MyFunCamera

Ask Carey: Camera settings for soccer games?

Yesterday I got this question:

Hi Carey! Can you give me some ideas for camera settings for shooting soccer games? I know you are a soccer expert! Thanks soooo much!!!

Great question!!

First some “don’t”s:
Don’t use the “green box” auto setting!
Don’t use the “running man” auto setting, either.
The camera chooses all your settings for you when you use those “auto” settings, and it may do a good job, but probably not. You want more control than that!

Here are my suggestions for getting great pictures at outdoor sporting events:

First, use a nice lens with a zoom of at least 200mm.
Browse through the LENS category to see my recommendations.

FIRST THING: ISO!!

Use an ISO of at least 200. For sports photography, you want to STOP that action and not have any motion blur (unless you’re going all artsy fartsy, but I’m not talking about that). A higher ISO will let you stop action and still have bright pictures. Shooting action at ISO 100 with a fast shutter speed will result in darker images if the sun is not SUPER BRIGHT.

You can even go up to ISO 400 or higher. Check your pictures in the back of your camera, and if they’re too dark, raise the ISO.

Which setting to use: Av or Tv????
I say Tv for action stuff
*disclaimer* I do not like shooting in M (Manual) mode.
It bugs me, I don’t like it, and even though I know how, it just doesn’t work for me.
If it works for you, cool. I’d prefer to let the camera do some of the thinking for me so I can focus more on composition & following the action on the field.

I used to think, “oh, I’ll shoot action in Av on the lowest Av number I can dial in, then the camera will choose the FASTEST shutter speed it can possibly muster at that Av#.” The only problem with that is that the camera is choosing a shutter speed for you, and it may choose something not quite as fast as you wanted. It may meter so that the whole picture will be nice and bright, but you could end up with “nice & bright” at the expense of a fast shutter… which will result in the dreaded MOTION BLUR.

So, I recommend shooting in Tv mode, where you choose the shutter speed. That way, you KNOW you’re going to get a fast shutter speed and stop that motion.
The higher the number, the faster the shutter. You need at LEAST 250 (1/250sec) to stop action. Higher is even better. You still have to try to hold your camera still, too! Remember: the faster the shutter, the LESS light will come in, so your pictures will get darker as you go higher with those Tv numbers!

When you look through your camera, you see something like this:

(unless you’re shooting a snow drift, you’ll see something other than plain boring white through your lens…duh)

The bottom shows you the shutter speed you chose and it shows the aperture the camera chose for you.

That little scale that goes from -2..-1..0..1..2 tells you if your camera thinks the image is too dark, too bright, or just right, depending on where the little arrow is under that scale. The Av number and the arrow under the scale may blink at you if it thinks the picture is going to be way too dark or too light.

If you’re shooting at 1/500 or faster, you might see a LOT of blinking at the -2 because the image may be too dark. You either need to slow down your shutter speed, or RAISE your ISO. Remember, if you raise your ISO, the picture will get brighter.

I like to shoot sports at ISO 200 or 400, on Tv mode with a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster. I let the camera choose an aperture for me, and I check that meter to make sure it’s not way down at the -2 blink blink blinking away. If it is, I raise my ISO. If the little arrow is blinking that the picture is too bright, I go even faster with my shutter speed (like 1/500 or faster) and I may lower my ISO, too.

Before the game starts, take some test shots, and check them in the back of the camera to see if they’re too dark or too bright, so you can get your camera settings dialed in before the action starts. Just remember, if a cloud goes over the sun, if the sun comes out, or if you venture to the other side of the field, the light may change drastically, so be sure to keep an eye out for blinkees in your viewfinder to be sure you’re not getting images that are too dark or too bright!!

I know this seems like a TON to remember, but it’s really not too bad:
1) Set your ISO
2) Use Tv mode (S on Nikon) and a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster
3) check the meter & the back of the camera to make sure you like what you see.

This is when having a POCKET GUIDE in your bag can really help!!
I made these pocket guides to help folks remember which settings to use in different situations.
There are tips for indoor, outdoor, and action.

If you don’t have any in your camera bag, think about getting some!
You can go to myFUNcamera.com and see them there on the left side.

Have fun shooting those games this weekend!!

~Carey

Lenses on a budget. Good versatile zooms!

An email came in from Monika in Japan (she’s a Navy wife) asking a great question about lenses.
Monika doesn’t have a ton of money to throw at L-series lenses, but she wants a good versatile lens her her Canon digital Rebel.

The 18-55mm “kit” lens that usually comes with that camera is pretty lame. It works, but it’s by no means a really good lens.

