Toddler on the move advice

gayle23 · Nov 20, 2016

Hi I've been trying to get a classic Christmassy picture of my 2 year old in front of a Christmas tree with sparkly bokeh from the lights on the tree, the kind of picture I want to use as a Christmas card for the grandparents. Anyway I've been trying to get a good shot at my local garden centre where there are tons of huge Christmas trees indoors all decorated with sparkly lights. Trying to get my daughter to stand still has proven a challenge but even when she does I have not been pleased with my images. Her blonde hair is looking really back lit and over exposed and the focus is not as sharp as I would like it. I've tried higher shutter speeds to catch her while she moves but am wandering whether I need to change my metering mode to centre weighted, guessing spot metering might not work as she moves around too much. I will post a picture up tomorrow if that would help. If I increase my aperture then my shutter speed will slow which worries me as she's not good at keeping still! Am I losing sharpness but using too low an aperture? Should I be increasing the Iso instead? Are the Christmas lights making it difficult for the camera to gain a good focus? Bit confused. Am using a Nikon D3300 with a 50 mm 1.8 lens. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Derrel · Nov 20, 2016

Spot metering is for getting "the right exposure" before hand, and then setting that exposure, in Manual mode. For shooting AND metering AND setting the actual camera speed and f/stop while actually photographing, Spot metering mode is usually a bad idea; trust Nikon's center-weighted or Matrix metering modes to give you better exposures in fluid, fast-paced situations, and leave spot metering where it mostly belongs: set to OFF.

Chrtistmas Lights usually demand ISO 400 to 800, and a wide f/stop, like f/2.8, to make them look bright, and lighted! it's like Fireworks: the f/stop and the ISO create the basic level of brightness. The shutter speed, for the ISO in use, and for the f/stop in use? That is often pretty sloooooow: think 1/4 second to 1/25 second, at ISO 400 to 800, at f/2.8.

The "trick" is to set the camera to Tungsten white balance, for the Chrtistmas lights. Tape an ORANGE gel over an electronic flash unit. Light the subject (the child or model) with the flash. There are actually two, different exposures going on here: one is the exposure that makes the tree and lights look best (slow shutter, wide lens opening, moderately high ISO), and then the second exposure for the foreground--made by the orange-gelled electronic flash unit.
*****
There is seldom any place where the natural "existing light" can make both the tree and lights, and a moving person, look good. Christmas scenarios are almost always exactly as I suggest above: a balancing act of ISO, f/stop, shutter time, and a secondary light source for the foreground person or people.

Derrel · Nov 20, 2016

Here is what I mean, some Chrtistmas light shots I took. Settings are mostly 200mm lens at f/2.8, ISO 400 or so, shutter at a slowish speed of 1/25, White Balance for the tree lights set to Incandescent Light, and the subject lighted by a very low-powered foreground electronic flash (Nikon SB 800) fitted with the factory-supplied orange filter for the flash and firing at about 1/16 power as I recall. The flash was maybe 7 feet from the subject, shot into a small umbrella.

photo1x1.com · Nov 21, 2016

Derrel is spot on with his suggestions - especially metering first and then dialling the readings into manual mode is a great way to achieve constant exposure.
While the lights on a christmas tree appear bright to us, they are not at all. Shooting the christmas tree with a person and keeping the mood in the scene is probably the most difficult shot you´ll ever try to create.
Last year I equipped a christmas tree with 1.200 LED lights in an attempt to get the most out of it photography wise. And I experimented pretty much with it.
The readings I´ve got with the shot below were 0,6 sec | f2,5 | ISO 100. The tree itself on this image is a little bright so one stop darker would still be enough for the blurred light background, but then the foreground would be darker too.
In order to achieve at least 1/100th which is still too slow if your kid really moves, you´d have to use ISO 6.400. Too much for a portrait in my opinion.

So using a flash as Derrel suggests is about your only chance. Nevertheless you´ll loose quite some light for the background (tree - christmas lights), as soon as you start bringing your ISO down, so at least for me - the image I have in mind is impossible to shoot with lower ISO.
AND: what you want to do is light the background with the flash as little as possible, because that will destroy the mood. So you need to:

Get as far away with your kid from the background so that the flash doesn´t light it too much
Get the flash as close to the kid as possible because any light source will always light objects that are closer to it much more than objects that are further away.
To be able to get really close, use a light source that is big, but at the same time easily controllable (ideally a strip softbox with an attached grid, or a ring flash in front of your camera). If you´d use a speedlight without any light shaping tool and get really close, the images will look awful.
Point the flash in a direction that it will not light the tree in the background (not possible with ring flash)
Probably you´ll want a reflector on the opposite side of the light to bounce light back into the shadows that are created by the softbox with grid - a white foamboard will do.

