Okay... I did as yall suggested...

[Robin Usagani]

Im going to be a little harsh than anyone else here. Misstwinklytoes, you need to start using a flash or internal flash if you don not already have one. Set the camera to meter the bright sky, set your exposure there. The sky on the last one is just too bright or white IMO.

Here is a sample I did at a playground with very harsh sun light. By using flash you can still manage to get blue sky.

 

[ababysean]

Children at this age are so dang hard to photograph!

Have you tried just photographing still objects outside, like flowers, trees, lay down on the grass and get different angles?

I was so frustrated with my skillz (lol) because I was trying to learn my camera while chasing around 3 kids, it just wasnt happening. So I started photographing things that stay still, where I could play with my adjustments, shutter speed, aperture, focal length, then I moved up to adults, asking friends, hey let me get some pictures of you....

I'm only now trying again to photograph children, and I'm going to start on newborns because they don't move much! Then probably I'll hunt down some seniors.

Good luck and I think you are moving along just fine!

 

[ababysean]

Im going to be a little harsh than anyone else here. Misstwinklytoes, you need to start using a flash or internal flash if you don not already have one. Set the camera to meter the bright sky, set your exposure there. The sky on the last one is just too bright or white IMO.

Here is a sample I did at a playground with very harsh sun light. By using flash you can still manage to get blue sky.

I agree.

 

[ababysean]

[

/QUOTE]

I take the kids to an indoor gym/bounce house a few times a month, and I can NEVER get good pictures in there! The lighting is horrid, if I use a flash it is even worse!

What were your settings?

 

[ToadMum]

I know. I totally want to go. Unfortunately, my husband rarely gets to go with me because of his schedule, so the taming and the photographing is left up to me!

This sounds very much like my life.

I think the photos came out pretty good considering you were chasing after a little guy.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

Meh. I'm really discouraged. I can never get the time to practice like I want to. It sucks so bad. I do practice on still subjects, but the problem is there's always 2 kids running around in the background. Ah well, I guess I'll either get it one day or I won't. Either way I'll end up with mostly decent pictures of my kids. I may just never make any side money doing it or give people their favorite picture.

 

[SageMark]

[

/QUOTE]

I take the kids to an indoor gym/bounce house a few times a month, and I can NEVER get good pictures in there! The lighting is horrid, if I use a flash it is even worse!

What were your settings?

1/60 Shutter F4 50mm (No flash) (Little PP alittle under exposure, no mas)

 

[Scatterbrained]

Meh. I'm really discouraged. I can never get the time to practice like I want to. It sucks so bad. I do practice on still subjects, but the problem is there's always 2 kids running around in the background. Ah well, I guess I'll either get it one day or I won't. Either way I'll end up with mostly decent pictures of my kids. I may just never make any side money doing it or give people their favorite picture.

I recommend getting a longer lens when they are really moving around. Or you can wait until they are preoccupied with something and then move in for a few shots. Remember to try and get your shots from their eye level too. Bear in mind that if you are constantly trying to get them to look at the camera, smile, pose or whatever they will get tired of it really quickly. If you let them be you can get great candid shots without turning the camera into something they dread.

 

[SageMark]

the problem is you have to run a huge radius around them to get to their face, because they defy the law of physics in their ability to always be running away and never facing you. Strap them to the swings, and wave a juicy cup in their face above the camera. It's like magic. I'll post some park ones later in the week on another thread. True enough on the eye level for sure, otherwise it's a homewrecker.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

lol candy sippy cups... my kids must be weird.... they could care less what I'm holding, offering, wearing, singing, saying, dancing, etc. They want to -play-. Period.

 

[Scatterbrained]

I have 4 nieces, 2 nephews and a daughter. I don't have that much of an issue. It's just a matter being patient.

 

[mrsmacdeezy]

I think four is my fav. Two comes in second!

Thanks schwettylens for sharing that tip... it's something I'm going to try in the future because it seems like most of the times I'm trying to take pics, it's in the middle of the day and I am hardly ever satisfied with the way they come out once I see them on my computer screen.

 

[Derrel]

Yeah we were there about 45 minutes and I took about 250 pictures. I got home and I think I kept 15 of them. Maybe 20 with the "bad" ones. To top it off when we got in the car my son and daughter finished off a strawberry limeade from Sonic and then he puked all over the both of them. (From being too hot!) It made for a lovely trip upstairs to our apartment! :lmao:

You have a way with words!!!

I love the way your son is fiddling around with his shirt in #2....that's so odd...and such a cute look at a little toddler...I don't think I have ever seen a kid doing that exact thing...

 

[ChristinaW]

I love #2... I take so many pictures of the back of my kids that I think i'm now so fond of pictures like this! lol.. they can't give me dirty looks like this

I think #1 is over exposed ... had the same issue w/ my outside shots by the beach, what time did you go out? I think mine was from 12-2pm.. which of course is what time i'll be shooting again today of them..

And then of course I take pictures of my kids on the jungle gym and such, but if I were purchasing pictures from a photographer, I would never buy one that were on slides or standing up on a jungle gym... but that is just me as a parent, just giving you one view ... (my thought is that I can do that myself.. lol) not that you were taking pictures to sell of your kids.. haha I am just rambling.. sorry

 

[vtf]

Meh. I'm really discouraged. I can never get the time to practice like I want to. It sucks so bad. I do practice on still subjects, but the problem is there's always 2 kids running around in the background. Ah well, I guess I'll either get it one day or I won't. Either way I'll end up with mostly decent pictures of my kids. I may just never make any side money doing it or give people their favorite picture.

My question is "do your kids ever wind down and sleep"? This would be the time for candid shots of still objects. Just take wet wipes with you. I use to play hard with my kids if I wanted to them to sleep long and hard, literally wear them out. I could position them anyway I wanted after that.
As far as you improving, dont be hard on your self. At some point it will click and all will come together for you.
Keep it up, I do enjoy your picture posts.
I think schwettylens is right about the shots, somewhat overexposed. Experiment with flash.
Im not a fan of back shots but thats a personal preference.
:thumbup: