Beginner with an infant and an XSi

[ds_meador]

<p>Corinne,<br>

I did not think to post this in my last post. I found the information in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Photographing-Children-Babies-Great-Pictures/dp/1581154208/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244295421&sr=1-1">Photographing Children and Babies: How to Take Great Pictures</a> by Michal Heron to be helpful. As a beginner, I picked this book based on Amazon.com reviews. It has information on using natural light and reflectors to photograph babies and children. Good information about backgrounds and such is also included. I actually read the book before buying my camera and lenses because photographing my daughter was the principle driving force behind my purchase of the XSi. You might be able to find it at your local library, if you don't want to buy it.<br>

Others may have recommendations too.<br>

DS Meador</p>

[bsd230]

<p>Congratulations on the new baby. They are a lot of fun to photograph. I would also recommend the 50 1.8 or 1.4. I use a 50 1.4 and don't even have to use flash in my house, which is a dungeon. ISO 1600 and no flash is needed.</p>

[Brad_]

I own an XSi and think it will be a great cam for you. However, I'd stay away from the kit lens as it's too slow for moving

subjects in dim light. And the smallish aperture will limit creative opportunities for throwing backgrounds out of focus;

which in my opinion can really make a photo sing in the right circumstances.

 

Although I own a 50mm 1.4, IMO on a crop body camera like the XSi, the focal length is much too long for interior use.

It's almost like a telephoto and will limit the amount of context you can include.

 

That leaves lighting and/or a faster wider-aperture lens of more appropriate focal length. Josh's suggestion of the 17-55

f/2.8 is great. If you don't have the $$$ for that, consider the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, a fine lens that I use daily. The wide

aperture option will let you capture movement in dim light, and allow more creative possibilities with respect to depth of

field.

 

The importance of lighting cannot be emphasized enough. I like Bob's idea of a low-cost light. Also, I'm a big fan of off-

camera flash for interior use and get great results being able to control the light and direct it a manner to provide

flattering results. Off camera flash is easy with a flash cord; holding your XSi in your right hand, and flash in your left

with arm extended.

 

 

Good luck!

[chad_hoelzel1]

<p>When the baby is small and not moving lots the prime lenses will be perfect. Once it starts crawling then you'll want to get a fast zoom (f2.8). This will help framing. Also as mentioned getting an external flash is a must to provide soft even light. You'll find the built in flash to be to harsh when close and not strong enough when you move back a bit.</p>

[newbienate]

<p>I know everyone has said this a lot already, but I'll still join the chorus. Get a flash. I have two daughters 2 and a half years old and 11 months. Buying a flash was the second best thing I ever did for taking candid pictures around the house. The best thing I ever did for this situation was to learn how to use the flash properly! If you want great pics around your house and you have poor lighting you should spend lots of time on this website: <a href="http://www.planetniel.com">www.planetniel.com</a> the information there is priceless (IMO).<br>

Just to help to try convince you, I'll try to post a picture of my daughter that was taken with the canon 18-200 IS, a Rebel XTi, and a 430EX with a 1/2 CTO (color temperature orange) gel on it to help match the incandescent lights in the room (A full CTO gel would allow you to make the grubby orange lights look white, and a 1/2 CTO allows you to preserve some of the mood of the incandescent lights). Also the flash in this picture was bounced off the wall about 7 feet to camera left.<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/9300781">http://www.photo.net/photo/9300781</a><br>

I've been in the same spot as you, and I wanted to avoid getting a flash too, but once you learn how to use it properly it's an amazing tool! I don't know where else you can get so much power and flexibility in such a portable and convenient package.</p>

 

[matt_ganley]

<p>I received the Xsi as a birthday present (my 50th) from my wonderful spouse. Went out and bought the Sigma 30mm 1.4 after much research and comparison. Great lens and works with available light--provided there's enough. If you fiddle with the "canned" white balance settings (shade, cloudy, tungsten, etc.) you'll probably find one that gives you the warmth you like from the light you have on hand. Of course the ISO needs to be high, but the Xsi is a camera that's easy to work with and progress as you learn more about the system and your own needs. The sigma is pricey, but having one good prime as your first lens is a great way to learn how to frame and compose your shots. You'll get more from your zoom lenses if you work initially with a prime. Also a 30mm over a 50mm might work better, given your space requirements. Like your baby, I hate flash, and will not use one. A steady hand (or solid rest with timer), a fast lens, and the curiosity to work with the camera will get you what you need. Caveat: I'm "old school" having recently come to digital photography from medium format film.<br>

Best of luck. My daughter is now 24 and I have some precious photos (though not enough) of her early years. Wish I had my Xsi back then. Have fun.</p>

[avijitsett]

