i need your help :)

[JE1993]

hi everybody, i'm a beginner and i need your help ,
well my little sister's birthday is next saturday ,
she is 4 years old
location : a small garden , it will be a sunny day , its like a park .
alot of kids there
i need to take good shots.
im working with a d5000 18-105
i need to know what is the best mode , aperture ,shutter and exposure that could help me to get perfect shots
if u have any extra tips please tell me .
its a new challenge for me
thnx

[Chip]

Sounds like a good challenge. What time of day will the party start, and about how long will it last?

[Algernonep]

Working with kids... I suggest aperture priority. I think using Ap is great for kid because they like to move around. They just don't stay still...lol I shoot my 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter a lot. Also a good tip is to get on the ground with them. Try to remain eye level with them. We are usually a lot taller than kids so we always see them from the perspective of looking down on them. I'm always on the floor and ground with my kids... They are a lot of fun to shoot. You never know what your going to get...lol Also your ISO should be high enough to get a good shutter speed. You don't want your ISO too high though. High ISO cause grainy pictures. On a bright day my ISO doesn't go over 200. You want to have a shutter speed high enough to get sharp photos. A rule of thumb is shutter speed should be higher than your longest focal length. Meaning, if you are using 18-105mm lens... your shutter speed should be at least 1/120 sec. But that's only rule of thumb. Also, depending on the time of day... pay attention to how the light is hitting the kids face.
Shoot in Matrix metering mode... I love Matrix metering. Use props... A ball or a piece of cake...lol

I hope I have help a little...

[IABoomer]

Originally Posted by Algernonep

Working with kids... I suggest aperture priority. I think using Ap is great for kid because they like to move around. They just don't stay still...lol I shoot my 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter a lot. Also a good tip is to get on the ground with them. Try to remain eye level with them. We are usually a lot taller than kids so we always see them from the perspective of looking down on them. I'm always on the floor and ground with my kids... They are a lot of fun to shoot. You never know what your going to get...lol Also your ISO should be high enough to get a good shutter speed. You don't want your ISO too high though. High ISO cause grainy pictures. On a bright day my ISO doesn't go over 200. You want to have a shutter speed high enough to get sharp photos. A rule of thumb is shutter speed should be higher than your longest focal length. Meaning, if you are using 18-105mm lens... your shutter speed should be at least 1/120 sec. But that's only rule of thumb. Also, depending on the time of day... pay attention to how the light is hitting the kids face.
Shoot in Matrix metering mode... I love Matrix metering. Use props... A ball or a piece of cake...lol

I hope I have help a little...

These bold items seem contradictory to me. Because the kids are going to be on the move, I'd probably try shooting shutter priority, setting the shutter speed 1/120 or faster, and letting the aperture fall where it may.

This way, you're shooting fast enough to freeze motion so you don't end up with blurry pictures as the kids run around. Better to have a little underexposed clear image than a properly exposed blur.

[Algernonep]

Originally Posted by IABoomer

These bold items seem contradictory to me. Because the kids are going to be on the move, I'd probably try shooting shutter priority, setting the shutter speed 1/120 or faster, and letting the aperture fall where it may.

This way, you're shooting fast enough to freeze motion so you don't end up with blurry pictures as the kids run around. Better to have a little underexposed clear image than a properly exposed blur.

You are right... but for my style of shooting. I would rather control the aperture. I like to be creative with my aperture. If your ISO is high enough then your shutter speed should be fine. If it's a bright day... ISO should be fine at 200... I wouldn't go higher than 400 or 800. Remember there is an exposure triangle. ISO, Shutter, and Aperture... If you are using and aperture at say... f9 then you will have to lower your shutter or rise your ISO to get correct exposure. I don't like to over or underexpose any of my images. Correct exposure is what I go for. You can control either of them to get the results you want. I was only giving a suggestion. This is how I shoot and it works fine for me...

[Algernonep]

Shutter priority and Aperture priority both work fine. When you think about it, with them both, there is one part of the exposure triangle that you don't have to worry about. My style of shooting... I like to control my aperture. Everyone has there own style... There are many ways of shoot many subjects. You will develop your own style with time and practice.

[autofocus]

Want best advice for quick grab shots of moving targets and posed shots..shot in Program mode and use some fill flash to balance the light. It will also help freeze the action. You will get good results in Program mode and you won't have to worry about making adjustments to either the aperture or the shutter while the conditions and the subjects are constantly changing. If your lens isn't a fast lens, and I suspect it's not, it'll probably always default to its wider setting anyway..whatever that is. You can bump up or down your flash just enough to fill in the harsh shadows of midday sun. You may also want to find some open shade to shoot in, but watch for dappled light especially on faces. I would say do most of your shots this way and reserve to a few any creative shots you may want to do. If you're wondering why I'm suggesting this approach, it's what my wife and I do...

Montalbano Photography

[Algernonep]

Originally Posted by auto-focus

Want best advice for quick grab shots of moving targets and posed shots..shot in Program mode and use some fill flash to balance the light. It will also help freeze the action. You will get good results in Program mode and you won't have to worry about making adjustments to either the aperture or the shutter while the conditions and the subjects are constantly changing. If your lens isn't a fast lens, and I suspect it's not, it'll probably always default to its wider setting anyway..whatever that is. You can bump up or down your flash just enough to fill in the harsh shadows of midday sun. You may also want to find some open shade to shoot in, but watch for dappled light especially on faces. I would say do most of your shots this way and reserve to a few any creative shots you may want to do. If you're wondering why I'm suggesting this approach, it's what my wife and I do...

Montalbano Photography

That is a great suggestion! I like that...
Moving subjects can be hard to get...lol especailly small kids.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by Algernonep

That is a great suggestion! I like that...
Moving subjects can be hard to get...lol especailly small kids.

You know what they say, "use the KISS formula" I'm sure everyone knows what that means. And thank you for your service US Navy!..this is your day, Happy Memorial Day to you, and to all who are, or have served.

Vinnie

[Algernonep]

Originally Posted by auto-focus

You know what they say, "use the KISS formula" I'm sure everyone knows what that means. And thank you for your service US Navy!..this is your day, Happy Memorial Day to you, and to all who are, or have served.

Vinnie

I hate to seem a little slow but I don't think I know the 'KISS formula'...

You're welcome... I should be home soon...