Kids Birthday Party CC Please

kdeerhake · Jul 1, 2011

A friend of mine was having a birthday party for her 3 year old and literally asked me 3 hours before if I would be willing to come and take some pictures for her. I explained by no means am I a professional, or even a photographer, but would love the experience. That being said, this was completely done for free and if she can take one or two good images from the 300 I took, everyone should be happy.

The event was held at a paint your own pottery place with some unusual lighting. They had the squared off windows where the lighting was difficult for me (this is probably due to my inexperience). We had maybe a 20' x 30' area to work in with 30 people with the employees. It was extremely crammed and busy.

How can I do better? Should I tell the other parents trying to take snap shots every other second to get out of my way? Half of my pictures have other parents in them or you can just see the kids are looking in the wrong direction. I bumped up my ISO higher than I would have liked to in most exposures.

How can I do better? How have you learned to adapt to the environment that you had to work with? I really do want to improve so any feedback is much appreciated.

1.
f/4
1/60sec
35mm
ISO 400

2.
f/4
1/80sec
99mm
ISO 800

3.
f/4
1/125sec
50mm
ISO 800

4.
f/4
1/60sec
50mm
ISO 400

5.
f/4
1/80sec
67mm
ISO 800

gsgary · Jul 1, 2011

They are all a bit soft due to your shutter speed and focal length, flash will not freeze movement if the is ambient light in the shot. Higher iso's where needed or more flash power

Raian-san · Jul 1, 2011

Love the expression on #5, boys lol. #1 and #4 is cute. Did you use pop up flash? #5 has the best lighting and sharpest out of the bunch although a little bright on the right side of the head.

kdeerhake · Jul 1, 2011

Thanks for the quick input. Can you explain the focal length a bit and why that isn't giving a sharp image?

I am just using a cheap sigma flash and it was one of my first times attempting to use it. You are probably exactly right, the ambient light was very strong in some situations.

So overall bump up the ISO and shoot more at a 1/200 and I could have gotten some sharper images?

kdeerhake · Jul 1, 2011

Raian-san said:
Love the expression on #5, boys lol. #1 and #4 is cute. Did you use pop up flash? #5 has the best lighting and sharpest out of the bunch although a little bright on the right side of the head.

Yeah kids sure are cute! (unfortunately I got to hear them all screaming for about 2 hours and the cuteness wore off) I was using a sigma flash bolt on. I did shoot everything in raw so I can try to tone down the brightness on #5.

Raian-san · Jul 1, 2011

Actually looking at #5 again, his face is pretty bright. Did the flash have a diffuser on? It doesn't seem like it, or you should tone then flash exposure down.

kdeerhake · Jul 1, 2011

I did have a diffuser with me but only had it on for a handful of the shots. This was one of the earlier ones so I think it was still on there at this point. Maybe the flash was overkill on this shot...?

Raian-san · Jul 1, 2011

Yes the flash was a bit strong and made their face lighting like you used flash. Tone down the flash exposure, make sure you use a diffuser. Also how high was the ceiling? did you try to bounce the flash off the ceiling? Also, you should boost up the shutter speed for sharper picture.

kundalini · Jul 1, 2011

#5 is strongly lit from the side. If you had the flash on the hotshoe, it is likely an open window and not your flash that is acting as the main light. In fact, I see two catchlights and one is dead center of the pupil. That would be your flash (in the center) acting as the fill light.

tyler_h · Jul 1, 2011

Mainly shot around 50mm (and my f/4 I'm assuming with the 24-105) so why not use the nifty fifty and go for f/2.8 or maybe even f/2. Would help with your busy backgrounds too.

Raian-san has already made the comments regarding flash that cover it pretty well.

kdeerhake · Jul 1, 2011

Ceiling was maybe around 14-15' with these industrial cheap type florescent lights hanging down 3-4' off the ceiling everywhere. They were actually a big distraction in some of the pictures I was trying to get more people into. I've never tried to bounce the flash, so that will be on my "to-do" list and see the different types of effects I can achieve.

So on the lights it is probably the industrial garage lighting, the big windows and then my flash.

Thank you all so much for the input! It's helping me learn what and how. I should have pulled out the fifty, but at least I am learning from the experience.

Raian-san · Jul 1, 2011

NP, we all learn through experiences. Bouncing light indoor is one of the best way to fill the subject without making it look like you used flash like in those photos. You can bounce it off ceiling, the side wall and etc. I've seen and I'm sure there's more people who does this but a DIY cardboard for when flashes pointed up, custom cardboard shape like an L to bounce the light toward the subject. I'm not sure if they sell something like that but pretty sure they do.

In low-light situation shooting one or two kids, don't be afraid to use the 50mm at 1.8, and 2.0. That will reduce the need for flash, and lower your ISO. I think with f/1.8 or so and ISO 1600, you can get some nice shots. But that's for reference next time to try around with that setting and also different setting with flash. GL and keep shooting! You got good lens to start off already, my next lens will be the 24-105mm f/4L