Beginner Lighting Question

[quinceandquilt]

Good Morning:

I have a beginner question, and I hope you will indulge me.

I'm trying to take an inside picture of my dog curled up in her bed. I'm using a Canon SX120IS which allows for some manual manipulation.

If I take it without flash, the off-white bed is too dark. If I take it with the built-in flash, the bed is too white (like over-exposed). So what should I be adjusting to make the picture look better?

Thanks,
Cynthia

[k9mom]

Originally Posted by quinceandquilt

Good Morning:

I have a beginner question, and I hope you will indulge me.

I'm trying to take an inside picture of my dog curled up in her bed. I'm using a Canon SX120IS which allows for some manual manipulation.

If I take it without flash, the off-white bed is too dark. If I take it with the built-in flash, the bed is too white (like over-exposed). So what should I be adjusting to make the picture look better?

Thanks,
Cynthia

One trick you might try is to tape a piece of tissue or toilet paper over the flash to diffuse it...might help to prevent blow out of the bed. Your camera also can adjust ISO up to 1600, so you might try without the flash and bump up your ISO. Similarly, your camera also allows adjustment of exposure compensation. So you could bump up the exposure 1 or 2 stops (without using the flash) to see if that helps brighten your image.

[i speak in math]

If the ISO remains the same, flash is effected only by the aperture. Make the aperture smaller to let in less light from the flash. If you want the shot to only be lit by the flash, you can turn the shutter speed up. If you want to balance the flash with the ambient light, you will need to turn the shutter speed down slower.

[quinceandquilt]

Thanks so much. I'm going to try all that stuff a little later--as soon as I print off the manual (which didn't come with the camera BTW)

New question. I just went outside where I have some new crocuses breaking ground. It's cloudy outside, but bright. All I did was turn the camera on and put it in AUTO mode, but what I'm seeing in the LCD display is *not* what I'm seeing with my eye. The LCD image is significantly brighter and washed out, like over-exposed. The crocus bud which is lavender like the smilie next to this reply box looks white. Now what is going on? Shouldn't I see on the LCD what my eye sees even if the photo comes out differently?

[Samanax]

Originally Posted by quinceandquilt

Thanks so much. I'm going to try all that stuff a little later--as soon as I print off the manual (which didn't come with the camera BTW)

See if you can control the power of the flash.

Originally Posted by quinceandquilt

New question. I just went outside where I have some new crocuses breaking ground. It's cloudy outside, but bright. All I did was turn the camera on and put it in AUTO mode, but what I'm seeing in the LCD display is *not* what I'm seeing with my eye. The LCD image is significantly brighter and washed out, like over-exposed. The crocus bud which is lavender like the smilie next to this reply box looks white. Now what is going on? Shouldn't I see on the LCD what my eye sees even if the photo comes out differently?

The LCD might have a brightness control you can adjust. Or the exposure compensation setting is way up.