Child on a swing Photo tips

[BananaRepublic]

My nephew will be taking he first trip to the swing when weather allows and was wondering if I could get some tips.

Best lens to use, I have a 24 70 and 70 200.
Was looking perhaps to get a panning shot aswell as him just sitting in it.
What shutter speed is ideal for this if someone knows off hand, he is only eight months so it just may not be possible.

 

[petrochemist]

I think I just used my kit zoom when photographing my kids on swings. wider lenses tend to look more dramatic but you need to counter that with keeping far enough away. You don't want your nephew kicking your camera!!!
I'd expect the 24-70 to work nicely to cover all necessary distances.
The shutter speed options available to you will depend on your skill at panning. Just bracket wildly to cover all the options. Even if your panning is perfect a rang of shutter speeds will probably be desirable.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Use a fairly fast shutter speed, and think about the timing. Watch him for a minute or so and notice the sequence of movement. Try to get him when the swing goes up and back and there's a momentary pause before it comes back down and forward. Try some when he swings forward too, same thing, when he comes upward and toward you when there's a pause before he swings back down and away.

You could probably practice with just the swing if someone can give it a push, maybe weight it down a little with something.

Since he's little he won't be going all that high or fast like an older kid would do (I've done sports where things are moving faster for example with older kids or adults than younger ones.) You might try 1/500, or if need be 1/1000 to start and see if that still gives you any blur; if not then 1/250 might be fast enough, depends on how high and fast he's going.

If you try panning, follow thru with your movement another second or so after you release the shutter. If you pan and release the shutter too abruptly you'll likely get blur.

 

[ceemac]

Set your camera for continuous focus and multiple shots. It's better to delete 30 or 40 shots than to miss the moment.

 

[mariah1902]

Use a fairly fast shutter speed, and think about the timing. Watch him for a minute or so and notice the sequence of movement. Try to get him when the swing goes up and back and there's a momentary pause before it comes back down and forward. Try some when he swings forward too, same thing, when he comes upward and toward you when there's a pause before he swings back down and away.

You could probably practice with just the swing if someone can give it a push, maybe weight it down a little with something.

Since he's little he won't be going all that high or fast like an older kid would do (I've done sports where things are moving faster for example with older kids or adults than younger ones.) You might try 1/500, or if need be 1/1000 to start and see if that still gives you any blur; if not then 1/250 might be fast enough, depends on how high and fast he's going.

If you try panning, follow thru with your movement another second or so after you release the shutter. If you pan and release the shutter too abruptly you'll likely get blur.

Nice tips but can you suggest me a good lens for practicing this?. The pause you are talking about is very little and yeas I have tried out the same thing but I guess I have to change my lens for doing this.

 

[mariah1902]

Set your camera for continuous focus and multiple shots. It's better to delete 30 or 40 shots than to miss the moment.

Yes you are right it is better to delete 30 or 40 picture than to miss the moment. I have tried even more than 60 but could not get a perfect shot. What lens should we use?. Or it can be done with any lenses?.

 

[Original katomi]

I would use the 70 200 that way you could pull in to capture the face expression

 

[mariah1902]

I would use the 70 200 that way you could pull in to capture the face expression

Thanks for the suggestion but do you do something else to keep the camera in a fixed position?. We definitely cannot use any tripod as the swing chain is very long.

 

[mariah1902]

I think I just used my kit zoom when photographing my kids on swings. wider lenses tend to look more dramatic but you need to counter that with keeping far enough away. You don't want your nephew kicking your camera!!!
I'd expect the 24-70 to work nicely to cover all necessary distances.
The shutter speed options available to you will depend on your skill at panning. Just bracket wildly to cover all the options. Even if your panning is perfect a rang of shutter speeds will probably be desirable.

That is correct. I am facing the same problem, but if we go far away then we miss details. This is the problem I am facing.

 

[Original katomi]

Can you stand to one side