Getting blur shooting closeups of my son

[russg]

I'm a newbie looking to learn.

My wife and I bought a Canon Rebel XS after taking our son in for a sitting and paying 1/3 of the price of the Canon to get professional pictures. We figured we could figure out how to get pictures we like (not that we could pick up a camera and get professional pictures) and save money in the long run. Just so you know our motivation.

When I take closeups of our son, I get a lot of pictures that are blurry. Here are three pictures with the same "numbers" (what do I call them?) but the second one is blurry.

Here is what I've gathered from the reading I've done, please correct me if I'm wrong. When he moves, the shutter speed isn't fast enough to "freeze" his movement. But, if I wanted to speed up the shutter, I'd also need to open up the aperture more. As of now, f/3.5 is the biggest aperture my lens has.

I'm looking for feedback on this blurring issue. Thank you for any help you can provide.

[Sterling]

There is one piece to the puzzle you are missing - ISO. Increase it and try again. Alternatively, you need to add more light to the scene (lights, flash, windows, etc.)

The second shot is obviously motion blur from too slow of a shutter speed. If you are already at your lens' largest aperture you have no choice but to increase ISO (has its own drawbacks) or add more light.

I'm also wondering if you aren't shooting closer than your lens' minimum focus distance.

[russg]

Thank you for your feedback!

[inkista]

As Sterling mentioned, increasing the ISO will also help you get a faster shutter speed. But the 18-55 is, as you've noticed, a slow lens. You may want to consider throwing more money into the ever-yawning pit, and grabbing the $100 EF 50mm f/1.8 II. This article on maximum aperture will tell you why.

Also, you do want to watch out about being too close. SLR lenses have minimum focus distances (something P&S cameras don't really teach you, since they use tiny sensors, tiny lenses, with tiny focal lengths and therefore huge depth of field and very close focus distances). With the 18-55, it's 9.8 in./0.25m. If you're closer than that, the lens cannot focus. I think some of the blur you're experience is from misfocus. If you look, you'll see other parts of the photo are sharp, just not the eyes/face. With portraiture, you usually want focus to land on the eyes, which will make the photo feel as if it's in focus.

To control the focus, you may want to learn about turning off the AF grid, and only using the center point. You can then "aim" the center point at your baby's eyes, and then half-press and recompose to frame the way you want. Watch for the AF point to light up and give you autofocus confirmation before you press the shutter.

[russg]

Both of your replies were extremely helpful. I went back and played with the ISO settings for a bit. That really helped makes sense of the shutter speed/aperture/ISO triangle.

It's affirming that you mentioned the 50mm f/1.8 II! That lens is already on its way as my Father's Day present from my wife!

I had never thought about how I was too close for my lens to focus. I will keep that in mind as well. I figured out how to change the AF point to the center. When Henry wakes up, we may try some more shots

Thank you both for your help!

[inkista]

Ok, one more "just in case" pointer.

Make sure you know how to hold your camera. They put it at the front of the manual with the "here's how you plug in the recharger" stuff, that everybody skips.

[russg]

That was one of the first posts I read on this site. Whenever people borrow my camera to take a family photo or something the first thing I tell them is to cup their left hand under the lens.

Feel free to keep the pointers coming. I really appreciate them.

[aprillove20]

I agree that you need to add more light to the scene.

[kristenh]

Originally Posted by inkista

Also, you do want to watch out about being too close. SLR lenses have minimum focus distances

this is a total AHA moment for me. i had no idea- where does one find this info about the various lenses? fwiw, mine is a prime lens at 35 mm and max aperture of 1.8. and this would explain why the camera just will not beep when i push halfway- it is unable to focus?

Russ, i'm about 3 months ahead of you in this quest to get better pics of the kids. if you want some of what i've learned recently, here it is:

take a million pictures now before Henry knows how to crawl and grabs at your camera

try taking the blanket you've got here- put it on a surface right next to a window- it'll make it easier for you to shoot him eye to eye b/c he's up higher- and the window light will be lovely (i don't mean the sun streaming in all over him- just very bright indirect light)

looks like holding up his head is still a challenge- try putting your boppy or something down, then arranging the blanket over it and using it to prop him on his arms, so that holding his head up is easier and he's less likely to move

clear absolutely everything out of the background of the photo or have somebody hold (or rig up) a neutral background about 6 feet behind him.

try holding the camera the vertical way sometimes, too

this is all meant in the spirit of *parents must stick together* hope you take it that way.

just wait till he's a fast action toddler. the vast majority of my competent photos of my guys were taken outside b/c its the only way to get enough light on the little darlings to have a fast shutter speed!

[sk66]

Originally Posted by kristenh

this is a total AHA moment for me. i had no idea- where does one find this info about the various lenses? fwiw, mine is a prime lens at 35 mm and max aperture of 1.8. and this would explain why the camera just will not beep when i push halfway- it is unable to focus?

I doubt it...with that lens you would have to be within 1 ft for it to be unable to focus that close. (btw, minimum focus distance is in the specs sheet or online)

Probably just don't have a distinct line in the image the camera can use to focus. Go to manual focus in these cases.