topic Re: Total Beginner needs help please! in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Total Beginner needs help please!

Deckydodo — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 13:50:39 GMT

HI, I am a mom of three kids who are models. I need to take pics of them regularly to update their portfolio and send to their agent. I usually take them outside to play and snap pics of full body and some face shots. They move around a lot.

I have a Canon Rebel T5 kit. What setting should I have it on so I can have the flexibiity of moving around with them and taking pics. Auto? If not auto setting, can someone talk me through each setting in another program please? My photos look grainy, washed out, blurry, etc. I can't get it right. Thanks so much!!

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

ebiggs1 — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:12:50 GMT

First, forget Auto exists. Also set the ISO to a fixed level. Not auto ISO.

It sounds like you might have two issues to deal with. Good stationery shots and some more active ones.

For the static or not much motion use the Av mode. Select an aperture you want and let the T5 set the SS. More open for less DOF and stopped down for a larger DOF (depth of field, more or less what remains in good focus).

For the active shots use Tv mode. Set a higher SS value like 1/500 or 1/1000. Let the T5 set the aperture. This will stop almost anythings movement.

ISO in the range of 400 should work for both but you may want to drop it down to 200 or kick up to 800. Don't go higher.

Picking a day and or a place that has good light will also bring nice rewards to you. The best shots are staged so you know what to expect. Guessing usually will result in hit or miss. Shooting kids especially high schoolers is a large part of my business right now. Believe me guessing is not good.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

ebiggs1 — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:14:22 GMT

"Thanks so much!!"

You are very welcome. BTW, if you need some more tips let me know. I have been at this for decades!

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

Deckydodo — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:18:15 GMT

Thank you

In TV, the highest shutter speed is 1/200

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

ebiggs1 — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:22:34 GMT

The Rebel T5 has a SS range of 30sec to 1/4000. All are available in Tv mode.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

Deckydodo — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:24:17 GMT

Ok, because it was in Al Servo, whatever that means 🙂

I need to go through all my settings and fix them up!

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

ebiggs1 — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:26:17 GMT

Use One Shot not Ai-servo. At least until you get better acquainted with the camera.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

diverhank — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 15:23:21 GMT

@Deckydodo wrote:
Thank you

In TV, the highest shutter speed is 1/200

You are limited to 1/200 whenever the built-in flash is on (popped up for use). Just push it down and lock on Tv mode.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

TCampbell — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 15:27:05 GMT

"Program" mode is like auto except it allows you to override settings (auto doesn't allow you to make many changes). But "Program" mode tries to find what I call a "safe" exposure (which is not necessarily the most interesting, creative, or best possible exposure). What it really does is puts priority on getthing the shutter speed high enough that blur caused by YOUR camera movement (but not your subject's movement) will hopefully be eliminated. If it has more than enough light to do that, then it starts to balance increases in shutter speed with decreases in the aperture size (which results in a broader "depth of field" or DoF -- this is the range of distances at which a subject will appear to be in fairly acceptable focus).

So "Program" mode will be very easy... but not necessarily result in the best image.

"Av" mode (Aperture value) is probably the most useful mode (especially if you have a low-focal ratio lens). The "Aperture" refers to the size of the opening in the lens. The lens has an adjustable aperture that works a bit like the iris on your eyes in that it can dilate or constrict to allow more or less light to pass through (this is not the shutter). When more light passes through the lens at a time, you can take an exposure in less time (the shutter speed can be shorter or "faster") but the trade off is that less of the image will be in focus (objects nearer or farther from the intended focus distance will be blurred. When you use a smaller aperture opening the depth of field is broader (objects nearer or farther than the intended focus distance may actually look fairly well focused).

The confusing part of aperture is that it is a ratio - like a fraction. The lower value numbers actually refer to BIGGER lens openings. Aperture values will be things like f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, etc. f/2 is actully a larger aperture size than f/16 (some people get that backwards).

Here's a video that may help:

If the kids are in full-sun then the sun will create very harsh shadows (eye sockets will be very dark). If looking at the sun they may squint (not usually a good look) and if they're faced away from the sun they may be too dark. The solution is to use the FLASH (yes, I know it's outside and during the day). The flash helps fill in the shadow areas. You'll still see shadows -- they just wont look so dark.

