5. So far away
Pitfall explanation
This is one of those special-occasion photos that adds colour to your photo album and can never be re-created. In this case, the photographer is too far away: the on-camera flash is clearly not strong enough to reach the scene, and in general, he could have moved a little closer and filled the frame more. The last issue is a common problem when you shoot using the optical viewfinder on a snapshot camera. Since the viewfinder shows only about 80 percent of the scene, we tend to underestimate the amount of space that will appear around the sides of the frame.
Can this photo be saved?
Sort of. If the original resolution is high enough, you can always crop it in software. The exposure can be changed after the fact as well, but that usually results in all the ugly low-light noise rising to the occasion. This is one of those shots that you really want to get right the first time.
How can I avoid this problem?
Tip 1: Get closer. If moving close enough to fill the frame doesn't help much, then get creative as well -- for instance, get really close and treat it like a panorama, shooting the group in smaller subsets.
Tip 2: Know your camera. A situation such as this is where it really pays to memorise a few specs -- namely, the distance your flash can throw and how much of the scene your viewfinder shows. Then, respect the first and overcompensate for the second.
Which cameras handle these scenes best?
What it takes: An add-on flash or a powerful on-camera flash, a decent optical viewfinder, solid low-light sensitivity, and a long focal length.
Suggested models:
Pitfall explanation
This is one of those special-occasion photos that adds colour to your photo album and can never be re-created. In this case, the photographer is too far away: the on-camera flash is clearly not strong enough to reach the scene, and in general, he could have moved a little closer and filled the frame more. The last issue is a common problem when you shoot using the optical viewfinder on a snapshot camera. Since the viewfinder shows only about 80 percent of the scene, we tend to underestimate the amount of space that will appear around the sides of the frame.
Can this photo be saved?
Sort of. If the original resolution is high enough, you can always crop it in software. The exposure can be changed after the fact as well, but that usually results in all the ugly low-light noise rising to the occasion. This is one of those shots that you really want to get right the first time.
How can I avoid this problem?
Tip 1: Get closer. If moving close enough to fill the frame doesn't help much, then get creative as well -- for instance, get really close and treat it like a panorama, shooting the group in smaller subsets.
Tip 2: Know your camera. A situation such as this is where it really pays to memorise a few specs -- namely, the distance your flash can throw and how much of the scene your viewfinder shows. Then, respect the first and overcompensate for the second.
Which cameras handle these scenes best?
What it takes: An add-on flash or a powerful on-camera flash, a decent optical viewfinder, solid low-light sensitivity, and a long focal length.
Suggested models:
 Sony Cyber Shot DSC-H1 Read review |
 Canon PowerShot S2 IS Read review |
 Canon EOS 350D Read review |
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Sergei Plishka
11/02/2006 01:21 PM
If you do notice a reflective surface in the background, simply take the shot at an angle to the surface so that flash reflects away from the camera instead of right back at it.
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