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mcblagg3

mcblagg3

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Any tips on taking good portraits outside on cloudy days? Not sure if I'm getting everything I can out of my Canon 60D. I have a 18-135mm and 55-250 lenses. Try to get quality shots of my kids but not sure on lenses settings etc. I would like to buy a new lenses but not sure what to buy. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Hi and welcome to TP :)

Probably easiest if you upload a photo or two so we can see what you are, or are not getting so far. Are you talking about photos of them playing or more formal shots?

When it comes to buying any new gear the key question is what is it you can't currently do that you want to be able to do?

I would potentially be looking at a flash gun if you don't have one already, that could make a world of difference, especially as the 60D has a built in triggering system so you can use the flash off camera to get some great results. Take a look at the Canon 430EXII or Metz 50 as decent starting points without totally breaking the bank.
 
Thanks, I will post a picture. I really like trying to get some outdoor shots playing, I love taking black and white shots on cloudy days. I'm usually shooting in Av mode 100 ISO, with my 18-135mm lens but other than that not sure what else I can do to improve quality. I have a few books I have been reading.
 
I'm NO expert but I think a higher iso would help
I'm after a 35 mm f1.8 for this very reason, common opinion seems to rate the quality in poorish light conditions and capturing fast images
Please dont take my opinion too seriously, as I'm a novice, but working hard at improving
 
I heard the same thing. I'm looking at getting the sigma 30mm f1.4 and canon 50mm f1.2 I think. Only thing I don't like is you lose the option of being able to zoom in. Im still learning about lenses but I hear these are great for low light situations and faster.
 
I have about 800.00 or so to spend and want to make sure I buy the right lens for the shots I'm trying to take. I could but the canon 50mm for 125.00 that would be great for low light. Also I would like a good walk around zoom lens. And ideas?
 
mcblagg3 said:
I have about 800.00 or so to spend and want to make sure I buy the right lens for the shots I'm trying to take. I could but the canon 50mm for 125.00 that would be great for low light. Also I would like a good walk around zoom lens. And ideas?
Click to expand...

Yeah
Get the 50mil and go to tenerife :lol:
 
The only issue with a higher ISO would be increased grain in the photograph, it can reduce the quality. A low aperture such as f/1.2, f/1.4 or f/1.8 will give you beautiful shallow depth of field & on a cloudy day would provide more than enough light. I'd usually stick to between 100 & 400 ISO unless it's necessary to go higher under extreme low light conditions {usually indoors or at dusk for example}. Just a little advice but it's finding whats right for you & experimenting :} Best wishes.
 
Thanks, I was going to get the Canon 50mm f/1.4 today. I hear it a must have lens if your shooting in a lot of low light situations. Thanks again for the tips.
 
Instead of obsessing over gear (not that it's a bad thing, we all do it), you should focus on actually improving you photographs on your end. No amount of high quality sub woofer surround sound 3d matrix equipment will improve your composition (or generally anything that isn't strictly gear-related). Of course it's good to have the right equipment, but it won't improve your photography, only make it a little bit easier to get the desired results (which is also helped by having a good understanding of what you have).

A thousand pound guitar won't write songs for you ;)
 
Agreed. Some of the best shots in history were taken with a 35mm camera with the zoo being your legs ! While a good oven will look nice, it won't cook your food any better ! Sure we all want new gear, but I'd work on composition first. Look online at other people shots and find some you like. Im one of the few who loves photographing kids and animals (much the same) because they are pretty unpredictable but you can get some amazing natural looking shots. When I want to make my mum a scrap book of my little sister I've found that the play ground is an amazing place. The kids will have fun, be relaxed and have lots of props to climb all over.
Hope this helps
 
I do agree that the OP should concentrate on improving technique but what I will say is that having the Nikon 50mm f1.4 taught me more about depth of field in 5 min than I’d learned for a year before that with the kit lens.
 
I have been reading some books on photography basics, hanging out at the local camera shop. I totally agree with learning the basics before spending all the money on gear. I got a long way to go... I think it gives me more motivation and confidence having the nicer lens even though I may not be doing everything correctly on my end.
 
The thing to be aware of when using fast primes such as the 50 mm 1.4 is that the depth of field will be very shallow at the largest aperture. This can make it very difficult to focus correctly.
 
Joenail said:
Instead of obsessing over gear (not that it's a bad thing, we all do it), you should focus on actually improving you photographs on your end. No amount of high quality sub woofer surround sound 3d matrix equipment will improve your composition (or generally anything that isn't strictly gear-related). Of course it's good to have the right equipment, but it won't improve your photography, only make it a little bit easier to get the desired results (which is also helped by having a good understanding of what you have).

A thousand pound guitar won't write songs for you ;)
Click to expand...

:thumbs: Agree with this. (although sometimes I wonder if my main hobby is collecting kit or actually taking pictures :thinking:)

Equipment may help but you are right to try and get the best out of you 60D first. I would post an image and perhaps share the settings; apature, shutter, iso etc.
 
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I found having a flash gun can really change some of the pictures you take when outside on a cloudy day ... Otherwise I think it's down to the amount of editing your willing to do
 
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