If you want to use a flash, then Av mode wont let you set a shutter speed faster than 1/200th sec (with flash enabled) UNLESS that flash is equipped with a feature called "high speed sync". The built-in flash on your T5 doesn't support that. You'd need an external flash attached to the camera hot-shoe such as a Canon Speedlite 430EX II or 430EX III-RT.

But you could use "Program" mode with the flash. All you have to do is use the button on the front of the camera that looks like a lightning bolt... that raises the flash. If the camera is in "Program" mode and the flash is raised, it will use the flash (if the flash is down then it wont use it. This is one of the benefits of using Program mode or auto mode). The camera will constrict the aperure size (probably to f/11 or f/16) so that the shutter speed need not be longer than 1/200th sec at ISO 100.

Again, this wont be the "best" result possible, but with limited equipment and not a lot of experience this will probably improve your results.

I am assuming you are using the kit Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II lens that came with the T5.

This should hopefully help with the "blurry" problem. Another factor in the "blurry" problem may be missed focus. By default your camera will test all the auto-focus points and it will select the AF point that is able to achieve focus at the NEAREST distance to your camera. This means if anything is closer than your intended subject, it will likely focus on that nearer thing and not on your intended subject. You can use the AF seletion button to force the camera to pick a specific point. I suggest setting it to use the center point. Then target and focus on whichever eye is closest to you (we call this the "dominant eye"). Half-press to get the camera to lock in focus at that point but then re-compose the frame to place your subject nicely in the frame (you don't want the eyeball smack in the center of the frame). The technique is (a) target the eye, (b) half-press to get the camera lens to focus to their eye (don't release the half-pressed shutter button), (c) re-compose the frame and then (d) fully press the shutter to take the shot. This focus technique only works if the camera's focus mode is in "One Shot" mode. If the camera is in "AI Servo" mode it will CONTINUALLY ADJUST FOCUS as the focus point moves around.

"One shot" mode activates focus until it locks on a subject, then shuts down the focus system so the camera remains focusesd at that distance. It is meant for shots where the camera/subject distance remains fixed becuase neither is moving.

"AI Focus" mode is meant for action photography where the subject distance is constantly changing. The camera never stops focusing until you take the shot. So in this mode, you have to be careful to select an appropriate AF point and keep that point on your subject at all times (if it drifts off the intended subject then the camera will re-focus on something else). Canon's more advanced cameras have focus systems with many many more AF points and the ability to follow the subject as they move around in the frame. Your T5 doesn't have such an advanced focus system.

As for "grainy" -- that often implies you were using a very high ISO setting (don't do that). Your camera will produce very clear non-grainy images at ISO 100, 200, 400, but you'll start to notice a little grain at ISO 800... and more still at 1600... and 3200 will probably look awful. The lower the ISO, the clearer and less grainy the image will be.

As for "washed out" - that usually means an incorrect exposure or that the image could use some adjustment in post processing software. You can increase color saturation (carefull... that's like adding salt to your food. A little may be nice, but over-do things and it ruins it. Don't grab the saturation adjustment and just cram it all the way to the high end. Gentle adjustments that still look believable look best.)

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

kvbarkley — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 21:09:44 GMT

Check out Laura Morita's articles at the DLC

https://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2016/laura-morita-guide-to-amazing-photos.shtml

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

Deckydodo — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 21:24:47 GMT

you guys are so helpful! thank you!

I took some pics to today in TV: set to 1/1000 ISO: 800 (I have no clue what the "F" thing is or where to find it 😞

Can you see my pics and see where I can improve?

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

Waddizzle — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 22:22:18 GMT

Nice photos, and they are not pics, BTW. Just keep on shooting. Program mode, [P], is a good shooting mode to use to learn about the camera, and general photography. It gives you a better opportunity to see what changes in settings do to a photo.

Once you get good understanding of the " Exposure Triangle " and " Depth Of Field ", you will be well on your way.

Oh yeah, that "F" thing you mentioned, that is one leg of the exposure triangle, the aperture, which controls depth of field.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

Deckydodo — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 22:27:59 GMT

LOL, i cannot find the F setting anywhere! I'll google it 🙂

Thanks!

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

kvbarkley — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 22:54:03 GMT

The setting is the Aperture, Av, and it is called out in "f numbers" because it is a ratio of the focal length to the opening size. Large "f numbers" result in small openings.Lenses are specified as to the largest opeing available: Primes typically f/1.4 - f/2.8 or so and most reasonalbly priced zooms f/4.5 and up. Since a larger openeing allows more light, the primes are better in low light. Also, low numbers give you a narrow depth of field - the band of sharp focus.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

Waddizzle — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 00:13:29 GMT

@Deckydodo wrote:
LOL, i cannot find the F setting anywhere! I'll google it 🙂
Thanks!

