PrettyinPearls

OnlyaFool

not sure if you saw in your post about cameras -- I sent you a PM

PrettyInPearls23

Sorry, I haven't been online all weekend! But, your photos are AMAZING. Seriously. You do some class act work. I love your artistic eye and the knack you have for capturing the "moment" (like the birthday dinner ones).

And the Artist? Um, yum!

OnlyaFool

Oh, thanks! You're too sweet.

PrettyInPearls23

I love the bokeh in some of the photos. I'm trying to work on doing a better job of getting a tighter focus with more bokeh, but it's usually a big fat fail. Any suggestions?

OnlyaFool

Sure well, a lot of it has to do with your settings, of course. Maybe if you sent me an example, I could say more. But the one below, for example, was taken with my 50mm, at probably f/1.8 or f/2

...

That's why I like prime lenses so much, because I dip down below f/4 and even f/2 very regularly. It's great for portraits and making things "pop." That shallow depth of field might be what you're looking for.

What mode do you usually shoot in?

PrettyInPearls23

I can post an example tonight (if I remember) when I'm on my personal laptop. My work computer has limited pictures on it...

To be completely honest, if I'm just grabbing my camera and shooting DS, I put it on the "auto" setting of 'sports' or 'children' I'm trying to work more in manual, but it's sometimes difficult to get the settings where I want them before DS is done doing whatever it is that was so cute that he was doing.

My Tamron 28-75 has a "sweet spot" at f/3, so that's generally where I set it when I am in manual. My problem is getting the focus where it needs to be. That's why I want to practice more with artsy shots so my subject isn't moving all over the place like DS does!

OnlyaFool

Yes, kids are very tricky! Anything that moves a lot is tricky, haha.

In general (at least on Canons), the center focal point is the most accurate one, so I usually leave mine on center-point focus (though the fancier cams have more focusing options like "zone," etc.).

Also, with things that move (kids, etc), it can be easier if you keep your depth of field a little deeper -- so they don't run out of focus by the time you can snap the picture, haha. I tend to keep it around f/4+ with moving kids.

But if you ever have a still subject(s), you could experiment with bigger apertures. I also usually shoot in Aperture Priority mode (Av on Canons, not sure on Nikon), which means you can control your f-stop, and the camera will do the rest. But the point is, you don't have to go "full" manual to get a bit more artistic control

PrettyInPearls23

Thank you for the suggestions, I really really appreciate it. I try to soak up as much knowledge I can gain when it comes to photography!

I'll play around with the apeture priority. I've tried shutter priority a few times (not sure if Canon has that?) and I got some pretty good results.

DarthNBJenni

OnlyaFool:

Yes, kids are very tricky! Anything that moves a lot is tricky, haha.

In general (at least on Canons), the center focal point is the most accurate one, so I usually leave mine on center-point focus (though the fancier cams have more focusing options like "zone," etc.).

Also, with things that move (kids, etc), it can be easier if you keep your depth of field a little deeper -- so they don't run out of focus by the time you can snap the picture, haha. I tend to keep it around f/4+ with moving kids.

But if you ever have a still subject(s), you could experiment with bigger apertures. I also usually shoot in Aperture Priority mode (Av on Canons, not sure on Nikon), which means you can control your f-stop, and the camera will do the rest. But the point is, you don't have to go "full" manual to get a bit more artistic control

I shot in AV mode for 2 years and only have just now ventured into manual. AV is pretty easy to get a hang of, and then it's not much harder to grasp manual.  

OnlyaFool

DarthNBJenni:

OnlyaFool:

Yes, kids are very tricky! Anything that moves a lot is tricky, haha.

In general (at least on Canons), the center focal point is the most accurate one, so I usually leave mine on center-point focus (though the fancier cams have more focusing options like "zone," etc.).

Also, with things that move (kids, etc), it can be easier if you keep your depth of field a little deeper -- so they don't run out of focus by the time you can snap the picture, haha. I tend to keep it around f/4+ with moving kids.

But if you ever have a still subject(s), you could experiment with bigger apertures. I also usually shoot in Aperture Priority mode (Av on Canons, not sure on Nikon), which means you can control your f-stop, and the camera will do the rest. But the point is, you don't have to go "full" manual to get a bit more artistic control

I shot in AV mode for 2 years and only have just now ventured into manual. AV is pretty easy to get a hang of, and then it's not much harder to grasp manual.  

I agree, and I think Av would be a good place to start if she mostly uses P now.

PrettyInPearls23

OnlyaFool:

DarthNBJenni:

OnlyaFool:

Yes, kids are very tricky! Anything that moves a lot is tricky, haha.

In general (at least on Canons), the center focal point is the most accurate one, so I usually leave mine on center-point focus (though the fancier cams have more focusing options like "zone," etc.).

Also, with things that move (kids, etc), it can be easier if you keep your depth of field a little deeper -- so they don't run out of focus by the time you can snap the picture, haha. I tend to keep it around f/4+ with moving kids.

But if you ever have a still subject(s), you could experiment with bigger apertures. I also usually shoot in Aperture Priority mode (Av on Canons, not sure on Nikon), which means you can control your f-stop, and the camera will do the rest. But the point is, you don't have to go "full" manual to get a bit more artistic control

I shot in AV mode for 2 years and only have just now ventured into manual. AV is pretty easy to get a hang of, and then it's not much harder to grasp manual.  

I agree, and I think Av would be a good place to start if she mostly uses P now.

Good to know ladies! And Darth, I love your photos too