Monika talked about her friend who had a 50-200mm lens that was great for zooming, but on the Rebel especially, it was hard to get wide angle or group pictures without backing WAY WAY WAY up.

She said:

I am looking for an all purpose lens, I realize that a perfect one may not exist, but as close as i can get…
Any recommendations?? I don’t have thousands to spend but maybe $1000 or under? A lens that I can easily travel with and will let me take great pictures of the kids, but also zoom in from a distance to capture pics of temples/shrines, and other landmarks.

I always look at L-lenses because they’re the best, but reading Monika’s email reminded me that not everyone can afford such expensive “glass.” (Calling a lens “glass” sounds kinda snooty, huh? I laugh at myself when I say it.) Heck, I don’t even want to go out & buy expensive lenses these days because money is tight for everyone!

When I started Barefoot Memories, this was one of the first lenses I purchased:

It’s a great lens, and it served me VERY well until I was ready to upgrade to nicer L-series lenses. As I type this, that lens has a great sale price at Amazon!

This one is also nice:

That one is not “USM” (Ultra Sonic Motor) which means it probably doesn’t zoom and focus as quickly as the other USM lens I put up there. But it does have that 200mm zoom length that makes it more versatile. It has about the same regular price as the 28-135mm lens I put up there, but the sale price isn’t as good.

Making lenses that have a wide angle AND a good zoom is not easy — packing high-quality glass, housing, image stabilizers, and mechanics into one little cylinder costs more. That’s why this 18-200mm has a wider range of zooming but the same regular price as the 28-135mm: adding the nicer USM takes up some room and adds some quality, but the zoom range is sacrificed.

You’ve probably noticed that I really like sticking with Canon lenses.

If you’re willing to go “off brand,” here’s a really good looking Tamron lens (GREAT sale price right now! Add it to your cart to see!):

If I got the choose a lens for Monika, I’d pick that Tamron. Everyone I know who has Tamron lenses LOVES them. I’m stubborn & like to stick with Canon lenses, but if I were on a budget and needed a new lens in that price range, I’d probably get that Tamron!

Have a great day!

And Monika, once you make a choice, let everyone know what you choose & how you like it!!

~Carey

Private Mentoring sessions

I just had a great mentoring session with Autumn yesterday.
Her wonderful hubby purchased a mentoring session for her birthday.
(everyone together now: “Awwwwwwwwwwwww”)

HERE is a post on my Barefoot Memories blog about the mentoring session yesterday.

A private, 2-hour private mentoring session is $450 (lunch included — bonus points if you choose Chipotle).

A digital SLR camera is required, and we can cover whatever subjects you like:
-shooting in tough lighting
-Photoshop
-camera operations
-”portfolio review”
-websites
-marketing, for those emerging pros out there
-equipment and lenses
-whatever you like!

Happy shooting!
~Carey

Sand and Shells for your books and cards

During WPPI last week, I had many requests for the sand and shells I used in my hard cover books that Mpix had on display.
CLICK HERE to see more about the Mpix hard cover books.

I created those sand and shell images by collecting shells from right here in San Diego and taking high-quality (super sharp) pictures of shells and sand. In other words, these aren’t stock images that I found or bought online somewhere.

Purchase using this paypal button:

Once your payment is complete, you will get a link to download your purchase.

**CLICK HERE to see instructions showing you how easy it is to use these elements in the Mpix press software. You do not need Photoshop!**

Have fun!
~Carey

How ISO affects your pictures…

Last week, I explained how changing the F-STOP affects your pictures.

This week, I wanted to show you how changing the ISO affects your pictures.

To change the ISO on your camera, find the button that says “ISO” then set the ISO you want by spinning the dial or pressing the up/down buttons to set the ISO. Every camera is different, but it’s pretty easy to do no matter what camera you have.

Here’s how it looks on a Canon 5D:
(click the image to see the larger pic, then use your back button to come back here)

During myFUNcamera workshops, I explain ISO as the camera’s “sponge” setting. The higher the ISO, the MORE light your camera will soak up — like a sponge. The lower the ISO, the less light your camera will soak up.
That means on a bright sunny day, you’ll want to use a lower ISO. If you’re in a dark room where your camera needs all the light it can get, you’ll want to use a higher ISO so your camera will soak up all the light it can.

When you raise the ISO, you’ll see more “noise” or “grain” in your pictures, so there is a price to pay when you raise that ISO.

I took pictures of my family’s “mom’s going away” cards on the kitchen counter using the same camera settings (f/2.8 and a shutter speed of 1/100sec), and I changed the ISO to show you how that setting changes the image.

There were no lights on in the kitchen. Sunlight was coming through the windows, but not shining right on the counter.

