dadcowell Loc: Myrtle Beach SC

How do you suggest the camera be set for movement to maximize a clear shot?

I'm not experienced enough to shoot in manual yet and I understand that the best AV for portraits is at 8-11. However, how do you suggest that the camera be set, to best capture people walking toward you (Like Bridesmaids or Bride coming down the isle) outside? I figure they will be between 10 and 20 feet from the camera. The camera will be handheld and who knows what the weather will be.

So I'm thinking setting TV at 1/125 and auto ISO. But I've been wrong before.

What do you think?

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Wow, well...AV/TV, you are a Canon guy, so others may be better suited to answering the specifics of your camera, but in general...

First, take a LOT of test shots before hand, and find out what your highest acceptable ISO is. Different cameras vary VASTLY. My D-200 took stunning photos, but anything over ISO 400 started to get grainy, over 800, and it looked like pictures made out of sand from all the noise. Back in the day, we thought it was absolutely amazing, now...not so much.

Next step, if you are talking weddings, ask the official if you can take photos with flash, and when. Generally, it is fine to use flash as people are walking down the aisle, so flash will freeze the motion, and you won't have to worry too much. If no flash, I would say that people don't RUN during the ceremony, unless they are a runaway bride :LOL:, so I would even think you could get away with closer to 1/60 of they are kind of standing there, or 1/125 if they are walking.

Keep in mind the Focal length/shutter speed guide for hand holding. If using a 50mm lens, no slower than 1/50, for a 200mm lens, no slower than 1/200. You may not get blur from people moving, but you will get camera shake.

For this reason, if you aren't using flash, I would at least suggest a monopod of a tripod takes up too much space. Any support you can get will help. I know the young guys don't think tripods/monopods are "cool" but they make a huge difference between usable and non usable prints. (or saleable, or worthless, as the case may be)

I personally don't like Auto ISO, but know several people who love it. I would use your tests from earlier and make your highest ISO, where you got to the point where you didn't like the noise.

Remember, a slightly noisy photo can have the noise removed, and even if you don't remove it, a grainy photo is better than a blurry one.

I've mentioned this before, but people seem to be freaked out by noise. Why do you think "add noise" is a feature of photoshop? It's because adding noise, makes it look more like film grain. People still hold film up as the standard by which all other photos are compared, so don't sweat a little noise. Embrace it, worst case, make it black and white, which doesn't look good without noise. (my opinion, I do add noise to my black and white images)

I hope this kind of/sort of answered your questions. I did find out on another post, that some of the flash exposure compensation and camera body exposure compensation, vary vastly in how they work together when you are talking Nikon and Canon. It isn't that one is better, they just handle things differently.

Good luck, and fill us in on the details of what you are trying to shoot. Second shooter? First Wedding? Guest? Main shooter? Whatever. The more detail, the better we can assist.

dadcowell Loc: Myrtle Beach SC

[quote=bkyser]Wow, well...AV/TV, you are a Canon guy, so others may be better suited to answering the specifics of your camera, but in general...

Thanks Bob.

Some good input. I'll take some shots to test my ISO. I'll also see if my Tripod is suitable as a monopod.

Bill

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

[quote=dadcowell]

I've done the tripod as a monopod countless times. An actual monopod (even a $20 one from Walmart) is a tad easier, because you don't have to worry about the legs opening up on you. Worst case, use a little gaffer's tape to keep them together. That way, you won't hit any guests with the legs if you inadvertently open up the tripod.

If you haven't used a monopod before, it is a little different. Proper form isn't to just stand it up straight. The foot should be out in front of you, camera held firmly against your forehead, and your legs make the other 2 legs of the tripod. Straight up is better than no monopod, but if you want it to really be rock solid, you need to use it in proper form. In low light, every little bit helps.

Someone who is really good at low light shooting is Beercat. Jerry shoots in some beautiful locations, and before his current camera, he learned a lot of work arounds to get awesome photos. Other than walking down the aisle, people don't move around a lot during the ceremony, so you won't really need a fast shutter speed to stop action. He's also a Canon guy.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Never shoot a wedding in auto ISO as the Canon will typically favor the ISO over other parts of the triangle. You set your ISO based upon the environment your snapping in but remember each camera is different. I wouldn't snap above 640 on my cropped Canon but feel fine shooting at 2500 on my full frame, even higher during the evening/low light shots.

If you shoot in any form of auto (P, TV, AV) you will need to use exposure compensation depending on the lighting. If you don't the faces will be dark.

During the procession shot Al-Focus. At 15 - 20 feet I would shoot a 24 - 50mm vertically at 8 - 11 f/stop. You will want to snap faster than 1/125, I would suggest 1/250.

