ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

As the grandpa shooter with the best equipment I am the resident 'go to guy' for the dreaded "Hurry up Grandpa group shot". I had the shot planned for natural light (sun from photo right) but my daughter arrived late so fill flash was my bailout. I planned my DoF using the "Simple Depth of Field App" so my F-stops could vary without worry at 12-15'. The shot seems out of focus and I guess I should have used manual focus for 3 levels of people? I used my Nikon remote, which states that it autofocuses first before taking the shot. I am a newbie and multiple light stands is over my pay grade right now due to the fact that I spend most of my time chasing young grandchildren in all sorts of situations. Sun on my face, flash reflection in the glass and being slightly out of focus are my main complains with this shot. I shot the flash straight on but should have tested a bounce before hand, the room is conducive to that approach but I was concerned that it might not cover the whole width of the room. Would A, Should A with my group tapping their toe makes it hard for me but I did much better than last year. Suggestions? Thanks so much !!

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big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Nicely composed shot with lots of triangles. Good job balancing the outside light with the indoor. The focus looks to be right on but the noise from using 1600 ISO might be what you are interpreting as soft focus. On the whole, I think you did an excellent job.

Two nit picky things; if your remote is radio controlled which I believe it to be there is no need to point it at the camera, if it is IR then maybe put your hand in a more natural position such as on top of the chair back. #2, is the flash reflection in the window almost hidden but not quite.

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

Thank you! Just did a similar shot at a birthday party and used the medium sized "A Better Bounce Card" and I was amazed how well it worked. The room was tight with wild colors on the walls. See below. Fluorescent light to boot.

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greg vescuso Loc: Ozark,Mo.

I agree with Big Guy .. You have done a excellent job on your posing, composition and balancing your exposure with the outside light . But trying to get your f stop closed down for a deep depth of field you let your ISO run to high and sacrificed some noise that looks like it softened in post. For shots like this I really don't like going over 200 ISO . So you will need a good flash to stop down your aperture enough to get everyone in focus, I would venture to say your flash had enough powers to do this but you just had you ISO too high to begin with. If you were outside trying to do this shot multiple flashes or a studio strobe might have been necessary, but indoors unless you used multiple layers on a soft box one good flash should have had enough power to light the whole group at ISO 200

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

I understand and the second shot I just posted was at F6.3 and even at ISO 1000 it worked, to your point on the F-Stop & lower ISO. I like the look of fill flash 'like it never even happened'. I am studying Neil van Niekerk. I used a medium sized "A Better Bounce Card". Thank you for your input and comments.

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

Great photo. Don't have any suggestions.

aaciolkowski Loc: Sugar Grove Illinois

I think you did a great job .A group like this is sit is always to get everyone looking good. It would be better with the shades pulled all the way down.

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

Thanks! I thought about putting the blinds down but decided against it thinking that the trees were a more attractive backdrop. That was when the shot was supposed to be without a flash.

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

Thank You!

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

It doesn't appear that the light would be coming from the correct direction to make a pleasing portrait.



Yes. You have quite a spread of folks there. Focus using AF and then turn it to manual so it won't change or just focus using manual focus.




Put a TTL flash on the camera, shoot it up into the upper right or upper left ceiling. You've been reading Neil Van Neikerk so you know what he'd do; he'd put on a black foamy thing and bounce that flash :)

Really, with so many folks, to get an even flash, I might have bounced it straight up and back behind the camera so that it's centered and even but soft as possible.

Also, try and get folks more on one plane; what's comfortable and real isn't necessarily what makes a good picture. Get them to scrunch back from the first row, and forward from the last row. Minimize that depth of field.

ducwic Loc: Milwaukee, Wi.

From one grandpa shooter to another, well done.
You captured "HAPPINESS IS!"

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

For a "selfie shot" I put the camera on 2 sec delay so I can hide the remote.
I think you did a fine job, also, the daughter that was late has to do the dishes! Lol!

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

Thank You all good thoughts! I have the BFT and should have tired it but flash was a last minute bailout. Flash bounce back would not have worked due to the room configuration but I thought about it and camera left would have probably worked. Would A.....Should A......aahhHH. I used my on camera SB700 with TTL. Spaghetti for brains! As I look back the composition just happened and it does look nice....ISO 800, F-6.3-8.0, manual focus live view enlarged for a double check and the BFT to the camera left probably would have done better.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I'm still learning flash also. One thing the teachers impressed on me is that your flash exposure is essentially independent of your background exposure.

So you might have tried ISO 100 and manual exposure for the background at 1/200 and a higher f-stop. Then you need to be sure to check the zoom on the SB 700 so it puts out the power you need for the group. Also the flash spread ( on the right) is set to the wide position. The higher f-stop also increases your DOF.

You can also flip down the diffuser on the flash or slip on the white one that came with it.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

Beautiful Family, kids are beautiful, I LOVE how you have them posed.