<p>Consider Canon XSi or T1i with Tamron 17-50mm/2.8 lens instead of the kit lens.</p>

[corinne_yang]

<p>Hi, everyone! Many thanks for all of the thoughtful responses. I can't get over how helpful you are - I'm truly grateful. So, on Saturday, we bought the XSi and a used Canon 17-55 lens. Talk about a world of difference from the point and shoot. We've played with it quite a bit already and it works well despite the poor lighting. Even with closed curtains in preparation for night time, the photos turned out well (well, they were orange tinted but easily fixed with photo editing software). Only thing is that when I want to do a shot with just her face in the entire frame, I end up getting <em>really</em> close to my daughter. Which I didn't realize until she grabbed the lens.</p>

<p>I didn't buy a flash, but I think that is something I am going to do at some point soon. The light bulb suggestion is great - but we have no floor lamps - just recessed ceiling lights all throughout the house. The suggestions about white curtain/posterboard were great - I will have to figure out how exactly that actually works. And Awny, thanks for posting the photo with the flash. I would never have guess that was a flash! Someone had typed about a diffuser I think (business card wrapped in fabric?) - that sounds manageable, but again I don't know exactly how that works.</p>

<p>Lastly, thanks for all the tips on which websites and books to check into. I will start reading when I can. </p>

<p>Thanks, all, for your responses and congrats on the baby (never did I think I could be so in love with 18 pounds of diapered chub). You've made this newcomer to photography really excited about taking pictures!</p>

[ds_meador]

<p>Corinne,<br>

I use my EF-S 55-250 IS for tight head shots on children. It is not f/2.8, so it requires a little more light (or a lot more light). However, if the child is occupied and very still, or asleep, the IS allows for some pretty slow shutter speeds for tight shots. I'm on vacation so I can't post an example right now.<br>

DS Meador</p>

[chris.sager]

<p>My current 'Baby Kit' is an XTi, 50mm F1.8 and 430EX (100% bounced). I find this to be suprisingly perfect for indoor shots. I switch to my 17-50 or 55-250 for outdoor or well lit situations. <br>

You'll want shallow DOF for some shots (particularly sleeping shots). This cannot be replicated by any amount of light with an F4 or 5.6 lens. IS is of limited use. </p>

[david_barts1]

<p>People have mentioned bounce flash, and I would like to add that this is IMHO the single biggest image improvement you can make. Here's Canon's own tutorial:<br>

http://web.canon.jp/imaging/flashwork/techniques/bounce/index.html<br>

I have two children and neither minds the bounce flash in the least -- I've been using it from birth (theirs). It's not at all like having a flashgun fired in your face!<br>

Personally, I think the light from a window is better, but it's not really applicable to an infant. Plus, in the wonderful world of digital, window light (blue) combined with indoor electric light (yellow) yields the dreaded 'mixed lighting' -- hours spent with Photoshop!<br>

Shallow depth of field is nice, but having one eye in focus and the other blurry is not that pretty. I find that even though I have fast primes I rarely open beyond f/4.<br>

So I would go for the 430EX II (less than $250) or a used older one. I'm perfectly happy with my 420EX.</p>

[ds_meador]

<p>Corinne,<br>

I took a close up of a 16 month old a couple of days ago. I'll include the photo here. I was in a kitchen with a window over the sink to child right and a window behind the child. It was about 5 in the afternoon. I shot at ISO 400, f/5.0, and 1/15 of a second. The EXIF data shows a focal length of 131. This is with a Rebel XSi about 3.5 or 4 feet from the child. The file has been reduced in size for posting so there is some loss in quality. Even still, wide open at f/5.0 for the focal length may be a little soft for some people. It suits me just fine for taking family pictures.<br>

I have since purchased a used 430EX flash and will begin learning how to use it soon.<br>

I hope this gives you a better idea of how the EF-S 55-250 IS might or might not meet your needs.<br>

DS Meador</p><div></div>

[oofoto]

<p>This shot illustrates perfectly my previous point and why you would either use a faster lens or push the ISO up to increase shutter speed. At f/5 this shot should be sharp across the frame. You can clearly see movement going on and IS doesn't stop subject movement and that is the reason it is soft.<br>

You would get away with 1/15 second shooting a static subject with IS and a steady hand at that focal length.<br>

Now if you were able to get light on the subject by either placing the subject near a light source or using a flash technique shutter speed would increase resulting in a sharper image.<br>

Had you moved to the right of the subject and caught their attention things may have improved as you can clearly see the direction of light in the shot.</p>

 

[ds_meador]

<p>Paul,<br>

Thank you for the insight. I'm still so new at this that I can't always decipher why my results are what they are. So, user error and not necessarily the lens (except that it is fairly slow).<br>

DS Meador</p>