help: tips on portraits/wildlife/fashion

[purpledove]

Here I am again seeking for help on tips & camera settings for portraits/models/fashion shots and wildlife. I am going to a photo shoot tomorrow which showcases a botanical garden with wildlife transformed into an enchanted forest with fairies, elves, princesses, sorcerers etc. There's also some deep forest streams and mini waterfalls. Speaking of which, I just came from a hike & took waterfalls shots today and am not very satisfied. Thanks mucho

my settings i started with earlier were: f/29 ISO: 200 1/10 shutter speed- i worked with AV mode. Can't use a tripod as i was by a cliff (no room for tripod set-up )

sample shots attached below ( unedited) although most of my shots were blurry...needs improvement

 

[Tuffdisc]

Why do you need to set it to f/29? Why Av for motion? Then try to reposition yourself so you can use a tripod, don't just think that the first spot you think is a good position, think photographically

 

[purpledove]

Why do you need to set it to f/29? Why Av for motion? Then try to reposition yourself so you can use a tripod, don't just think that the first spot you think is a good position, think photographically

while on a smaller waterfall (pic not posted) another photographer passing by showed me to use f/32 to freeze the action of the water and get that 'silky flow' @ AV mode. I was struggling with the manual settings and it was either blurry or the water was 'trickly'/drops showing which wasn't my intention. I used the continuous mode for the motion as i used that b4 on the horse race. Hey, I am new with DSLR photography eh

tripod: no way is there space to move around otherwise I would have fallen into the cliff and not here to post. You should see where i was.

any tips on portrait/models as I see lots of it on your collection of pics?

 

[purpledove]

btw- another setting he showed me was the Tv mode to get a more trickly effect on the water. I didn't like that effect.....maybe on a fountain that would work if I was trying to get the droplets & just stop the motion not freeze for silky effect. *shrugs*

 

[Tuffdisc]

f/32 to freeze the water? I know what you mean by the silky water effect..just that most togs use filters to get that effect plus the slow shutter

 

[purpledove]

f/32 to freeze the water? I know what you mean by the silky water effect..just that most togs use filters to get that effect plus the slow shutter

Yup, you're right about the shutter speed and filters. I learned it when i spoke with a friend last night about settings too and he agrees with higher aperture for freeze motion....He took this and he has a technique to make the whirlpool effect. Posting attached pic with permission.

 

[purpledove]

...where's my portrait and model photography tips? :ninja

 

[Tuffdisc]

...where's my portrait and model photography tips? :ninja

lmfao, all I'm going to say is that Rome wasn't built in a day :ninja

 

[banned]

Aperture (f) = depth of field
Shutter speed (sec) = control motion

 

[purpledove]

lmfao, all I'm going to say is that Rome wasn't built in a day :ninja

You're absolutely right :ninja :clap

Aperture (f) = depth of field
Shutter speed (sec) = control motion

i daresay...i know that info- just not able to apply automatically or as fast as need be... in real photography settings

 

[pinkporridge]

what kind of fashion/ portraits tips do you want to know? what exactly are you shooting? do you have additional light? are you using natural light? what time of day? is it supposed to be an overcast day/ bright/ wet? Do you have reflectors. What lenses are available to you. So many questions!

i don't have the patients for landscape. Too much waiting around for me. If i was going to do it I'd have to do it properly. Camp out, wait until the light is right. - like I said too much effort for me.

 

[purpledove]

what kind of fashion/ portraits tips do you want to know? what exactly are you shooting? do you have additional light? are you using natural light? what time of day? is it supposed to be an overcast day/ bright/ wet? Do you have reflectors. What lenses are available to you. So many questions!

i don't have the patients for landscape. Too much waiting around for me. If i was going to do it I'd have to do it properly. Camp out, wait until the light is right. - like I said too much effort for me.

It's day time in a botanical garden setting (outdoors- so encompassing landscapes too etc) ....so am assuming maybe no indoor portraits. We're forecasted @ 65 and bit sunny with some clouds. I'll be shooting models dressed as fairies, princesses, elves etc.

no additional lights just built in flash from camera. I only have 28-135 mm and 18-55mm lens. No i don't have any reflectors.

