children portraits with low lighting

[istephallard]

Hello this is my first post so I hope I do it right.

I've recently moved from an apt where I had access to amazing outdoor places to take portraits, to a place where I am needing to learn how to take indoor portraits... something I am very unfamiliar with. I also have been attempting to use more natural light in general. Here is an indoor photo where I am attempting to use natural light. My challenge is my passion is photographing little people and they move quickly. That paired with ok lighting has been a challenge indeed. I would love feed back on one of the more recent photos I've taken, with tips on what I could try to improve it. I've never used a reflector but I"m thinking it would really help... I've read that I could make a makeshift on with tinfoil... anyone else try this before? My own critiques are I wish I used a higher aperture (focus is on hair not eyes or face as a whole), the image is softer than I would have liked (I did touch it up a bit in my post production using Aperture Software) Thank you so much for your help!!!! This photo was taken with a Canon eos D40, 50 mm lense, iso320, f2.8 1/25, with baby facing window lighting.

IMG_3200 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[ajax_andy]

The picture is a bit out of focus tbh.

I've tried shooting kids indoors before and they never stay still long enough for this to be possible without a flash, so my advice would be to purchase a flash gun if you dont already have one, or you'll pretty much always have problems with these types of images not being sharp.

I've had a look through some of your other pics and you have some excellent ones in there, and some mixed results for others with over exposure being a problem.

I think overall you seem to have a great eye for a pic though and it's good you're posting pics asking for feedback, as this will help your technical abilities catch up with your excellent eye for a pic

Btw please post images by putting the following tags url & /url with the url of the pic inbetween

i.e. http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6060/...d51c7e3_z. jpg as this will embed the image instead of people having to click a link to it.

[SusanH1970]

You have great light in the photo, and as you know it's OOF because of slow shutter speed. Bump your ISO up to at least 800 next time so you can shoot at a faster shutter speed. I try to never go below 1/125 when photographing babies - 1/250th preferably.

[istephallard]

Awesome thank you both for your feedback. I really do appreciate it! I will definitely try all suggestions. I've never used a flash gun before... do you have any you could recommend that I check out? I'm having baby number 2 and am hoping I can figure out some of this indoor lighting/exposure so I can practice more of the creative bit of photography with my wee one to beef up my portfolio with some infant shots.

@ajax andy, as you've picked up on, the technology part of photography (and life) are what gets me, I'll have to make my hubby help me with image because I thought I was posting that way (even tried to change it after your note) but I'm sure I'm doing all sorts of things wrong! AND I shall be posting under the lighting critique forum next probably because my exposure is something I'm also having a bit of a challenge with. Thank you for looking at my other images and giving me some encouragement... someday sMiles Photography will hopefully be an actual business and not just a dream with a flickr and FB account!