Trying to avoid using a flash ...

[mamarazzi_squared]

I mostly photograph my children and I am trying to get away from just using the P mode on my Canon 30D. I do not have an external flash.

I have been reading a lot (like Bryan Petersen's Understanding Exposure) and have also been influenced a lot by local photographers around here that choose not to use flash unless totally necessary ... but I am in serious help on how to get a good exposure without it!

With all of that said, I can't seem to find enough natural light by the large window in my house or even when shooting outside in the shade so when I "process" my photos they tend to come out dark. I put process in quotes because I am a total photoshop amateur! I will attach a couple of examples to show you what I mean on all fronts. I do not currently shoot in RAW format, mostly because I am not very familiar with it and I only have Photoshop Elements for post processing.

Any suggestions on alternate light sources to use indoors to brighten up these shots or what I could have done outdoors without using flash (placement of the sun, time of day)? Or should I have used flash in these shots? How would you suggest fixing these through processing (specific steps for the photoshop challenged)?

Also, on the outdoor shots, I was shooting at 1.8 and expected the background to be more blurred than it ended up being. Any suggestions?

I am shooting a Canon 30D with a 50 f/1.8. I have other lenses, but at the suggestion of a couple folks on these boards I have been using this lens a lot because I want to see what I can do with it. I appreciate the help!

Examples:

Inside - image from camera


Inside - after some processing


Outside - image from camera


Outside - after some processing

[txphotog]

Get away from the P mode !! Learn about f/stop and shutter speed and how they interact. with the 50mm 1.8 you shouldnt have to use flash in these settings. The P mode is very limiting.

[Jake]

Have your subject face the light. Both of those pics are back lit.
The first one looks like you were going for a high key effect, but that is pretty hard with out a flash/strobe unless they are in front of a window.
I'm not sure what kind of exposure mode you were using, but if you were to bring up the exposure a bit it would help a lot.
If you don't want to use flash you have to find the light. Ask your self "where is the light coming from?" and then work with that. Indoors that shouldn't be too hard if you are near a window or door. Outdoors don't be afraid to blow out the background. That shot you have with the lake really does need some kind of fill, be it reflector or flash.
Reflectors work good, but I'm a big fan of flash.
Here is a shot from a few hours ago, no flash, I just waited for the baby get in the "good" light and then shot. This was shot in jpg and in "AV" mode.
Again, "find the light" and then have your subject face it.

I know this shot is not that good but it should shows what I'm talking about. There is a window in front of her and a door behind her.

[mamarazzi_squared]

I keep asking myself that question ... "where is the light" and I guess some of it is trial and error. I will move my backdrop around and have my little one face the window and see if that helps.

I think a lot of time I get caught up in framing the shot with what I want / don't want in it, that I lose focus on the light.

I actually shot the above examples in AV mode, 1.8.

[Gordon]

What sort of window are you using ? By this, I mean what is the window looking at - is it shaded by trees, north facing, south facing, up against a fence etc ?

The typical 'window' advice is to find a north facing window that has a clear view of the sky - that gives bright, even light on any sort of day. If it is cloudy, then any window will do that has a clear view of the sky.

But the fall-off is pretty quick from window light - you need your subject up quite close and looking towards the light to get good results.

[Michelle Allmon]

You have to adjust your exposure to match your photo. When you are shooting a very light baby close up and esp. in a back lit situation your camera is going to underexpose automatically.

[Michelle Allmon]

burp

[iCe]

By all means... get away from P mode. One of the coolest things about digital over film is the lack of cost of film and processing... not to mention the instant gratification thing.

I'm surprised that nobody suggested using a reflector to bounce light back into the subject. It's a good way to balance light and get rid of the Herman Munster dark eye sockets.

Eventually... it's a good idea to learn to use flash... I waited 30 years I don't recommend that you wait that long

[Michelle Allmon]

I'm surprised that nobody suggested using a reflector to bounce light back into the subject. It's a good way to balance light and get rid of the Herman Munster dark eye sockets.

thehotster did.

[iCe]

Derp... first I read my post.. being hot stuff and all... then I realized you meant Jake... and I'll be darned... he sure did

[mramos]

The easiest way for me, is to think as the window as the softbox. I usually have the window at my back, and the person facing towards or angled to the window.

[mamarazzi_squared]

Great advice, Miguel -- and easy for me to remember!

I took some more indoor shoots of my 5 month old doing just that and they turned out great! I still had to brighten it up a bit, but baby steps, right?

We went out again tonight and took more fishing pictures -- this time there was too much light and there is not any tree cover where we went, so I think the only thing I could have done differently is to wait until the sun went down a bit before shooting.

This has been great trial and error for me ... I am starting to figure out the cause and effect relationship between the types/location of light and the resulting photograph.

Here are a couple of new photos from the outdoor and indoor shoots. I know the outdoor shots have too much light ... and I could pretty much tell when I was taking them ...

[LadyShutterBug]

great improvement!

just before sunset is the "golden hour", the prettiest light all day. the time JUST at sunrise is also beautiful, but very few subjects are iwlling to get up that early.

before you look through the camera, look at your subject. if the light is coming from behind the subject, move. the light can be coming from behind you, or from the side, but when the light is behind the subject none of it will be falling on his/her face. if you don't want ot use fill flash at all, just eyeball the light and shadows as they occur, and position yourself accordingly :)

maybe go out without your camera. and just pay close attention to shadows and lighting.

[jchooper12]

You should buy a nice flash, go to the Strobist web site and learn how to use it. I never liked the small flash units until I saw this site. I am also trying to figure out how to do this.

[mamarazzi_squared]

I would love to buy a nice flash ... and it will likely be on my Christmas list, but I really want to fundamentally understand how to use my camera so that I know when I need to use the flash and when I can get the shot without it. Lighting is by far the most difficult thing for me about photography!

I have seen the Strobist site, but haven't had a chance to spend a lot of time on it.

Anyone have any recs on a good book that talks about lighting or should I just reread Understanding Exposure?