Indoor photography

[slleipnir]

Tips, anyone?

I can take decent pictures if I have natural light outside. But inside, my pictures are not all that great. I find my camera flash just makes my pets fur look weird and their eyes glow. So I try lamps/lights. Half of the pictures are blurry still.

What are the best lights to use? Watts? What about flashes...Those big ones you can stick on top of the normal flash. I have seen a photographer use one and sort of bend it up a tad so it doesn't hit their eyes...does that work well??

Any suggestions welcome :)

[crow_noir]

I always had the best luck on fairly sunny days, no flash, sun behind me or off to the side. Make sure nothing is causing glare if it's a really bright day. The camera will easily pick it up.

[kittycats_delight]

I think it really depends on the camera. I always have as much natural light in the room and then the overhead if necessary. I can also change the degree of light I get from my flash. Try different settings for your flash. Do you have an illumination assist on your camera? Make sure that is enabled if you do. It helps cancel out the glow on the eyes. As for blurry I would say try a tripod it will kill the shake of your hand. And if you prefer handheld then try locking the focus. You should be able to lock focus with a half push of button you use to take your photos. But again I think these things depends on the camera overall.

I hope something I have suggested can work to help you.

Good Luck.

Michelle

[G535]

Plenty of natural light and have the camera setting on "natural light" is all I do for indoors. Of course it also depends on the camera.

[sabies]

Natural light thru windows if you can get it. I don't have good light (with a black dog!!) so I deal with this issue. A tripod is great for still subjects but you will still get blur if the subject moves.

For a faster shutter speed under low light raise the iso to 200 or 400. Higher ISO will be grainier picture so keep iso as low as possible to maintain quality.

Accessory flashes (I want one) are good for avoiding red eye or dog glow eye since they are higher above the lens and people and hopefully pets will not look directly at the flash. Angling the flash towards the wall or ceiling bounces the light off the ceiling/wall allowing for softer indirect light. Bounce light is best off white walls to avoid a color cast.

Also consider white balance. If you use various lights for more light, stick with 1 type of bulb like incandescent of fluorescent. You can then adjust the white balance for the type of light you are using if auto white balance gives a color cast.

Hope that helps!