My first photo here

[topazsol]

http://i48.tinypic.com/29zz9xv.jpg

I also have a question. I took about 60 photos of this girl to get this one decent one and I am still not completely happy with it. It's not edited at all. My question is, what setting should I use when shooting something like this? She is an aerial acrobat and she was moving at high speed despite the fact she has 2 broken feet. I could not use flash in the auditorium, all I had were stage lights. Under these conditions, which settings are best? I have a Sony DSLR.

Concrit and advice is very much appreciated, thanks.

 

[topazsol]

I was using a telephoto lens since I was far from the stage and wanted to get a good close up. I don't have one picture that is not blurred at least a little and that is what is bothering me. How should I photograph someone moving at such fast speeds? And without a flash as well.

 

[Trever1t]

A shutter speed that will stop all motion. Somewhere between 125-250 and a high enough ISO that allows a good exposure for your chosen Aperture.

 

[Ysarex]

Your camera ISO was 1600. You had a 135mm lens on the camera and your shutter speed was 1/60th sec. with the aperture at f/5.6.

You need a faster shutter speed plain and simple. 1/60th sec. with a lens that long and a moving subject isn't going to work. To get a faster shutter speed and maintain correct exposure you must:

1. raise the ISO even higher:
__a) it's already at 1600 so how high can your camera take the ISO. Can you get ISO 6400?
__b) the image quality will continue to degrade as the ISO climbs up, unless,
__c) you buy a new camera like the Canon 5d mkII or Nikon D700, or
2. open the lens aperture up beyond f/5.6 which you can't do because it's already at max so:
__a) buy a new long lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8, or
3. turn up the lights.

Joe

 

[SCraig]

You have probably come close to maximizing the potential of your current equipment. Much higher on the ISO and noise may start to become a problem. I don't know what the maximum aperture of your lens is but perhaps it can go wider than f/5.6. The alternatives, other than buying new equipment are to adjust your technique. Use a monopod or tripod to stabilize your camera and shoot only at times when the subject is still. Even during acrobatics they will pause for a second at critical points in a maneuver and those are the times you have to be ready to shoot. Shoot a LOT of frames and pick the best of the bunch.

I shot This Clouded Leopard cub at 1/25 second, f/5 @ ISO 800 yesterday evening. I was bracing my camera on the framing of the window I was shooting through since I had left my tripods and monopod at home. There were 3 in the pen and they were playing like kittens usually do so I had to wait for pauses in the action because my shutter speed was so slow.

 

[topazsol]

These tips are so helpful! Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!

 

[yerlem]

Ugh, been there. I've taken pictures of friends doing aerial silk/trapeze, and usually the venues are really dark...nothing to do but take your ISO up...
It helps if you've seen the rutine beforehand, for you'll know when the statinc moments are.