help with lighting

[tonyadgarcia]

why are my pictures turning out so bad? i have a cheap studio (with white umbrellas) set with flourescent bulbs, and when i take a pic with my dslr sony a350 it turns out bad. its not well lite and the subject looks blurred. does lighting effect a pic this bad? do i need a good flash on my camera? is it the bulbs im using? im lost. i keep doing pics for friends but end up giving them for free cause they are embarassing nearly. i know that i only see most of the bad in them cause they have no clue about photography but im beginning to think i dont either. please help.

 

[LaLO929]

I am no expert but do you have some example photos that we could see?

 

[vivala1210]

pictures will definitely help us.

 

[gsgary]

Shutter speed too slow all down to user error

 

[sA x sKy]

its not well lite

I think you answered the problem for yourself.

PS: lit*

 

[photogincollege]

Yeah pictures would really help.

 

[CxThree]

If you don't want to post pics, can you tell us how you are shooting? What ISO? What mode are you using for shooting? Manual, AP, Sutter Priority? Let us know the mode and the settings you are using within that mode and we can probably start there.

It sounds to me like you are asking the camera to take a shot it simply cannot take. Try taking the shot in Program (P) mode and let us know what happens? If that fails, your lighting might be the actual cause.

Also, what lens are you using? Is it F2.8?

 

[tonyadgarcia]

sorry got busy and totally forgot that i posted this ? . well the thing is that on my camera the photos look good. its when i print them that they look retarded. i can work with my printer but i cant always fix the problem. i shoot portrait style. my iso is on auto and usually sets at 400 which i think is good so i dont set it myself. im just lost. i have read my camera book and set it to best work with portraits. my lens is 3.5-5.6/18-70. is the flash even important when using lighting with white umbrellas?

 

[tonyadgarcia]

does my camera tell it all? i have read to not go by how it looks visually untill it prints because from ur camera to ur computer screen to the printer it doesnt come out the same. i think i need to lay down my camera and do some studying. i feel like a freakin beginner with a disposable. i know alot. i have studied alot but i dnt have that hands on instructor to show me when i scew up and thats hard. im gonna rely on this forum for help. what do i need to take a good portrait?????!!!????

 

[Flash Harry]

Ditch the flourescent lighting unless you have daylight balanced tubes, flash/strobe/monolights and the knowledge of how to use them are best for studio type portraiture, even one alone can give you great results if you know what your doing with it. H