Children on the swing

Englischdude

Senior Member
Can someone please give me some tips on photographing children on the swing. I have been walking at the lake with the kids lately and there are a couple of swinging possibilities, however I would say that 90% of the photos are so blurred they are for the garbage, 8% are solala, only 2% good. What are typical settings for such a scene?

Until now I have been using following:

D7000 with 18-105
VR ON
A-priority, set to between 3.5 - 8
ISO 100-200
Matrix metering
AF-C with single point

Thanks in advance for any good pointers.
 

FastGlass

Senior Member
When ever you have movement shutter priority is the mode to choose. Although if you're aperture setting is set at it's widest than the camera is going to pick an appropriate shutter setting unless there's not enough light. You may need to bump up the ISO depending if you're shooting in full sun or it's just an over cast day. I would choose shutter priority setting the shutter at least a 500th at the least. Are you panning this shot? If so turn off the VR. Most times the VR makes things worse than help. Only times to have VR on is if you're the one moving slightly not the subject.
 

DraganDL

Senior Member
If you want to (1) "freeze" the action or to (2) get the action "motion blurred" while keeping the surroundings relatively still.
(1) you will use the shutter priority, with say, 1/500sec or higher (shorter); flash (using the highest (shortest) available shutter speed; ISO set to auto, between 200 and 1600.
(2) aperture priority, relatively low ISO values, trying to keep the shutter speed below 1/100sec, tripod or VR "on", no flash.
In both scenarios, use "wide" position of the lens (18-30), and stay (reasonably) close to the subject.
 
Last edited:

Dave_W

The Dude
Try panning them. You do this by moving the camera in the same motion as the kids on the swing so that they'll be in focus but the background is all blurry. It's hard to get right and as you can see, I've still a lot of work to do but I'm getting closer


_1DW9965.jpg
 

aced19

Senior Member
Until now I have been using following:

D7000 with 18-105
VR ON
A-priority, set to between 3.5 - 8
ISO 100-200
Matrix metering
AF-C with single point

VR off
M-priority
Set aperture to your liking
Shutter Speed min 500, preferred 640+
ISO- auto set from 100-6400
Matrix metering
AF-C 21 point
Also use Back Focus Button

Back Focus Button setup
Also set your AE-L/AF-L button to AF-ON.
You set your AE-L/AF-L button this way to work with the AF-C.
When set up like this, you use your thumb to press and hold the AE-L/AF-L button and your index finger on the shutter(not pressed half down).
By pressing and holding the AE-L/AF-L button it will make the lens continually focus on your subject, all you have to do is push the shutter when
you want to take a picture. It's the same as holding the shutter half way down but sometimes its hard to do that for a long period of time.
 

Englischdude

Senior Member
Great tips, thanks alot! Went out for a walk this afternoon and tried a few of the seetings you have suggested. It has increase my hitrate tenfold! Here a couple of examples, one trying the panning technique (that needs practice), and one taken with her swinging from a 10° clock!

17327070fm.jpg


17327071gx.jpg
 
Top