Settings Advice?

[Crystina]

One of my best friends is due to have her first child in July, and I have asked her permission to be there and photograph the big event. I recently purchased a Canon T1i DSLR, and am using an older Tamron telephoto lens with it that does not have IS. I will be bringing a tripod along.

I would like to do basically a storyline type of shoot, with the end results being in black and white. We will be in the standard, everyday average hospital room with typical hospital lighting. The only flash I own is the one the camera is equipped with.

I am wondering what type of settings or filters a more experienced person might suggest for some beautiful black and white pictures inside a hospital room. The only photo editing software I have at the present time is the Digital Photo Professional that came with the Canon.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks!

[Colin Southern]

Hi Crystina,

The "enemy" will be camera shake due to low shutterspeed or insufficient depth of field due to low ambient light levels -- so the first thing I would do is put the camera in Av mode - select an aperture of around F5.6 - and increase the ISO until you're getting shutterspeeds at least in the 1/50th to 1/100th sec range. This will increase the noise in your shots, but noise does far less damage than camera shake or insufficient depth of field.

The on-camera flash will probably be next to useless, so personally, I wouldn't even bother using it.

You might like to check with the hospital as to what their rules are too.

Hope this helps

[edrtatad]

Hi Colin,

Would the 1/50th or 1/100th shutterspeed capture a clear image of a kicking/crying baby...or will the captured image be the same if the shot is set at TV mode at said speed?

Yen

[Colin Southern]

Hi Colin,

Would the 1/50th or 1/100th shutterspeed capture a clear image of a kicking/crying baby...or will the captured image be the same if the shot is set at TV mode at said speed?

Yen

Hi Yen,

It'll probably be OK - really just a bit of "luck of the draw" though (if you happen to press the button just as a movement reaches the end of it's travel then you should be ok - but if it's "full flight" then there's likely to be a bit of motion blur). I wouldn't worry too much though - new borns aren't going to be setting any speed records.

Giving priority to the shutterspeed via Tv mode is desireable in theory, but the problem is that the camera then has to vary the aperture to get a correct exposure - and usually in these situations the aperture won't be able to go big enough. In Av mode - so long as you're not too close - you shouldn't have a major depth of field problem if you shoot with the aperture wide open - and then the shutterspeed can adjust to whatever it needs to expose the shot correctly; the only question at that point is "is the shutterspeed high enough to prevent camera shake and/or motion blue?

I'd suggest:

(a) Do a practice run well before the event to see what you're working with

(b) Get some good advice on and practice camera holding techniques

(c) If in doubt, take a burst of about 3 shots -- generally, 1 of the 3 will be a lot sharper.

Of the 3 suggestions above, (a) is the most important

Does this help?