One more thing to consider: if you want your christmas tree lights to look yellow, rather than white, (I have to disagree with Derrel) - you´d want to skip the orange filter, or even add a blue filter instead. If you use an orange filter, and later white balance the image for your orange light source, the tree lights will appear white. If you use a blue filter instead (or no filter at all), and later balance the whites to that blue (or neutral) light, the face of your kid will have nice skitones, and the christmas tree lights will be yellow.

All that sounds rather complicated, and it is to be honest. I always try to explain things with really easy words. But this one is the holy grail of photography. As crazy as that sounds.

vintagesnaps · Nov 21, 2016

I don't know if the trees at the garden center are indoors or outside, but if it's indoors it could be fairly low light. Either way, maybe try doing some test shots first while she looks at trees, etc. Make sure your camera is set so you can use a fairly fast shutter speed (since it's likely she could move a little). Get framed and focused where she will be standing, so you're all set. Then maybe make a game of it - have her stand by the tree and, I don't know sing Jingle Bells, say ho ho like Santa, pretend to be a snowman, etc. Then give her a break, let her move around, then come stand by the tree and do ___.

You gotta have the camera set and ready to go before she gets in the picture so you can get a couple or so photos when she's actually standing. Which probably won't be long! lol Try giving short breaks and take the pictures efficiently (by that I mean quick but not too rushed).

I don't know what the store's policy is on picture taking (or if they have one), they may not mind people taking pictures of their trees but some places seem to have cut back on allowing photos if they've had too many people trying to take pictures (which with everybody having phones now can get disruptive for shoppers/customers). Being a garden center they may be okay with people taking pictures while they're picking out a Christmas tree, buying decorations, etc.

gayle23 · Nov 22, 2016

Derrel said:
Here is what I mean, some Chrtistmas light shots I took. Settings are mostly 200mm lens at f/2.8, ISO 400 or so, shutter at a slowish speed of 1/25, White Balance for the tree lights set to Incandescent Light, and the subject lighted by a very low-powered foreground electronic flash (Nikon SB 800) fitted with the factory-supplied orange filter for the flash and firing at about 1/16 power as I recall. The flash was maybe 7 feet from the subject, shot into a small umbrella.View attachment 130592

Thank you, that's really useful advice. I'm learning that what I'm trying to do is maybe not that easy! I will work on getting my daughter to stay still and have a play about on the weekend. I don't have an external flash/speedlight yet so I guess I will have to work on that next year if I have one by then. Your pictures looked great. Thank you for taking the time to respond in such detail.

gayle23 · Nov 22, 2016

photo1x1.com said:
Derrel is spot on with his suggestions - especially metering first and then dialling the readings into manual mode is a great way to achieve constant exposure.
While the lights on a christmas tree appear bright to us, they are not at all. Shooting the christmas tree with a person and keeping the mood in the scene is probably the most difficult shot you´ll ever try to create.
Last year I equipped a christmas tree with 1.200 LED lights in an attempt to get the most out of it photography wise. And I experimented pretty much with it.
The readings I´ve got with the shot below were 0,6 sec | f2,5 | ISO 100. The tree itself on this image is a little bright so one stop darker would still be enough for the blurred light background, but then the foreground would be darker too.
In order to achieve at least 1/100th which is still too slow if your kid really moves, you´d have to use ISO 6.400. Too much for a portrait in my opinion.

So using a flash as Derrel suggests is about your only chance. Nevertheless you´ll loose quite some light for the background (tree - christmas lights), as soon as you start bringing your ISO down, so at least for me - the image I have in mind is impossible to shoot with lower ISO.
AND: what you want to do is light the background with the flash as little as possible, because that will destroy the mood. So you need to:

Get as far away with your kid from the background so that the flash doesn´t light it too much

Get the flash as close to the kid as possible because any light source will always light objects that are closer to it much more than objects that are further away.

To be able to get really close, use a light source that is big, but at the same time easily controllable (ideally a strip softbox with an attached grid, or a ring flash in front of your camera). If you´d use a speedlight without any light shaping tool and get really close, the images will look awful.

Point the flash in a direction that it will not light the tree in the background (not possible with ring flash)

Probably you´ll want a reflector on the opposite side of the light to bounce light back into the shadows that are created by the softbox with grid - a white foamboard will do.

One more thing to consider: if you want your christmas tree lights to look yellow, rather than white, (I have to disagree with Derrel) - you´d want to skip the orange filter, or even add a blue filter instead. If you use an orange filter, and later white balance the image for your orange light source, the tree lights will appear white. If you use a blue filter instead (or no filter at all), and later balance the whites to that blue (or neutral) light, the face of your kid will have nice skitones, and the christmas tree lights will be yellow.