Summary: I shoot manual but for you, set to shutter priority to 1/250. Make sure your ISO is set high enough to get you aperture between f/8 and f/11 but not over the comfortable limit of the ISO rating for the camera, if it is, you have a problem and will need to start making compromises. Remember to use exposure compensation when needed to eliminate dark faces.

Wedding snapping is not for the faint at heart, it's tricky business and good wedding snappers are worth every penny they charge. Things happen quickly during a wedding, ever changing and if you don't know what your doing and can adapt in a second your going to be stressed out and the results will be questionable let alone a bunch of missed shots. Wedding snapping is way different than taking pictures in a controlled environment such as landscape photography.

Before I share more you should tell us the camera model and available lenses you have.

dadcowell Loc: Myrtle Beach SC

Bob,

Great tips on the monopod. I'll practice on it tomorrow. Not quite sure about your suggestion to hold the camera firmly against my forehead, ie: how do you see what you're shooting?

dadcowell Loc: Myrtle Beach SC

Beercat,

Thanks for the iso suggestions and other settings suggestions.

I have the Canon t3-i crop. My lenses include the 55-250 kit lens, the 1.8 Canon nifty fifty, the Canon EF 24-105 L and the Canon EF-S 10-22. I also have the speedlite 430 EXII

I appreciate the difficulty levels associated with wedding photos. Therefore, I'd like to keep my settings as simple as possible, so that I'm not fooling around with them unless necessary.

I'm going early, to the park where the ceremony is taking place . I'll set my camera up using TV 250 as you suggested and ISO at 100. I'll adjust ISO up if Aperture doesn't allow me a setting of 8-11. But as you mentioned, I'll try not to pump iso any higher than about 600.

You mentioned to up exposure compensation. Is that needed if I use my flash? If not, is 1/3 a stop enough usually. Or can I fix the face exposure in Adobe Camera Raw?

I can't adequately express my thanks for all the help and patience that you and Bob have given me.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Hard to over come harsh sun with a single 430 flash unless your within 8-10 feet. I wouldn't use flash outdoors and if you want to keep it simple use 'spot' exposure/focus on the Bride's face but remember if it's a bright background you will need to be very accurate. Even then check your exposure (chimping) and if need be add enough exposure compensation to lighten the faces until you think it's about right. Better to blowout the background and have the faces spot on. Actually blown out backgrounds are in right now, so no flash! If you need to push the ISO try and set at 640, a sweet spot on the t3i. It's 160, 320 or 640, pick only from those.

Use the 50mm 1.8 and the 24-105L (actually 38 - 168) on your t3i. I wouldn't use nothing else, just those two. The 24-105mm for the heavy work and maybe the 50mm (actually a 80mm) on your t3i for portraits time. 85mm is considered the professionals 'portrait' lens, close enough.

dadcowell Loc: Myrtle Beach SC

Will do re: no flash.My ISO choices are 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 and 6400. I don't see the choices you listed.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Don't go over 800, preferably lower if you have the light

dadcowell Loc: Myrtle Beach SC

Got it.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

I knew that wouldn't sound right. I understood it when the voices in my head explained it, but the translation to the keyboard got lost.

You look through the viewfinder, and the top of the eye cup should be touching "something" (not your eyeball, but not your forehead...maybe I should have said your "brow bone"?)

Once you have it there, you'll soon figure where the camera is touching your facial area, and then it will make sense.

Those pesky voices in my head, assume everyone understands what they are trying to explain. I will hit my head against a brick wall a few times, just to punish them :shock:

dadcowell Loc: Myrtle Beach SC

OK,

That makes sense. I have been practicing stabilizing the camera with the upper part of my face and have found that I am much steadier than whenI hand hold. That suggestion will go a long way to helping me get decent photos.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Remember hand holding only helps with camera movement, it has nothing to do with a moving target, same is true regarding IS lenses. It helps when your hand holding the camera but does nothing to stabilize moving subjects.

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

Very good point. Hopefully, it is a bright day and you can use BCs advice of shutter priority 250. That should stop movement from walking without worrying about hand holding techniques. You have enough going through your head without worrying about which part of your forehead is holding the camera still. If it is a very bright day you may want to consider Ap priority at 7 or 8. Your camera will send the shutter speed even faster possibly 1/1000 or more. The key is a fast shutter speed.

Another tip for walking down the aisle is to ask the attendees to stop momentarily at a designated point and look your way or straight ahead. You get less movement and good expressions. They would have to be comfortable doing this without making it obvious. You will have to make that call if it would work with this group.