What lens to use?

Curt

Senior Member
I might suggest your 50mm, if you have one. If you have a f1.8 or faster. is it a outside shot, or inside?
 

fotojack

Senior Member
Certain questions come to mind: how big is the family? Will it be a "wide" shot for a big family? Are there just a few people involved in the family shot? Indoors or outdoors? Will the shot be made into prints for all family members? As Curt has suggested, the 50mm f1.8 is the ideal lens for family portraits. Then there's the 85mm lens, some wide angle lenses.even a 35mm f1.8 lens is good for family portraits. It all depends on certain factors. Could you give us more info on the dynamics of your family picture? What lenses do you have on hand? Are you able to borrow a lens from a friend? See where I'm coming from here? :)
 

Curt

Senior Member
Well with your 50mm lens you can stop it down and get a very sharp photo. The 50mm will also allow you to get in pretty close to catch those warm Xmas smiles.
 
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knpink10

New member
I'm using AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED, its a family of 3. I think they will do it outside during sunset time. they just want a picture to send out as greeting cards.

I'm more worried that it will just come out as "ok" picture but really I want a "WOW" picture and I want that to happen I just dont have a clue when it comes to people. but with nature its like i know what I'm looking for. but when it comes to people I dont want it to look like something you just point and shoot. when they can do that you know???
 

Curt

Senior Member
Well try and capture the family in a warm natural way, don’t make it look contrived or ridged. Maybe talk to them a bit before you shoot and get them comfortable with you & the camera. That way they won’t pose…lol. Set your 18-200 around the 50 to85mm range. As I said with around 50mm you can get close enough to capture some great smiles, which I am sure they want in terms of send the photo out as a Xmas greeting.
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
An outside shot with a sundown in the background will require a fill flash. Otherwise the sundown light coming from the back will screw up the white balance as well as put the family in a shadow. I would use a couple of different levels of power on the flash to see which gives to best fill light. The fill should not be so strong that it is harsh. The 18-200mm will do the job. I would use the 50mm range setting. That will give you the sundown colors in the background, which should be out of focus.
 

Curt

Senior Member
Joseph is right, you don't want too much back lighting.
Otherwise your subjects will just be silhouettes.
This is a great effect in some cases, but not in this circumstance. So as Joseph said you need to fill flash.
 

Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
The 18-200 will work just fine. Take a couple of test shots to see how the lighting looks. If you need more fill flash use your pop up flash (just three you'll be close enough) or external if you have one. I would use aperture priority and iso about 400.

One other thing is shoot multiple shots, someone always has their eyes closed or blinks, yawns, belches or falls asleep.
 
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knpink10

New member
One other thing is shoot multiple shots, someone always has their eyes closed or blinks, yawns, belches or falls asleep.[/QUOTE]

lol thank you, I will be working with a 5 year old and she doesnt have a lot of patience. So this is will be a little challenge for me.
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
Take a couple of shots of the five year old beforehand and show them to her in the viewer. In most cases it gets their attention on what your doing and are more cooperative with posing.
 
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