Setting tips for portrait session tomorrow

[eilla05]

Guys I would appreciate any tips for setting for taking children portraits outside about 6:30pm.

I have found a few people that have agreed to let me practice on them and it will be 3 children ages 8, 6, and 2. The parents are well aware that I am a total newbie but have agreed to let me have a go!

So can you recommend some general setting guidelines to help me keep from overexposing the photographs as I tend to do this A LOT!

Any help is appreciated

 

[Scatterbrained]

Set your exposure for the blue sky and then work from there.
Do you have a gray card?

 

[astroskeptic]

For portraits, keep the dof shallow (I like to go with f/4 and a long (200mm) fl) and watch the background. Use a search tool to find any of the myriad existing articles describing exposure. If your camera supports it, you can use exposure bracketing to increase your odds of getting a decent capture.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Use your light meter?

 

[eilla05]

Use your light meter?

If only I had one !

 

[KmH]

DSLR cameras, like your D5000, have a light meter built right in, and it is displayed in the camera's viewfinder.

Sounds like you need to read the users manual a few more times. See pages 85, & 88.

 

[table1349]

Step 1. R.T.F.M.

Step 2. Buy and read this book. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003]Amazon.com: Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)…[/ame]

Then you will not ask these types of questions, rather you will graduate to questions like, How do I get the little boogers to sit still? Which is an entirely different form of question. :lmao:

 

[eilla05]

Step 1. R.T.F.M.

Step 2. Buy and read this book. Amazon.com: Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)…

Then you will not ask these types of questions, rather you will graduate to questions like, How do I get the little boogers to sit still? Which is an entirely different form of question. :lmao:

I am looking for that book locally to buy and I am on the wait list at the local library

As for reading my manual I swear I have read it 4x now! Maybe I should try to read it before going to bed.....hmmmmmmm

 

[table1349]

Step 1. R.T.F.M.

Step 2. Buy and read this book. Amazon.com: Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition)…

Then you will not ask these types of questions, rather you will graduate to questions like, How do I get the little boogers to sit still? Which is an entirely different form of question. :lmao:

I am looking for that book locally to buy and I am on the wait list at the local library

As for reading my manual I swear I have read it 4x now! Maybe I should try to read it before going to bed.....hmmmmmmm

When you read the manual tonight have the camera in bed with you. When you get to the metering part, play with the camera adjusting the aperture, shutter speed and ISO values and watch the interplay they have on metering. Once you understand how to use the meter to get a proper exposure then you can start manipulating the exposure triangle to achieve the look that you want. This is where Understanding exposure comes in as it will guide you through the exposure triangle step by step.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Use your light meter?

If only I had one !

:lmao:

 

[misstwinklytoes]

How'd it go? Where's the pics for C&C?