Very Important Photo Shoot Tonight, Please HELP!!!
Jun 4, 2012 19:27:08 #
I have been asked by a very close friend to take pictures of her & her husband opening a box with baloons in it tonight to reveal the sex of their first unborn child. The balloons will be either blue or pink depending on what the sonogram results were earlier today. They will be unaware of sex so when the balloons come out of the box they will find out what they're having. It will be evening time before sunset on the beach. I have a Nikon D5100. Still learning my camera. I do have a tripod. Also remote but have never used it. What settings? Ideas? Tips? Any help is much appreciated!
Thank You!
Thank You!
Jun 4, 2012 20:36:34 #
Get in CLOSE with a really wide angle lens. Maybe get a little low.
Check the lighting. You may possibly need fill flash.
Do you have a seperate flash unit? Not the pop up one as it probably wont recycle fast enough. Balance ambient light with the fill light. Difuse the flash if you can if only because you don't know how it will look as it hits the balloons.
Take a few test shots with some stand-ins if you can prior to the actual box opening. See what works and what looks good.
If you think the lighting is adequate without a flash put the frame advance on high and blast away when the box is opened. Make sure your focus is spot on first.
Allow enough DOF to get the box, balloons, and parents all in decent focus, plus a fast enough shutter speed to stop the action of the balloons and parents moving.
Just some quick ideas.
Check the lighting. You may possibly need fill flash.
Do you have a seperate flash unit? Not the pop up one as it probably wont recycle fast enough. Balance ambient light with the fill light. Difuse the flash if you can if only because you don't know how it will look as it hits the balloons.
Take a few test shots with some stand-ins if you can prior to the actual box opening. See what works and what looks good.
If you think the lighting is adequate without a flash put the frame advance on high and blast away when the box is opened. Make sure your focus is spot on first.
Allow enough DOF to get the box, balloons, and parents all in decent focus, plus a fast enough shutter speed to stop the action of the balloons and parents moving.
Just some quick ideas.
Jun 4, 2012 21:01:11 #
All good suggestions. The flash is great, BUT will never cycle fast enough and will stop your shooting. Put the shutter on CH for continuous high speed releases. Try this at home. Forget flash
Get low. Make them do a countdown. Start shooting just before they open the box and keep shooting until the camera slows down. Shoot jpeg, not raw.
Better yet get 2 shooters. One uses flash and other does not. Or shoot video...
Get low. Make them do a countdown. Start shooting just before they open the box and keep shooting until the camera slows down. Shoot jpeg, not raw.
Better yet get 2 shooters. One uses flash and other does not. Or shoot video...
Jun 4, 2012 21:50:05 #
Hope this isn't too late. To speed up your camera and get sharper pictures, go to a high ISO, I shot inside yesterday in low light at 3200 and picutes were sharp. Do take a few test shots to get your camera adjusted on location. Get in good position so you don't have to move, or squirm around to get a shot. Have someone in a test shot moving a little to see how it comes out. GOOD LUCK, I shoot a D5100 also.
Jun 4, 2012 22:43:08 #
Jun 4, 2012 22:55:27 #
also I have JPEG basic, normal, & fine settings. Then I have NEF(RAW)+JPEG FINE,NEF(RAW)+JPEG normal & NEF(RAW)+JPEG basic. Should I shoot in RAW + JPEG fine?
Jun 4, 2012 22:57:35 #
I had to go play with my camera, that might be your best deal, since the camera picks your ISO, play aorund with it before the moment.
feleekshia wrote:
What about sports setting? Should I just use sports setting?
Jun 4, 2012 23:03:27 #
Thank you Mike. Trying to figure out what focus mode and AF-area mode it should be on. Any ideas?
Jun 5, 2012 01:31:32 #
If you shoot in SPORT mode, the camera will set all the details for you, sorry I can't help you beyond that unless you want to pay for a plane ticket to Hawaii......LOL
feleekshia wrote:
Thank you Mike. Trying to figure out what focus mode and AF-area mode it should be on. Any ideas?
Jun 5, 2012 02:51:49 #
lol Mike. Thanks for all the tips. I ended up doing the wrong thing. I shot in manual mode. When I shot in Shutter mode it looked dark. I tried so many different ISO's & nothing looked good. I couldn't get sport mode right either. The pictures look so different than any other pictures I've taken. They look grainy & out of focus to me. I am not happy at all. I'm not sure if it's because I was in RAW + JPEG mode or what! Anyway, there are a few that they like but I am so disappointed in the pictures! Here are a few. Critiques, criticisms etc are WELCOME!
Jun 5, 2012 03:18:12 #
Jun 5, 2012 06:52:11 #
They are good pictures and a wonderful record of an important event to a family.
They will be cherished in years to come..
They will be cherished in years to come..
Jun 5, 2012 06:58:39 #
Jun 5, 2012 06:59:22 #
These are good shots; they are focused well enough and you caught some good moments; my ONLY negative comment is that they are "dull" and don't pop, they need a bit of PP to look their best but you didn't fail on these. (see my adjustment comparison)
It looks like you were shooting in shade; afternoon light; I'd say that about ISO 800 would have been the right ISO and would give you a good shutter speed and allow a small aperture.
Keep practicing shooting in manual...it's the only way to "conquer" it....time and effort. After a while it will be second nature.
It looks like you were shooting in shade; afternoon light; I'd say that about ISO 800 would have been the right ISO and would give you a good shutter speed and allow a small aperture.
Keep practicing shooting in manual...it's the only way to "conquer" it....time and effort. After a while it will be second nature.
Jun 5, 2012 07:01:21 #
Congrats to the couple...In the 4th shot, if you can level the horizon, crop vertically to exclude that bouey over his should and crop horizontally to just above the balloons, to much sky...you may like it better, IMO
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