The "F setting" is the Aperture setting value. If you are using Tv mode, which us shutter priority mode, then Av, aperture value, is being set automatically for you. Until you can understand the " exposure triangle ", I recommend that you stick to [P] shooting mode and forget about Av and Tv modes, at least for now.

Look at the link that kvbarkley posted. Try doing web searches for the terms I posted in quotes.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

TCampbell — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 02:02:05 GMT

@Deckydodo wrote:
LOL, i cannot find the F setting anywhere! I'll google it 🙂
Thanks!

The "f" values (aka "f-stops") are "focal ratios" (they are explained in the video). Canon uses the notation "Av" (for "Aperture value").

BTW, to help this make sense, the "ratio" is actually the focal length of the lens (in millimeters) divided by the physical diameter of the aperture opening (also in millimeters). For example, if you had a 100mm focal length lens and your aperture opening happened to be 25mm across, then 100 ÷ 25 = 4. So the focal ratio would be "f/4"

The real reason we care about those numbers is because when you increase the diameter of a circle by the square root of 2 (approximately 1.4) then the "area" of that circle will EXACTLY double. That results in the camera collecting twice as much light in the same amount of time.

For this reason the "f" values have a strange order... instead of just being "1", "2", "3", 4", they're actually values of 1, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 ... and you'll notice that the next value in the sequence is always the previous value multiplied by 1.4 (although we do round off slightly to make it easier). Each value in the sequence (going from lowest value to highest value) means that the "area" of the aperture opening has been reduced to half, then half again, and half again, and so on. The numbers seem slightly non-intuitive (wouldn't it be easier if they were just plain sequential counting numbers) but that's the way math and geometry works (we photographers didn't get a vote).

The video gives good examples ... watch it (if you haven't already watched it.)

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

ScottyP — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 02:37:53 GMT

Google 2 or 3 free videos on YouTube on the exposure triangle. Good composition and handsome little guy and dog.

You were outside in good sun and your subject was moving but not quickly so you didn't need to use the 800 ISO because it lowers image quality. In bright sun, try to use ISO 100 or 200 unless your subject is absolutely screaming fast.

You could have slowed the shutter to 1/400th to gain some light and still avoided subject motion blur. I didn't see your aperture (f/stop) but you could have opened it up more if you still needed more light.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

John_SD — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 02:58:36 GMT

You'll want to get a book or two on composition. Increasingly, for me, that is where it's at. And good composition can make a big difference.

I once posted a link for a book that is considered an excellent foundation in photographic composition, and one of the mods quickly deleted it. It wasn't a Canon book, you see. But if you look on Amazon, you'll be able to find some books on composition. People are so obsessed with lenses, they don't realize that without proper composition the photo is still inferior.

For example, your photos could have been vastly improved through the simple expedient of keeping subject off-center and shooting against a "decluttered" background. Also, in the second photo, it would have been good to have taken the shot with the child outside against some greenery, and not against that white post.

Hope you don't take offense at my suggestions, but I think that good shots, such as yours, can be made much better once you get a handle on subject placement, background, angle, etc.

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

ScottyP — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 02:59:57 GMT

I suggest a book lots of others will endorse. "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson shows how you can trade off one variable (aperture, shutter speed or ISO sensitivity) to get a correct exposure, but he then shows how you can do more trading between the variables to get about 6 different but equivalent exposure combinations from which you can pick the one that meets your artistic vision.

This is important because each of the 3 points on the exposure triangle has a side-effect on the image. Aperture controls the depth of field in focus. Shutter speed freezes motion of different speed, or allows blur if that is what you want. Increasing ISO above 100 ISO gives progressively more sensor sensitivity in low light, but at the cost of image quality (noise/grain and loss of resolution).

Re: Total Beginner needs help please!

John_SD — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 03:09:36 GMT

@ScottyP wrote:
I suggest a book lots of others will endorse. "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson...

Absolutely, Scotty. I think that book is great and it continues to help me tremendously. That book is what got me shooting in Manual mode, as he insists on it. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be and he does a great job explaining how.

Also, his book on composition entitled "Learning to See Creatively, Design, Color, and Composition in Photography" is one I read and study often. Like many others, I recommend Peterson's books highly.