Tara R. Swartzendruber |
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Capturing Motion in Studio
Why do I still "miss shots" (such as a kid turning their head) with studio strobes? I have two photogenic 1250's synced with my Nikon D80.
April 30, 2008
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Mark Feldstein |
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Timing, Tara, is everything, especially in portraiture. It ain't the lights it's like the photographer. Posting some examples to fully understand what you mean would be helpful, at least to me. OTOH, if it is your timing, maybe this will help: When I shoot portraits, regardless of format, I rarely take my eye out of the viewfinder unless we're taking a break. I talk to the client as I work and don't use a tripod. When I shoot medium format, I prefocus, watch the client while we chat and trip the shutter electronically without looking through the viewfinder but always watching the client and anticipating their movement or facial expressions. (See, e.g., the portraits on my website (not the gallery here).
Take it light ;>)
Mark
April 30, 2008
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W. |
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OR you can shoot bursts at 7fps, and I bet there'll be plenty good ones among them.
April 30, 2008
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Tara R. Swartzendruber |
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I am very much a viewbinder/no tripod person. I like to talk and take pix at random as the kids are playing, etc... I guess I was under the impression that the strobes would "stop motion," but I'm always amazed at the pix I get when I think I'm getting a certain expression as I push the shutter, and end up with their head turned away at the last minute. Kids move quickly, but I thought the strobes would help "freeze" this a bit more. I'm sure, then that it's the photographer. It's difficult, though to always catch the right look in small children. Will my strobes still fire if I shoot 7fps as W.S. suggested? I guess I should try that....
April 30, 2008
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John H. Siskin |
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Hi Tara,
Your strobes may fire once or twice at 7 fps, but no more. The key is to learn to think just a little ahead. When your camera takes a picture, the mirror flips up, the aperture stops down, then the shutter opens, THEN the strobe goes off. All this takes time, which is a problem with a moving child. Keep in mind that pushing the button harder will not make the camera take the picture faster. Your strobes will stop action, but they can't turn back time. What shutter speed are you using?
Thanks, John Siskin
April 30, 2008
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Tara R. Swartzendruber |
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John,
I generally keep my shutter speed at 125 with the studio strobes and change my aperature as needed to keep my subjects properly exposed. Thanks for the explanation about what all is happening. This is pretty much what I was assuming was "the deal," but I really hate to miss out on something I should be doing differently as I'm still somewhat new to this.
May 01, 2008
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BetterPhoto Member |
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If you ask me, children are not studio type people. If you can get a child to sit still for more than 300 miliseconds, you are the luckiest photographer on earth. Try shooting in a more candid setting, where they are comfortable. If you follow them while they play, You can get the most dramatic photographs of them. I rarely shoot children in a studio. I usually try to shoot them in their home or at a park. Have fun and keep shooting,
Mark H.
May 01, 2008
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Tara R. Swartzendruber |
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Thanks, Mark. I agree. I do enjoy taking photos outside when possible. Living in Nebraska, however, winters and many springs (rain & wind), summers (mosquitos & wind) and falls (cold...but better) don't always allow for this, so the studio is a good second choice. :)
May 01, 2008
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John H. Siskin |
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Hi All,
I have had a couple of commercial clients that regularly required shots of children from newborn to teen. The key is to be prepared, and to have extra children. So you want to have the lights et-up and tested, product if any, ready to go. I assume for any child less than ten years old I will get less than 45 minutes of shooting time. Don’t waste it! I used to keep toys around for the very small, not for them to use but for them to keep. This not only impressed the kids it helped with the parents. Finally you have to keep the people in the studio to a minimum, if your client is there, someone from an ad agency and a parent you are going to have a tough time getting the kids attention.
Thanks, John Siskin
May 01, 2008
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BetterPhoto Member |
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Hi John The problem I have is shooting portraits of toddlers and young children. I have found the best frames are captured while the children are involved in activities that they know and enjoy.Most of what I do with children comes from photographing my own two daughters. My daughters taught me to always be ready for the unexpected so you can get the perfect shot. I have captured som unbelieveable frames, one of the best being of my oldest daughter simply playing with a paper bag. Have fun and keep shooting,
Mark H.
May 02, 2008
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John H. Siskin |
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Drummer Boy
Shot for a client, Rhythm Child, that makes drums and clothing products for children.
