Photos in gymnasium - what settings?

[revrob]

I'm a newbie that still has lots of questions! My head is swimming with all of the information that I'm trying to digest (apertures, shutter speeds & white balance, OH MY!)

In the meantime, my daughter has her kindergarten graduation in the morning. It will be in a gymnasium (I'm guessing - poor, tungsten lighting). I will be able to move to the front of the gym when she is to receive her "diploma", so I won't be sitting on the bleachers for that part. However, I will be in the bleachers for her class performance. I'd like to get pictures of both, if that's possible.

Here's what's in my bag (not much!)

Canon T1i
18-200 mm 3.5-6.3 OS
50 mm 1.8
18-55 mm 3.5-5.6 (kit lens)
Speedlight 200E

What do you pros suggest that I set my camera for to get the best shots?

I really want to be able to know how to do this, but I'm doubting that it'll all be sorted out in my brain by the morning, and I really don't want to lose this opportunity for pics.

You guys have been so helpful - I REALLY appreciate it!

 

[scoot241]

I'm a newbie that still has lots of questions! My head is swimming with all of the information that I'm trying to digest (apertures, shutter speeds & white balance, OH MY!)

In the meantime, my daughter has her kindergarten graduation in the morning. It will be in a gymnasium (I'm guessing - poor, tungsten lighting). I will be able to move to the front of the gym when she is to receive her "diploma", so I won't be sitting on the bleachers for that part. However, I will be in the bleachers for her class performance. I'd like to get pictures of both, if that's possible.

Here's what's in my bag (not much!)

Canon T1i
18-200 mm 3.5-6.3 OS
50 mm 1.8
18-55 mm 3.5-5.6 (kit lens)
Speedlight 200E

What do you pros suggest that I set my camera for to get the best shots?

I really want to be able to know how to do this, but I'm doubting that it'll all be sorted out in my brain by the morning, and I really don't want to lose this opportunity for pics.

You guys have been so helpful - I REALLY appreciate it!

You might want to set your camera to Av (aperture priority) so that the camera will automatically calculate the shutter speed based on the aperture you want (lower number = wider aperture = more light). Set your ISO higher (you can leave it on auto too, but if you're not getting satisfactory shots, bump it up). Flash probably won't do you much good in the bleachers.

As far as lens is concerned, you'll probably either be on the long end of the 18-55, but that may not have enough reach. You'll probably want the 18-200, but its aperture is somewhat small. I'm not really sure on this one; you may want to get there early and see what you can get with your lenses. The 50mm will let in the most light, but may not have the reach you want.

 

[Frantasmic]

For the diploma shot, use your 50mm 1.8. Make sure your WB is set to the tungston or fluorescent lights. Get within about 8 feet. Use manual and set Aperture about 2.0 or 2.2 and your Shutter at 1/200 or so. I wouldn't use your flash.

 

[VVFF]

For the diploma shot, use your 50mm 1.8. Make sure your WB is set to the tungston or fluorescent lights. Get within about 8 feet. Use manual and set Aperture about 2.0 or 2.2 and your Shutter at 1/200 or so. I wouldn't use your flash.

Seeing as she probably has one or two shots max of the actual diploma...I would encourage her to shoot that in RAW.

 

[seashoreCM]

I would suggest using the (50mm) f/1.8 for everything. It's a choice between 1/200'th second shutter speed and the lowest (might not be that low) ISO you can get away with. Or using a lower ISO and as slow as 1/50'th shutter speed if there is little or no movement and you're good at holding the camera steady.

Your zoom lenses are so slow at zoom settings that I would not recommend using zoom except with a tripod.

 

[revrob]

Ok, this is how it went down. I got there early. I shot several shots, changed white balance, etc. I started in aperture priority. But it seemed that the shutter speed was too slow. So, I (gulp!) changed to manual. Remember, I'm a newbie, and this is still pretty foreign to me. But I was still shooting test shots, and I thought I have nothing to lose. So I shot a few test shots in manual at 1/80, ISO at about 800, WB on tungsten and the lowest aperture that I could get. That seemed to work, though I don't know if technically it should have since I don't really know what I'm doing. I got a few shots with those settings. Then I got scared. So I went to creative automatic, upped the lighting a notch, again with tungsten WB (I think?) and decided that I would (gulp again!) shoot in RAW and high jpeg. My thought was that I could experiment with RAW and still jpegs if I mess it up.

SO, I shot in RAW, now what?

I have PSE 6. Can I use that to work with the RAW images?

 

[VVFF]

Ok, this is how it went down. I got there early. I shot several shots, changed white balance, etc. I started in aperture priority. But it seemed that the shutter speed was too slow. So, I (gulp!) changed to manual. Remember, I'm a newbie, and this is still pretty foreign to me. But I was still shooting test shots, and I thought I have nothing to lose. So I shot a few test shots in manual at 1/80, ISO at about 800, WB on tungsten and the lowest aperture that I could get. That seemed to work, though I don't know if technically it should have since I don't really know what I'm doing. I got a few shots with those settings. Then I got scared. So I went to creative automatic, upped the lighting a notch, again with tungsten WB (I think?) and decided that I would (gulp again!) shoot in RAW and high jpeg. My thought was that I could experiment with RAW and still jpegs if I mess it up.

SO, I shot in RAW, now what?

I have PSE 6. Can I use that to work with the RAW images?

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/harrington_richard/photoshop_camera_raw_1.php

Watch that video and part II of the same title. It will give you a basic understanding of what you can do with RAW...I believe the controls are much the same in essentials.

 

[revrob]

How do I open the RAW files (they're showing as cr2 files)? I tried to just open them in photoshop elements, and even though it says on the drop down box "all formats" it will not allow me to open. I get a message that says it is the wrong file type. Any clue what I'm doing wrong?

 

[Frantasmic]

I hopr PSE 7 opens my raw files. That's the only reason I purchased it.

Your camera should have come with software that allows you to convert from raw. My XSi did and it is pretty good stuff, especially since it was bundled with the camera.

 

[VVFF]

How do I open the RAW files (they're showing as cr2 files)? I tried to just open them in photoshop elements, and even though it says on the drop down box "all formats" it will not allow me to open. I get a message that says it is the wrong file type. Any clue what I'm doing wrong?

See my answer in your other thread