How to Achieve Great Indoor Photography Results
Jayson from Image World Photography left a useful comment on the Christmas Photography Tips post that I thought the DPS readership would find useful.
A setting that has always worked for me to achieve great indoor photography. This came about after many corporate photography functions in doors and wedding photography inside churches. These settings allow you to see people or subjects in the foreground and still see the warmth of the room or any features or lights in the background.
Settings for Indoor Photography
- Put you camera onto M for manual (this is the setting on Canon’s, not sure about other models).
- Set you aperture to as big as it will go eg. F4.0 or F2.8.
- Set your shutter speed to around 1/60. It is hard to shoot handheld with anything below 1/60. As a rule of thumb you should never shoot lower than your focal distance while handheld. Eg on a 50mm lense you should never shoot lower than 1/50 sec.
- You will then need to use you external flash, if you can bounce your flash do this, if you have a catch light reflector built into your flash even better.
- Take a few shots and see what they look like.
- If they are not bright enough try bumping up your ISO to 200 then 400 and so on until you achieve an acceptable result.
This style of photography will have great lighting on people in the foreground and still have the impact of the room lighting and features in the shot. Just a plain old photo with the flash will normally burn out people in the foreground and black out the background. Give it a go!
You can see some examples of Jayson putting this technique to work at his site – particularly the Corporate Photos Section.
32 Responses to “How to Achieve Great Indoor Photography Results” - Add Yours
February 1st, 2007 at 5:44 pm
This technique works also very very good for Sports Photography.
The darker the room / surrounding is, the higher you can set the ISO to have the background lighten up.
See http://bilderflut.hochlager.ch/events/freestyle06/_MG_0258+copy.jpg.html
February 1st, 2007 at 9:59 pm
There’s going to be quite a large difference in “any features or lights in the background.any features or lights in the background” between a dSLR using this advice and a compact. And for that matter, between f/4.0 and f/2.8 on the dSLR.
Also note that the focal distance / shutter speed rule doesn’t necessarily apply to compact cameras — my Olympus C-5060 has a focal length from 7mm to 22mm, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy to hold still anywhere between 1/7th and 1/22nd. Theoretically, the “crop factor” shouldn’t have anything to do with this, so it’s really just the rule of thumb breaking down in extreme conditions.
The more important thing is that if you’re taking pictures of people doing anything but holding very still, you’re likely to get blurred subjects at anything longer than 1/60th regardless of focal length.
February 2nd, 2007 at 5:29 am
If you can’t bounce your flash (ie, you’ve go a point and shoot, or haven’t ponied up for an external for your SLR), a makeshift diffuser/deflector can be effective. Try a napkin over the flash, or use a card angled up to bounce at the cieling. Nothing is worse than shooting a flash straight on, I’d rather lower the shutter speed and get a blurry shot.
February 2nd, 2007 at 5:42 am
I just tried this technique and it worked great. It really prevents the flash problem of washing out your subject while the background remains dark.
February 2nd, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Absolutely right, bouncing the flash is key. I noticed a huge difference in my indoor photos when I started doing this habitually.
February 2nd, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Thanks for the article.
Would you recommend the white balancing tips for indoor photography as well. There will be the actual indoor light and the flash light as well. Is manual whitebalancing the best way ?
Rgds
Raghu
February 3rd, 2007 at 3:14 am
Thanks, this is one of my problem ~ indoor photography. I use a 24-105mm f4 and pushed ISO to 1000. Shots were good but I want to capture the warmth of the home. I realized I need a faster lens maybe 50mm or 85mm at f1.8 and of course the external flash.
February 3rd, 2007 at 3:26 am
I am killing time and voting for bloggies today. I came across your blog and I really shouldn’t be reading evertyhing you’ve written LOL I have other people to read also.
I voted for you, and bloglined you. Great blog! Stop by and see me anytime!
February 3rd, 2007 at 5:50 am
When I’m doing weddings I set my Canon (I’m not sure if this is possible with other cameras) to Av mode. In the custom functions I can set the shutter speed to be fixed at 1/200, which means that camera shake is generally not an issue. I then choose my aperture, as I would normally, and the camera’s light meter decides on the flash output.