Thanks for offering to help. I appreciate it



camera settings maybe or anything that can help as it's my first time.

 

[pinkporridge]

ok! great! first off- do not use onboard flash.
The problem (although it is my preferable shooting condition as i can create my own light) with cloud cover is that you get a very flat light. if you can borrow a flash gun from some one before the shoot it would be preferable. if not, just do your best.

Lens- use your 28-135 lens. As your outside i am going to go ahead and assume that you will have lots of space? This is perfect for portraits. Do not stand up close to your subject with your lens at 28mm.(how wide does it open f5.6?) This will distort your image. Stand well back and zoom in no lower than around 55-60mm. 55 or above should be ok! turn your ISO as low as it will go for minimum noise. Open your aperture as wide as your lens will allow. - in portraiture you do not want a sharp background. It is distracting. Adjust your shutterspeed accodingly for a good exposure. If you find that the shutterspeed it too slow and you are stuggling to hold the camera steady enough, increase your ISO.

 

[purpledove]

ok! great! first off- do not use onboard flash.
The problem (although it is my preferable shooting condition as i can create my own light) with cloud cover is that you get a very flat light. if you can borrow a flash gun from some one before the shoot it would be preferable. if not, just do your best.

Lens- use your 28-135 lens. As your outside i am going to go ahead and assume that you will have lots of space? This is perfect for portraits. Do not stand up close to your subject with your lens at 28mm.(how wide does it open f5.6?) This will distort your image. Stand well back and zoom in no lower than around 55-60mm. 55 or above should be ok! turn your ISO as low as it will go for minimum noise. Open your aperture as wide as your lens will allow. - in portraiture you do not want a sharp background. It is distracting. Adjust your shutterspeed accodingly for a good exposure. If you find that the shutterspeed it too slow and you are stuggling to hold the camera steady enough, increase your ISO.

Awesome tips/help :thumbup I sure will use ALL your advise.

I'm nervous I'll be struggling there while missing all the good shots and no one might be able to help as they're all busy taking/composing their own shots. You're a BIG help :nod:

Yeah my lens goes to f/5.6

 

[pinkporridge]

Dont panic! its easy to get stressed if your stuck and miss the obvious solution. if you have time, arrive a little early and look around. Maybe write a few ideas down before you even start shooting. Go in with a plan. If you have time today, buy Vogue or a fashion mag. look through it for pose ideas. You dont have to do carbon copies but it might inspire you.

 

[pinkporridge]

if you are able to, id love to see how it turns out!

 

[pinkporridge]

http://www.escada.com/en/escada/fragrances/especially-escada/

just flicking through Cosmopolitan (i got a years subsription for xmas. Gonna be pretty handy i think) i saw a perfume advert. They have quite a few location images on their website. Note in most instances the background is out of focus.

 

[purpledove]

Dont panic! its easy to get stressed if your stuck and miss the obvious solution. if you have time, arrive a little early and look around. Maybe write a few ideas down before you even start shooting. Go in with a plan. If you have time today, buy Vogue or a fashion mag. look through it for pose ideas. You dont have to do carbon copies but it might inspire you.

I am trying not to I am just imagining myself during the horse race and waterfalls shoots where it took me a few hours staying there deciphering settings, taking lots of blurry shots etc and getting frustrated wanting to give up. I don't want that today at least :tooth

Great ideas...no more time for vogue tho'. But i had been looking at some on flickr and in-style mag online. Thanks again.

 

[purpledove]

if you are able to, id love to see how it turns out!

I sure will :nod:

http://www.escada.com/en/escada/fragrances/especially-escada/

just flicking through Cosmopolitan (i got a years subsription for xmas. Gonna be pretty handy i think) i saw a perfume advert. They have quite a few location images on their website. Note in most instances the background is out of focus.

Wow!! spectacular pics on that Escada advert. I am imagining one of the lovely fairies in a rose garden now

Truly appreciate your help.

 

[pinkporridge]

Good luck!