Unintentional black?

[Bea]

I've been playing with the settings on my camera. I have been trying to take a few shots of the kids, however they don't like the "flash", so I've tried different modes to make the flash not go off.
Problem is that the modes are too slow and everything is a blur......they are fast!!
I put it in Manual and played with the setting a bit, but most of the pictures are black? Jet black, blank, nadda! The camera is lighting fast, do I have the shutter speed too high? Is that possible????

 

[Sideburns]

Your shutter speed is too high.
Open your aperture all the way. Look at your light meter. if it's reading underexposed, you need to raise it up. Your light meter won't always be perfect, but if it's totally off in a normal portrait style picture, you need to fix something.

Also, you can try a higher ISO to get a better shutter speed if the right speed makes it too blurred.

 

[Digital Matt]

If you are photographing people indoors with ambient light, you are pushing the limits of the medium. Only the fast films, or a high ISO setting with a digital can capture things handheld and motion free. Crank up your ISO. It's the only option.

 

[Happy Hour]

If your using the built in flash that comes on the camera. It's Junk! Try a diffuser it helps ALLOT! I was having a ton of problems with indoor pictures until I made a diffuser for the pop up. It made the pics better until I snapped on a speed flash. anyone who doesn't have one SAVE FOR IT!!! Day and night difference.