How Light Can be Your Worst Enemy

Jennifer,

I'll help if I can.  What you wanted was more light on the sensor.  This is achieved by opening up the aperture and/or slowing down the shutter speed.  As you experienced, a shutter speed below 1/30 of a second will probably result in a blurry picture.  As you pointed out, a tripod is the answer, but in lieu of a tripod you could make one more camera setting adjustment.  You could increase the sensitivity.  This means increasing the ISO.  In automatic mode, you are probably limited to 400 ISO.  As the ISO increases, the quality of the picture will suffer because of graininess, especially with small P&S’s, so you will probably want to test out your camera to see how high you can push the ISO before the photo becomes unacceptable in your eyes.

Now if you have the aperture at the smallest number you can go, the ISO as high as you will accept and there still isn’t enough light, you will have to reduce the shutter speed to 1/15 or possibly 1/8 of a second.  You will then need to hold the camera as still as possible.  Most newer P&S’s have some form of anti-shake or image stabilization which will help greatly.  I often lean against something stable and brace the camera against a door frame or pillar.  Hold your breath as you gently squeeze the shutter.  I have one more suggestion. 

The best thing you can do is use the tripod, but if you really think a tripod would be inappropriate in the building, take a look at this How-To-Video on YouTube.

Jennifer - great post ! No matter what we read on the subject, we are not going to get it until we stand in one place with the camera of our choice and shoot photos of the same subject with different settings for the variables of shutter, aperature and sensitivity so that we can compare the results and "see" the light at last.

Lee - great idea in the video for a stabilizer - I had not considered such a simple, inexpensive solution.

Jennifer - if you have reached a level of seriousness that you use a D-SLR with camera RAW format capabilities, note the effects possible with HDR (high dynamic range)  image layering (obviously using a tripod) to take the best portions from several images.  Fascinating posts by John and Margaret Hokkanen in this AR group show how much the bar is being raised by skill, preparation, technology and computers.

I love the cathedral shots - the building is magnificient.

Ted,

 HDR requires a tripod because multiple shots at different exposures are combined.  That's what makes it an advanced technique.  Quick video introduction to HDR

Jennifer,

I can save you the trouble.  Nikon users will say Nikon.  Canon users will say Canon.  I too have outgrown my P&S and will be purchasing an SLR.  I have made up my mind, but you will have do decide for yourself.  Honestly, either camera in each class will take great photos.  I read once that you select the lens and consider the camera body as an accessory.  This is probably pretty good advise.

I'm assuming you understand that ASP sensors that most DSLR's posses have a crop factor or 1.5 or 1.6 depending on brand.  This means you will need a 10mm or 12mm (at the wide end) for interior photography.  If you wish, we can have another blog about all that.

Both Canon and Nikon are great you can't go wrong with either one.  I prefer Canon, just find them to be more user friendly, ( I shoot with D30, a great camera). Jennifer is right though it is all about the lenses, stay away from the kit lenses, always upgrade!

Jennifer,

I have had my eye on a 5D for some time, but its high initial cost coupled with the cost of 'L' series lenses has caused me to set my sights a little lower.  I plan to purchase a Canon 40D with the 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM.  From what I've read, this is the best lens at this focal length.  The 1.6 crop factor of the 40D will mean that I would get the same 16mm as the 5D would get with the 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM.  John and Margaret Hokkanen use the 5D with a 24mm tilt-shift lens.  Because of the way they do the shoot, they get almost the same viewing angle as a 16mm lens. 

You know really, the XT, XTi or new XSi would also work well for you.

When it comes to software, you will manipulate or adjust the photo in whatever software you use such as Photoshop, Lightroom, Photomatix, etc.

Jennifer, the photos are great, what a beautiful church.