All that sounds rather complicated, and it is to be honest. I always try to explain things with really easy words. But this one is the holy grail of photography. As crazy as that sounds.

View attachment 130608

Yes my goodness it all sounds a bit much for me at this stage of my learning which is really frustrating. I will have a good play about when I set up a tree in my house as I can take a bit more time then. I am planning on investing in a nikon speedlight fairly soon but want to have mastered the basics a bit more first so I know what I need to buy. Thank you for taking the time out to reply and when I get a speedlight and maybe some reflectors/soft box I will re read these messages!

gayle23 · Nov 22, 2016

vintagesnaps said:
I don't know if the trees at the garden center are indoors or outside, but if it's indoors it could be fairly low light. Either way, maybe try doing some test shots first while she looks at trees, etc. Make sure your camera is set so you can use a fairly fast shutter speed (since it's likely she could move a little). Get framed and focused where she will be standing, so you're all set. Then maybe make a game of it - have her stand by the tree and, I don't know sing Jingle Bells, say ho ho like Santa, pretend to be a snowman, etc. Then give her a break, let her move around, then come stand by the tree and do ___.

You gotta have the camera set and ready to go before she gets in the picture so you can get a couple or so photos when she's actually standing. Which probably won't be long! lol Try giving short breaks and take the pictures efficiently (by that I mean quick but not too rushed).

I don't know what the store's policy is on picture taking (or if they have one), they may not mind people taking pictures of their trees but some places seem to have cut back on allowing photos if they've had too many people trying to take pictures (which with everybody having phones now can get disruptive for shoppers/customers). Being a garden center they may be okay with people taking pictures while they're picking out a Christmas tree, buying decorations, etc.

Thank you so much for your advice. I'm heading there on the weekend so will try a few more. I will try taking pics of the tree first that's good thinking and getting her to sing as she loves putting on shows. She's cottoned on to the fact that I want her to stay still so is finding it funny to literally sprint towards me laughing! If I were home I would have more chance of keeping my daughter still by getting her sat on a cushion with a Christmas book or something but there I have to be quick like you said as people get might start getting annoyed! Thanks again. Gayle

gayle23 · Nov 22, 2016

These are the best out of quite a few!

photo1x1.com · Nov 22, 2016

gayle23 said:
View attachment 130698 View attachment 130699
These are the best out of quite a few!

Really cute! I think there is too much surrounding light to make the christmas lights really pop.
Today I went to a christmas market, because just like you I still have that perfect christmas image in mind

. We have a really big one here in Vienna. I found out that they have huuuuge electric bulbs on the huuuuge christmas tree. I guess that would help a lot because these send out tons of light. So maybe if you have a bigger christmas market in your town, you could try that.

Dave442 · Nov 22, 2016

I would take her walking around the garden center first, a long walk.

You can use the settings like Derrel noted (f/2.8, 1/25 sec, ISO 400). Try for a good exposure of the tree and just adjust the ISO, then with your daughter add the pop-up flash, dial the flash compensation all the way down: EV -3 and raise to -2 if she is still too dark. Do this a few times before going out of the house so you don't have to think about it at the same time you are trying to have your daughter where you want her at the home center.

The_Traveler · Nov 22, 2016

The first one is cute- a bit dark and cold but nice

photo1x1.com · Nov 23, 2016

The_Traveler said:
The first one is cute- a bit dark and cold but nice

View attachment 130704

awesome - I love it!

gayle23 · Nov 23, 2016

photo1x1.com said:
gayle23 said:

View attachment 130698 View attachment 130699
These are the best out of quite a few!

Click to expand...

Really cute! I think there is too much surrounding light to make the christmas lights really pop.
Today I went to a christmas market, because just like you I still have that perfect christmas image in mind . We have a really big one here in Vienna. I found out that they have huuuuge electric bulbs on the huuuuge christmas tree. I guess that would help a lot because these send out tons of light. So maybe if you have a bigger christmas market in your town, you could try that.

That's a good idea thank you, I will have a look out for some really good big lights. Good luck getting your perfect Christmassy photo! Be good to see it if you get a good one.

gayle23 · Nov 23, 2016

Dave442 said:
I would take her walking around the garden center first, a long walk.

You can use the settings like Derrel noted (f/2.8, 1/25 sec, ISO 400). Try for a good exposure of the tree and just adjust the ISO, then with your daughter add the pop-up flash, dial the flash compensation all the way down: EV -3 and raise to -2 if she is still too dark. Do this a few times before going out of the house so you don't have to think about it at the same time you are trying to have your daughter where you want her at the home center.

Thank you so much, I don't usually use my flash and don't know quite what you mean by Ev (I know exposure compensation) but will look it up and will definitely try it out.