 Rachelle P. Cooper |
Group shot?? I am new to photography and I am just learning my camera which is a Canon Rebel Xt.. I am going to do some family pics for a friend but dont feel comfortable enough yet to shoot in manual so I was wondering what the best mode on my camera would be to use.. should I just use auto mode.. or another mode on my camera, I am worried about some of the family not all being focused...help??
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- Carlton Ward Contact Carlton Ward Carlton Ward's Gallery |
Hi Rachelle, The problem with group shots is having enough & even lighting on everyone in the group. So that you dont have half dark faces or black ears. Then you will need to have enough DOF (Depth of Field) to make sure everyone is in focus like f/8 to f/11. Then you will need to have a fast enough shutter speed to prevent blurring (I would suggest at least 1/125 but you may get away with 1/60 if everyone remains still enough). If you have very good lighting, you should be able to do this but you may also need to change your ISO setting up to 400 or 800 to get the DOF & speed you need. This is also why I would suggest shooting manually. You can set your camera to "auto" and see what settings it thinks it needs. If it is selecting DOF at f/4 or shutter speed at 1/20, I dont think this will work. You may also select protrait mode and see what settings this displays as well. Group shots are not easy but shutter speed is crucial because I have never had a group of 5 or more that were able to stand still enough for a slow shutter speed. Someone will be moving or have their eyes closed or a stupid expression on their face or a rubber chicken sticking out of their pocket or etc.. If outside, beware of shadows and the direction of the light. Shade trees will work if there are no sun streaks between the branches striking the group. If inside, try some lamps or cheap flood lights with maybe a sheet in front of the lights for some diffusion. Play with the angles & positions of the lights and see the difference in illumination. Also, when inside, your image will pick up the colors of the walls & ceiling and cast this color on the group. If you could get an umbrella light kit (even a cheap $200 one with 2 lights) it would make this more do-able. This is a big can of worms and ther are many options (including strobe/flash lighting) & things to consider but I hope I have helped you think about some things that will help your shoot. There are some real pros here who teach classes on this subject and maybe they will have an opinion to help you.
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Craig m. Zacarelli |
how many in the group? if its 4 or 5 put your cam into Adep mode.. Auto depth of field will help keep everyone in focus. if outside, be sure the lighting is harsh as it will cause alot of shadow and blown out spots and might cause squinting. try to do it at a time just before dusk when the sun light has that even goldish tone..
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Rachelle P. Cooper |
Hey thanks so much for all the tips.. I will defianetly be using them!
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Rachelle P. Cooper |
Craig, There is 2 adults and 3 small kids... if you use adep mode does it still automatically set everything for you.. or do I need to set the aperture or shutter speed and ISO.. or do I set the shutter speed and it automatically adjust and sets the rest.. not sure how it work...any help would be great.. I am just trying to read up on it right now. Thanks
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- Ken Smith Contact Ken Smith Ken Smith's Gallery |
The Adep mode will set things up...but, you might not like the resulting shutter speed; e.g., too slow. Also, are you using a tripod? That will help, especially if the light is low. And..is there a way to take trial shots from the same locale? Then you can get a feel for your lighting and depth of field. You could place some chairs where the people would be..or something to focus on. Just a thought. Carlton's settings are good..strive for aperture of F8 and have a shutter speed of 1/60th of a sec or better. If the shutter speed is too slow..bump up the ISO. But higher ISOs lead to more noise... again, a tripod can help alot!
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W. |
Manuals are a wonderful invention. But some people insist on ignoring them. So they set themselves up for problems.
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- Carlton Ward Contact Carlton Ward Carlton Ward's Gallery |
Hi Rachelle, I am not sure about the XTi but my Canon 20D & 40D have a bar (Exposure Level Indicator) at the bottom (looking through the viewfinder) that will show you if you are properly exposed (having the indicator in the middle). If the indicator is to the left you are under-exposed (dark)& right is over-exposed (light). Press the shutter halfway down to obtain focus and then when you change the shutter speed, you will see the indicator move accordingly. Changing the f/stop & ISO setting will also affect this. If you can practice this, you will gain the ability to shoot manually quickly and then you can concentrate on getting the DOF you want to make the image work for you. And as Ken said, a tripod is a must. The tripod gives you so many more options and a good one is worth its weight in gold.
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- Carlton Ward Contact Carlton Ward Carlton Ward's Gallery |
Hi Rachelle, chack this link : http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-400D-Rebel-XTi-White-Paper.pdf
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Rachelle P. Cooper |
Thankyou for all your tips.. I am defiantly going to get a tripod and I will get practising manually .. thanks for all your help!
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