about it i suppose it's down to the back drop and if i need to blur it out or not.....

Thanks again...

Always AV or Manual to control DOF set it around F5.6 if you have good light , TV is best for moving subjects