Settings for portraits of kids with 50mm

jenbuzzeo

What are the best settings for an indoor home studio with continuos light, paper (wood look) backdrop and active kids? I found issues with capturing a clear shot and I'm continually changing settings. I also have a 200mm if that's better.
Thanks.

Moose

Hi @jenbuzzeo - Here are the settings I would start with...

- Enable Manual Mode (rotate mode dial to M)
- Set the Aperture to f/1.8 (press +/- button & rotate command dial)
- Set the ISO to 800 (midday) or 1600 (early morning/late afternoon)
- On the lens, switch M/A-M to M/A
- Set the Focus Mode to AF-C
- Set the AF-Area Mode to 3D-tracking
- Set the Release Mode to Continuous

1) Open all window shades/coverings and try to position the child so that soft natural (indirect) light is illuminating their face.

2) Aim the center focus point at the child’s face and take a test shot.

3) If the child’s face is too bright, rotate the command dial two clicks to the right. If the child’s face is too dark, rotate the command dial two clicks to the left. Take another test shot and repeat Step 3 if needed.

4) Half-press the shutter button to continuously focus on the child as they move through the frame. When ready, fully press the shutter and hold it down to re o a burst of images.

5) If the shutter speed drops below 1/200, then increase the ISO and/or
position the child near more natural light.

For more settings like this, you should check out my cheat sheets for the Nikon D3100 and 50mm lens. It will walk you through the exact settings I would use for many different situations. Happy shooting!