Leanne S wanted to know how to photograph someone else's children and how do I work with poor natural light. Well! Kids are kids and if you can't make them do what you want them to do (which is a sure bet most of the time) it's easiest just to let kids be themselves. In most cases, during a session, I'll try to get each kid by themselves and just talk for a few minutes before sticking my camera in their face. And I also don't pressure them to be smiling all the time. Nothing says candid better than a faked smile. So I let them relax and I go with the flow. If I want a smile, I'll belch or make a face or fart noises or crack a knock-knock joke to get them to laugh. For younger kids and older babies, I'll have mom and dad stand behind me at the level of my camera and make faces and noises. And kids of all ages are most comfortable in comfy clothes and either at home or at the park or beach where silliness and playfulness are encouraged.
As a candid, on-location photographer, people being themselves is what I strive to capture. Posing is kept to a minimum so that the pressure is off for everyone. And since many of my photography clients are folks I've never met, it's best just to get a feel for them and how they interact with each other and then just let things happen. I'll give direction as needed but it's more of a flowing, organic process. For more traditional portrait photographers, a game plan and list of poses and settings might be used.
As far as natural light challenges, there are several ways to work around this. Up my ISO (digital talk for film speed), lower my shutter speed (or SS) and/or widen my aperture. All of these things combined will help make the best of low light situations. Grain/Noise can be an issue when ISO is increased, but there are some great noise-reducing software options out there, some of which are free! I don't use a flash in my photography, but I do have a Canon Speedlight and a Lightsphere diffuser which lessens the shadows, harsh light and deer-in-the-headlights look of flash photography. For built-in pop-up flashes, there are also many different filters and diffusers available as well. When flash has to be used, this is the best way to go.
SueAR asked about taking classes, and I think a photography class at a community college is a great way to start. Classes are over several weeks so you have more time for what you're learning to sink in and to ask questions and interact with your instructor.
I am purely self-taught in the technical side of things, and the first thing I did that was an immeasurable help was reading my camera manual (and the manual of every camera I've owned since). The other important things I did were threefold: practice, practice, practice. It's digital, so burning and wasting film isn't an issue anymore. Practice, practice, practice.
MO Scrapper wanted to know which camera setting I use most often. I use AV Mode on my camera (a Canon 5D) for most shoots, and I keep the White Balance (WB) on either Sunny or Auto. In AV Mode, I choose the aperture and ISO, and the camera selects the shutter speed. I'll use Manual Mode in certain situations but when photographing kids, the constant need to adjust settings means missed or over/under exposed shots. There's also nothing wrong at all in shooting in the auto modes. A good way to understand about what settings to use when is to shoot in an Auto Mode and review the image data to see what the camera's settings were for the image.
And, lastly, Walesk asked what my favorite everyday lens is. Well, I have two, really. I have a Canon 50mm 1.8 lens which is a fabulous little lens for about $80US. It's a great, crisp portrait lens and it's lightweight, plus it does wonderfully in low-light settings. My other favorite everyday lens is a bit pricey and a bit heavy but very versitile, and that's the Canon 24-70L 2.8.
Here is your two-part photography challenge for the weekend: angles and catchlights.
By
tilting your camera, you can get some pretty interesting perspectives
and some unique-looking portraits. The photo of my daughter on the
March/April 08 issue was taken with the camera tilted. While I don't do
this all the time or get too crazy with the tilt, I do it now and then
for interest. As far as catchlights, having your subject facing the
light source, or at least at an angle to it, results in the reflection
of light in the eyes, called catchlights. Catchlights are not hard to
acheive and can really add sparkle to a photograph. In the photo below
I've done both, tilting the camera and capturing catchlights. And while
your challenge is not necessarily to do both in one shot, why not go
for it???
(And here's a hint about posting photos to the internet: In PSE or Photoshop, resize your photo to 72 dpi, 600 pixels on the long side (keep the Constrain Proportions box checked), and choose Bicubic Sharper at the bottom of the dialog box under "Resample Image". This results in smaller files, shorter upload time and crisper web images.)
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