I blew it!

[cajun angel]

Every year, I shoot the annual RA watergun fight at my church. This year, my photos were 100% LOUSY! I don't know if I should have shot in shutter priority or what! The location is in the shade of our church, with me usually sitting in the safest spot which faces the sun - but hidden behind the building at this time of day. For the most part, my exposure is "okay" but my shutter speed is much too slow for catching the boys running and shooting their water guns. I'm okay with shooting in manual and aperture priority, dunno why or when to use shutter. So, I'm gonna post 1 photo with the settings and hopefully some one will be able to help me prepare for next year.

D200 with 80-200mm 2.8 lens, length is 80mm, aperture priority, matrix metering, 1/160 sec at F4.5, white balance was on shade or auto
This is one of the best shots I got

[Tom]

If people are running around, you probably want a lot faster than 1/160th.

It also looks over saturated.

[Jake]

Keep in mind that you have three basic functions that control your exposure.
Aperture.
Shutter speed.
ISO.

So if you need a faster shutter speed you can open up the aperture (to f/2.8 or so) or increase your ISO(400, 800 or 1600 etc). I'm not sure what ISO you were shooting at here.

This was probably a good time to try out shutter priority. That way you set your shutter speed to what you need(1/500 at least) and then tweak the ISO and aperture until you get the exposure you needed.
It's digital, so chimp like crazy until it's right!

[cajun angel]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

If people are running around, you probably want a lot faster than 1/160th.

It also looks over saturated.

I know I needed a faster shutter speed - I checked my ISO and had it at 800. I know upping the ISO does increase the shutter speed -

Originally Posted by thejakestir

Keep in mind that you have three basic functions that control your exposure.
Aperture.
Shutter speed.
ISO.

So if you need a faster shutter speed you can open up the aperture (to f/2.8 or so) or increase your ISO(400, 800 or 1600 etc). I'm not sure what ISO you were shooting at here.

This was probably a good time to try out shutter priority. That way you set your shutter speed to what you need(1/500 at least) and then tweak the ISO and aperture until you get the exposure you needed.
It's digital, so chimp like crazy until it's right!

I wish I had tried the shutter priority! I had my ISO at 800 and know that usually does increase the shutter speed. I was in a tight time frame, so too much chimping would be a bad idea. I set up about 25 min early, tried all kinds of settings but just couldn't get it right for some reason.


Thanks to both of ya'll for your responses!

[danchez]

I kind of like that you captured some movement, shows them running around and the water moving thru the air.

[Daniel Bates]

I don't ever use shutter-priority. Instead, I use AV, set the aperture and ride ISO to put the shutter speed in the right ballpark.

[jeffkohn]

Shutter priority is one way to go, except that you have no control over your aperture. If you also want to be able to select your aperture for DOF purposes, then you can shoot Aperture-Priority with Auto-ISO enabled. That way you can specify the minimum shutter speed and if it drops below, the the camera will automatically bump the ISO. (I'm pretty sure you can do that with the D200, might want to check the user manual).

[kenw]

my basic rule is that if it is moving and you don't want it to = Tv or M. Av is usually reserved for things that don't move so the Tv can be whatever it needs to be. I actually rarely use M.

[cajun angel]

Thanks ya'll. I"m thinking too, I was just out of practice. I haven't been shooting hardly at all lately. Guess I need to get out and do something.

[Jeff Lane]

It also looks over saturated.

Ha -- "over saturated" -- for a water fight -- that's funny.

(Sorry, I just couldn't resist.)

[MRCPix]

well with what you are using I would have been shooting at 2.8 in "A" mode and that would have given you a much better SS.
yea I shoot sports all the time and I use "A" and "M" mode. Why because at f/2.8 the shutter speed won't get any faster no matter what mode you use. IMHO

[cajun angel]

Originally Posted by MRCPix

well with what you are using I would have been shooting at 2.8 in "A" mode and that would have given you a much better SS.
yea I shoot sports all the time and I use "A" and "M" mode. Why because at f/2.8 the shutter speed won't get any faster no matter what mode you use. IMHO

Thanks, I guess I need to get out more and practice/shoot more. I used to be quite good at the water gun fights, but that was with my D50 and then I had it on auto.

[doctahjones]

if they're all going to always be in the shade, i say go manual, set your aperture as wide as it will go, bump your iso up as much as you're comfortable with, then take some test shots and chimp. adjust shutter as needed, but for people running around i'd at least try to stay above 1/250. remember you can also do some exposure compensation (ev) to try to get a little more 'light' in the pictures.

[kenw]

Originally Posted by doctahjones

.... but for people running around i'd at least try to stay above 1/250.

this is why there is Tv. For the life of me I can't figure out why people recommend shooting fast moving people in tricky, changing light in Av and expect to get non-blurry shots every time. Controlling DoF has to be secondary to freezing the motion in this situation.

If you freezing motion is THE priority, use shutter PRIORITY. Set it at 1/250s (or faster) and forget it. Obviously manual is just as appropriate in this situation. But not Av.

[cajun angel]

any time I shoot "motion" I generally like my shutter speed to be at least 750/sec and try to use F5.6, of course my ISO is raised to whatever it takes to get my shutter speed where I want it. In this area, the sun is behind the building and that means everything in front of it is in shade or shadow. I guess I'll have to start practicing in shutter priority and maybe in manual mode too. I just want my images to be sharp because they usually end up on the big screens in our sanctuary during missions recognition and so forth.