The most obvious drawback here is that if you set an aperture of something silly, like f/22, then your flashgun’s going to down tools and walk out. But the (rather obvious) answer to that is, er, don’t. You still need to be aware of changing light conditions, but moreso (I’d say) than the suggestion here (which dispenses entirely of the camera’s light meter).
As with most (all?) things in photography, it’s a case of what works best for you. This is what works best for me.
February 4th, 2007 at 8:28 am
Bounce Flash and Photoshop (or even Photoshop Elements)
February 4th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
I usually go to ISO 400 immediately once I’m indoors – I’d rather get noise than dark or blurry shots. In the time of film, that’s what ASA 400 was for anyway. Of course, if you’ve got a room that’s lit up bright enough, you can go back down to a lower ISO.
If you’re worried about noise, the amount of noise on a Canon camera at IS0 400 is negligible. Heck, you can go up to 800 or even 1600 and the noise is still acceptable for most purposes.
On another note, you can gel the flash to match your ambient light. That way, when you color correct, all your light sources are the same color.
February 7th, 2007 at 12:25 am
my problem is that I don’t have external flash. I have a PnS and I can’t connect external flash. do you have idea about what to do?
February 19th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Most of the people reading this will probably be using P&S cameras, and not have external flashes. That said, there are a few things that can be done, even in that more challenging circumstance.
Whenever I am taking indoor photos using my Canon A510, I do so in black and white mode. It is simply too hard to get colours that look at all correct using the on-camera flash and whatever lighting is already in the room.
For non-flash photos, I recommend carrying around a mini tripod. I brought one with me to Turkey when I went recently and found it constantly useful. Another good way to avoid camera shake can be to use the 2 second timer. Set up the shot, press the shutter button, then brace as best you can during the intervening period before the shutter opens.
February 20th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I just tried out the napkin trick on my Canon XTi. It works wonderfully! I cranked up the flash intensity and covered the flash with four layers of facial tissue and the colours came out much more realistically without a great loss in brightness. Thanks for the tip!!
February 27th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
please tell about canon A710is
March 4th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
When people say bounce the flash. Bounce flash off what.
March 4th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
If I am shooting indoors at 1/60 of second and f/stop 2.8 or 4.0, everytime I try to adjust the exposure level indicator my shutter speed moves.
March 7th, 2007 at 4:29 am
Is there any adapter that can be added to an camera without external flash capabilities? I would love to get external flash results but don’t have an SLR. Is this possible?
May 8th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
If I was shooting at 1/60 of a second at 2.8. Why won’t my exposure level be in the center or does it matter…
May 28th, 2007 at 4:41 am
I’ve had good, but not perfect, success using a white or neutral stocking over the flash on my Canon A520, a serious camerea that I still consider a point and shoot.
While assisting on a photoshoot last year, the photographer and I were also surprised that my A520 consistantly set off his professional lights, and some of my ’snapshots’ from that shoot are the best artificially lit portrait and fashion photographs that I’ve ever taken.
June 15th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
i’m apprenticing for a wedding photographer and cannot seem to get my indoor shots right. i was told the iso should be 1600, with full flash (i have a speedlite), shutter speed no lower than focal distance… i can play around and get light right for the most part but i noticed in my last set of pictures that i had shadows in a bunch of my shots. when you see shadows, what is the best way to correct this?
the ceilings have generally been too high to bounce flash, and when they haven’t i feel like i am setting my flash either too high or too low, i can’t figure out which.
if anyone has tips/blogs on flash compensation, and correcting exposure i would love to read. (if anyone has time to look at my pictures on flickr, would also like feedback on what you are seeing that i’m doing wrong and how to correct: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aphrodaia – click on “collection”
thanks.
June 23rd, 2007 at 6:53 am
Help! I’ve been taking pictures for a long time, just by having a good eye. I’ve done an outdoor wedding, but my best friend is INSISTING I do her indoor wedding!! I have a nice kodak camera. how can i get the best lighting indoors while not making the picture blurry???
