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Help my pictures are terrible
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Nov 27, 2011 17:14:07   #
RMM Loc: Suburban New York
 
Leaf Peeper wrote:
I'd like to speak from the subject's viewpoint, if I may. Perhaps the reason candid shots don't come out so well is because many folks, like me, look simply horrible in them. I personally hate having candid shots taken of me as most of the time, I'm either talking with my mouth open, stuffing food in my mouth or chewing already! It's hardly flattering and downright ugly, in my humble opinion. I much prefer the photographer let me know he/she wants to take a picture so I can either swallow and try a smile, close my mouth or turn my head in another direction. Just another angle in which to view this subject!
I'd like to speak from the subject's viewpoint, if... (show quote)

My daughter might agree with you, and I have gotten good posed shots. But there have been real treasures in the candids, and when she and the kids are just having fun, knowing I've got the camera out.

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Nov 27, 2011 17:43:16   #
rica Loc: Oregon and Leyte, Phillipines.
 
Leaf Peeper wrote:
I'd like to speak from the subject's viewpoint, if I may. Perhaps the reason candid shots don't come out so well is because many folks, like me, look simply horrible in them. I personally hate having candid shots taken of me as most of the time, I'm either talking with my mouth open, stuffing food in my mouth or chewing already! It's hardly flattering and downright ugly, in my humble opinion. I much prefer the photographer let me know he/she wants to take a picture so I can either swallow and try a smile, close my mouth or turn my head in another direction. Just another angle in which to view this subject!
I'd like to speak from the subject's viewpoint, if... (show quote)


Yes the family and friends are there to relax and have fun. A photographer at any event should strive to be unobtrusive... and a flash is very obtrusive. But..... as a photographer you have to get the shots. I make it a habit to never publish or show a bad/embarrassing photo of a subject. People see a bad expression once and are uneasy and afraid of you instantly.

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Nov 27, 2011 20:52:32   #
T Loc: New York State
 
[quote=rica]
Quote:
I make it a habit to never publish or show a bad/embarrassing photo of a subject. People see a bad expression once and are uneasy and afraid of you instantly.


Many of the best formal portraits taken are after fighting through the setup and getting back to a rare and powerful candid expression for a second or two.

Building trust with your (anybody) familiy is more important then taking the lens cap off... It helps to show them a bad shot though. While you delete it and chat with them about doing YOUR job better... "And wouldn't you like to pet the dog (-cat-canary-turtle) while I change settings for the next try?

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Nov 27, 2011 20:53:56   #
krashzmom Loc: Columbia, SC
 
WildBill wrote:
I tend to use my P&S for family events just because it is small and I can get the candid shots. My "good" camera does not conceal well and I have to take my test shots to get the settings right, then try and come back later for photos without fake poses. Once the family sees that DSLR around my neck, they cover faces, stick tongues out, hide, or give me a "I am going to kill you" look. I don't have that same issue with the P&S and I am not scared to let one of the grand kids take it to get shots of grandma cooking.
I tend to use my P&S for family events just be... (show quote)


I'm with you on all counts there. I'm going to my son's new house and have no idea how much light he has (he could probly use some lamps for the new house) and her family will be there (another hazard) and there's an Akita puppy which will weight at least 40 lbs. by the time we get there. (yes, they get up to 100 lbs.) So, that being said the DSLR will have to stay in the trunk to catch the scenery between here and Ala.
:-)

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Nov 27, 2011 22:42:02   #
LisaBE Loc: Waterville, OH
 
tramsey wrote:
LisaB
That's a great shot and that's a good idea of going to your own studio. A person could set one up just for Christmas time in a about any room.
I'm curious about your camera. Is that a medium format. looks like a Hassy to me?


It's a Mamiya 6x45. I haven't used it much in the last few years. I've recently dusted it off and have used it a little.

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Nov 27, 2011 23:42:52   #
tramsey Loc: Texas
 
That's serious photography. can't wait to see some of your postings

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Nov 28, 2011 00:08:09   #
Susieb721 Loc: Mid Michigan
 
rica wrote:
lphilp wrote:
These are great suggestions. Thank you everyone for your input. I will grab all the lamps from around the house and light up the room and practice with my husband before hand. I have never been brave enough to turn the flash off (worried that I won't get anything at all) but I'll try it in my practice mode and see what happens. I'd like to be really prepared because when they converge upon me, it's a housefull of very animated people. I'll post after the holiday.


I find that using a little fill flash is very helpful. Auto mode on the camera is your enemy here. Shooting totally natural light is highly over-rated for casual setting where you can't pose the subjects. shooting wide open at f2.8 or f1.4 requires precise focusing and gives a very shallow depth of field. If you want to flatter your subjects instead of creating pictures with raccoon eyes and dark shadows on the faces you should use fill-flash. I usually use my hot shoe flash pointed up to the ceiling at a 30-45deg angle. I also use a Stofen type diffuser on the flash to get the softened light with faint shadows. They are on Ebay very cheap(as low as $1.50 with free shipping).
With the flash adjusted down to -1 f-stop you can still get natural looking photos but with shining eyes. This is done in the flash menu and just takes a second. Experiment with the camera in Shutter priority Mode(1/60th sec) and aperture priority mode. Set your ISO turned up to just below where the noise starts (ISO 800 is good for your Nikon) you can get some bright natural looking photos that flatter the guests.
If you only have an built in flash you can still set it to do fill-in (-.5 to -1 f-stop) and at least brighten the shadows and put some catch-lights in the eyes.
Hold steady! Use a tripod or brace yourself against something. Use shake-reduction on the camera.
Good shooting.
Remember if you are serious take control of the shoot, even at home.
quote=lphilp These are great suggestions. Thank ... (show quote)


Thank you for the very specific settings/information. I wish I'd had someone help me when I first started out. I am pretty good at playing with settings and getting a decent shot with my Nikon, but before I got gutsy enough to spin some thumb dials, I would have had NO idea where to start. I hope it helps our OP.

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Nov 28, 2011 19:00:17   #
brat23
 
is there a way to fix a picture that is slightly blury, when i am doing the editing part on the computer using photo.

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Nov 28, 2011 19:12:48   #
RMM Loc: Suburban New York
 
Sometimes, you can get good results with sharpening, particularly if you switch to LAB color and work on the Lightness layer.

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Nov 28, 2011 19:25:22   #
twoody Loc: KY
 
That's a great group shot. How did you get the background like that?

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