John H. Siskin
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Hi Mark,
Nice shot of your daughter! Although I have a few candid shots of my nice and nephew, most of the shots I have of children are for clients. I think that it is very satisfying, in several ways, to take photos for a commercial client. I get to see my images used by the client, and I get paid! Thanks! John Siskin
May 02, 2008
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Bruce A. Dart |
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Hi Tara,
Like most things in photography, studio portraiture is not just a quick snap of the shutter. Photographing children especially illustrates this. Henri Cartier-Bresson said "you shoot, shoot, shoot and sometimes the picture is in between!" That's why he talked about the "decisive moment" when you make the picture. With kids you have to have an infinite amount of patience and take lots of images because they are quick. Expressions change rapidly and when you see something by the time your brain transmits to your fingers to hit the shutter, they are on to the next. As suggested, set up a "play" situation and anticipate. Since they tire -- and bore--quickly, try something and move on to the next attempt. With practice and timing you will get better at noticing what works. Contrary to everything else you learn in photography, studio lighting is different. It depends more on the f/stop for lighting and less on the shutter speed. As mentioned, the strobes will stop action so it doesn't matter if you are at 1/125, 1/60th, 1/30th as far as stopping action is concerned. The slower shutter will make a slight difference in picking up ambient light and the background will get lighter. The faster shutter will tend to make the background slightly darker but it won't really change the exposure on the subject. Of course these settings are in manual mode. You need a broad light source because the subject will move and the light will change. Kids who can crawl will; those who can walk (or run) will! You just have to keep putting them back. If several people are on the camera room, only ONE gives direction to the subject. Others, while trying to be helpful, will have the subject looking different places until the poor kid gets so many directions and voices that they don't know what to do or where to look. You need to have approximately the same f/stop light output (main) over most of the area the child will be in so if they move you still have adequate light. Moods change with young children in a moment. Keep shooting; they can cry one moment and laugh the next (and vice versa.) Good luck
Bruce
May 06, 2008
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Tara R. Swartzendruber |
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Thanks everyone, for your advice. It makes me feel better that I am not doing anything wrong, per se, and that while there are some missed shots, there are still many good ones I am able to capture....and I will keep practicing timing, etc.... Thanks again!
May 06, 2008
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Bruce A. Dart |
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Tara,
That is exactly the point. Looking at the great photos what you don't see are the missed ones in between and the "rejects." Everyone has them. The better you get the fewer rejects but everyone has them. The not so facetious joke used to be that the difference between amateurs and professionals is the size of their waste basket. Throw away the bad images and show only the good ones and your photography "improves" tremendously!! Once when I asked a colleague about how to get better at a certain type of photography, his response of "you just have to do more of it" really ticked me off at the time. Looking back, he was right of course but that was not the answer I was looking for at the time. We all want the "magic wand" kind of solution but in reality you just have to do it. Again, and again and again. Don't forget to have fun along the way.
Bruce
May 06, 2008
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Oliver Anderson |
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Hey Tara, I use portable strobes and ringlights...they're great BUTTTT you have a lag between pushing the button to the time the flash POPs however slight that is it is still long enough to miss great shots. I use White Lightnings with Pocket Wizards and the AB800 ringlight.
My opinion is the same as several above when shooting kids get them out of the studio and into their environment...you'll have tons of looks and less chance of missing THAT SHOT...BTW every photoshoot (especially kids) there will be shots you miss, should've tried or could've done better.
May 06, 2008
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John H. Siskin |
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Rattle Snake & Rat
I think this shot shows the importance of being aware of your surroundings. I think this was taken with a Kodak Retina, 2A, a fine old rangefinder camera.
John H. Siskin
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Hi Tara, et al,
I did an article about the decisive moment for the ASMP journal here in Los Angeles, a few years ago. You can see it at: www.siskinphoto.com/magazine1b.html. I was writing about the way that decisions of others interact with the photos we might want to make. Since I am a commercial photographer this affects me quite a bit.
Thanks, John Siskin
May 06, 2008
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Bruce A. Dart |
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Hi All,
I thoroughly enjoyed John's article about the "decisive moment." While this came in to my computer I was called on 10 minutes notice to go create an image for our local university for a billboard and all those resulting decisions flooded through my mind with laughter as I read John's article. Well done my friend and so true!!
Reminds me of an article former RIT instructor and author Ralph Hattersly published years ago about how light is a wave similar to sound and are we really using "light" to photograph.LOL But that's another story. Apart from all the editorial decisions, when the photographer actually presses the shutter button is what Cartier - Bresson intoned. Another article, and I wish I remembered the author, maintained that each image is the sum total of and draws from all we have learned about photography to that point. Also true and worthy of discussion. Thanks to all for sharing.
Bruce Dart
bdphoto@ptd.net www.photosbydart.com
May 06, 2008
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John H. Siskin |
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Thanks Bruce! I often don't hear anything from people who have read my articles. So I really appreciate your response.
John Siskin
May 06, 2008
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