February 25th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
hi, i wanted to know what everyone means by ‘bouncing the flash’. I was recently shooting at an indoor kids party and noticed a lot of shake. I was using the AV mode on my Canon D400 (Xti Rebel). How can I avoid this? Will appreciate suggestions.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Hi,
Can someone please explain the following
1) what do you mean by bouncing flash – how do i do this on my canon digital rebel xti (d400)
2) i was recently shooting indoor at a childrens party on av mode, i was getting a lot of shake, how can i avoid this, without using the flash as that spoils the lighting i feel.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:09 am
Bouncing a Flash: What is it?
Bouncing a flash means that you do not point it directly at the subjects. You instead turn your flash so that it is:
a. pointed up to the ceiling so that the light the flash emits ‘bounces’ off the ceiling and illuminates the subject.
b. pointed towards a wall or reflector so that you sweep the shadows across the subject in a feathering manner.
There are other ways to bounce light, but the most basic meaning is a.
If you have a fixed flash ‘ usually a pop-up flash on a point and shoot camera. Your best bet is to DIFUSE the light so it is not a direct on flash. You can do this in a number of ways, but 2 of the easiest are to
a place a single layer piece of a white napkin over the flash as you us it or take a piece of aluminum foil and make a 2×3 inch square thich enough to hold shape and when your flas pops up place under flash with a slight angle up to ‘bounce’ the flash off your ceiling.
Another note bouncing does not work well on high ceilings or dark ceilings. Most pro’s then go to a bounce card or other form of bouncing.
Wendy
June 21st, 2008 at 6:19 am
What is a bounce card? I am starting to use a canon SD950 IS to take photos of the inside of an old house with no electricity for lighting. There will of course be natural light. The walls will be dark as well as the ceiling. Sounds like IS0 3200 Manual, Shutter 1/60 , tripod, and bounce card to get light at the ceiling would be my best bet? Any suggestions? I am starting out with this project and just looking for good advice.
Kathy
June 27th, 2008 at 8:49 am
There are many variables when it comes to indoor snaps. I have found that weddings offer you the opportunity to Develop a system that will work for you with the least amount of fiddling between snaps. A bride down the isle is different to one where the ring is slipped onto the finger. So here is my settings which may assist you. Bounce cards are awesome when used correctly. I made my own ABBC ( A better bounce card ). When I have TIME between snaps I use Manual, however, for quick addaptations I use my Assistant, my Canon 40D , yes its the best helper you have on site. Set Camera Mode to P – for Program ,I use a Canon 580ex Speedlight Set it on ETTL – flip down the DIFFUSER ( 580ex feature often ony used for wide angle shots, dropping it assists in increasing the spread of the bounced light and thus reduced battery consumption) – shoot with the ABBC (or other diffuser card etc) – keep the Flash Head Swivel on the 1st click 45deg whether Portrait or Landscape – My camera in P MODE ( program Mode) automatically selects TV at 60 and AV 3.5 to 4 – set the ISO to Auto ( this is a 40D Feature, however you could use ISO400, which seems to be a constant the camera chooses when in iso auto) – AND NOW YOU SNAP. If the image exposure is slightly to light or dark, all you have to adjust is ONE SETTING – the FLASH COMPENSATION LEVEL – UP for dark snaps and DOWN for overexposed Snaps. So I think we can call this the FLASH COMPENSATION TECHNIQUE. ONE SETTING is easy to adjust and master, later you will identify based on the surroundings, which exposure would be best or closest. NB no direct flash, either 45deg or more.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:18 am
I’m offering my services at a sweet sixteen. I don’t own a 50mm but rather the standard kit, a 28-90mm and a 75-300mm. Based on these lenses, what would be my best bet for shooting indoors using a Rebel XT? This is my first time shooting outside of normal family/friends gathering?
January 10th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Hello there, i’m having a problem with my camera, i found it diffilcult to get a sharp and clear indoor pictures with a professional camera Canon Mark II Ds. What can i do to get a good pictures
January 11th, 2009 at 5:02 am
Hi Saran
I would be able to direct advice if we work on an example image you take – indicating iso, f-stop, shutter speed. Contact me on facebook – http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=803339044#/home.php?ref=home
February 7th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
if u wanna take indoor photography then don,t use flash much
May 9th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
hi there –
i am recently being commissioned to photograph a client’s storefront inside a mall. these tips are handy, but do you have any other tips for non-people indoor shots? all tips greatly appreciated!
jess
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