Check out what happened as I went through different ISO settings:

ISO is usually the setting that I choose FIRST when I get to a session. I look at the light I have, and the MORE light, the LOWER the ISO I choose. So, as you can guess, since I’m at the beach a LOT, I use ISO 100 most of the time. Indoors, I’ll use ISO 400 or higher.

In general, the LESS light you have, the HIGHER the ISO you’ll want to use. Of course, you can play around with different settings to do artsy fartsy stuff, but less-light=higher-iso is a good general rule to remember.

Have FUN!
~Carey

Back to basics: f-stop/aperture

Here’s a little demo on what the f-stop number does on your camera.

You can use the “Av” mode (A on Nikon) or the “M” (manual) to change the f-stop (aperture):
(click the image for a bigger view, then use your browser’s back button to come back here)

In general, the nicer lens you have, the lower that number can go.

Look on your lens for something that says: “f:2.8″ or “f:3.5-5.6″

“f:2.8″ means you can dial in an aperture as low as 2.8 (nice!)

“f:3.5-5.6″ means you can dial in an aperture as low as 3.5 if your lens isn’t zooming.
If you zoom your lens, you’ll only be able to go as low as 5.6. (that’s a sign of lower-quality lens construction, but it doesn’t mean the lens totally sucks, it only sucks a little)

When you dial in an f-stop number, it will show up on your camera’s LCD screen.
Here’s what that looks like on Canon:

Here’s a look at what the f# does to your images.

I took a bunch of pictures of cards lined up on my kitchen counter.

I used “M” mode so I could keep the shutter speed the same and just change that f/#.

The lower the f/#, the LESS you’ll have in focus, and the MORE light you’ll let in.

If you use a higher number, you’ll get more in focus, but the sensor won’t get as much light.

Check out these images where I changed the f/# on the camera:

You can see how the pictures get darker as that f/# gets higher, but you also get more into focus.

If you wanted the picture brighter with more in focus, you could raise the ISO or lower your shutter speed.

Wanna see a really cool trick!? If you have a Canon camera, there’s a strange little button by your lens that looks like this:

That’s the “depth of field preview” button! If you look through the camera, and you’re wondering just how much is going to be in focus, you can press that button, and the lens will show you how much light the camera will see, and how much will be in focus! It’s darn cool! Especially if you’re doing a group shot and you want to make sure everyone’s in focus!

Enjoy this little “back to basics” lesson, and have fun experimenting with your own camera and lenses!

If this is interesting to you and you want to learn more, you can sign up for a myFUNcamera workshop or private mentoring HERE.

If all of these setting end up swimming around in your head when you’re out there shooting, pick up some of the myFUNcamera pocket guides. It’s a handy reminder for which settings are best to use it different situations.

Next up: ISO! Stay tuned!

~Carey

50mm Prime Lens at a great price!

If the 85mm focal length is too tight for you and you need a wider lens, this 50mm lens is great.
And you can go all the way to f/1.4, which will let in even more light!
There are “L” (luxury) prime lenses that Canon makes, and they’re good, but they are PRICY!!
If you want to try out primes, need that low f/#, this lens & the 85mm are good lenses to play with before investing in the big bad L primes!

85mm prime: great lens for low light

This 85mm lens from Canon is great for taking low light pictures because you can go to f/1.8, which lets in TONS of light — very helpful indoors!
You may not be able to get wide shots indoors with the 85mm focal length, but this lens is great for close-ups and details.

Private Mentoring available

If your valentine is camera crazy, and you’ve been struggling with gift ideas, think about a private mentoring session.

A private, 2-hour private mentoring session is $450 (lunch included — bonus points if you choose Chipotle).

A digital SLR camera is required, and we can cover whatever subjects you like:
-shooting in tough lighting
-Photoshop
-camera operations
-”portfolio review”
-websites
-marketing, for those emerging pros out there
-equipment and lenses
-whatever you like!

If you purchase your session before noon on Friday (2/13), I can get you a jpg certificate you can print & frame for Valentine’s Day — you’ll be a hero!

Happy shooting!
~Carey

ONE slot left for Feb 21 myFUNcamera workshop!

As I type this, there are two slots left for the February 21st myFUNcamera workshop.
***UPDATE*** There is only ONE slot open now.
If you’re looking for a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift idea, this is a good one!

DUDES: If you want to buy this for your camera-loving lady, I can send you a jpg certificate that you can print and frame. Just purchase the workshop slot by noon on Friday.
You’ll be her Valentine’s Day hero!

NOTE: This is a beginners’ workshop. If you already understand ISO, f-stop, lens types, focusing modes, and stuff like that, you’ll probably be bored.