Every since sharing my Project 365 photos, I get questions on how I capture certain ones. I thought it would be fun to do some posts describing how I capture a particular photo. Short, sweet, and to the point. So keep an eye on my Project 365. Let me know if there are any other photos you would like to know about the behind the scenes.
We can’t help but want to capture our sweet sleeping children. Sometimes, it is the only time they are still enough to capture.
Behind the Scenes:
1. Turn off your flash
2. Find a light source.
If possible, crack the door to allow the light from the hall to illuminate them. I am not lucky enough have a room where the light hits the beds. So I found another source, a flashlight. You could also use your iPhone.
3. Shine the flashlight to land around your child. Do not shine it on their face.
I pointed the flashlight to land on her sheets by her pillow
4. Crank up your ISO.
Way, way, way up. Max that sucker out.
5. Slow down your shutter speed.
If possible set up a tripod, I didn’t have room for one so I steadied myself and lowed my shutter speed to a point where I thought I could still keep my camera still.
6. Shoot wide open.
Open up that aperture to let in more light. You don’t have to shoot completely wide open, but remember the lower the number the more light it brings in.
7. Click the shutter.
Settings: ISO 6400 | ss 1/100 | f/2.2 | 35mm 1.4 lens
You always have the BEST posts! I cannot wait to try this one this weekend :) now, to only catch them sleeping!
You are sweet, thank you :)
Love this! Great tips :). Super helpful. I do think you skipped one important step: how to sedate your very light sleeper.
Rachel – YES, YES, YES. lol I don’t dare creep in the room while my little guy is sleeping.
Ha ha I can only help so much :)
Just found your blog and LOVE the helpful tips!! This one is great. I will definitely have to sneak a photo of my little one soon! :)
Welcome! Hope you get one. Feel free to post it on our FB if you do :)
Thanks so much for the tips!! I have hall light that will work perfectly for this, and am anxious to try it….I just wonder, did you spot meter off of her face?? Or did you just set your settings with the high ISO, wide aperture, and shutter speed that you thought you could pull off?? (I’m a meter addict, I forget that we can take control of our settings without worrying about the meter when we want to!!) This is such a sweet shot!!
That is fantastic you have a hall light that will work. Yes, I metered off her face :)
What a beautiful image. Thank you for taking the time to share how to create such a photo.
Thank you!
Hi there! I love this idea of sharing how you capture certain photos! I’m new to the DSLR world (let me rephrase that, I’m now finally trying to learn more about my DSLR) and this helps a ton!! I just joined in on the 365 challenge!! Yay!
Glad you joined in! The 365 is perfect for learning more about photography!
Really enjoy your posts! Just caught some great shots of my little princess sleeping! Nap time allows for more light! :)
Yes, nap time is definitely better for more light but if you want a dramatic light shot now you can tackle it :) Glad you snagged some images of your little one!
Awesome! Thank you! I would LOVE more posts like this!!
Thanks!
I loved this article! My little man is sick and I thought it would be a perfect way to capture the moment for my P365 project. I’m in LOVE with the image I got – thank you!
http://www.loripickens.com/cache/blog/823_4.jpg
Here’s where I posted on my blog about it:
http://www.loripickens.com/blog/entry.do?blogEntry_id=823
Sorry he is sick but that is an awesome shot :)
Hello Courtney,
Thank you for your tips but for me haven’t been enough :-(
Bit of beginner over here.
I used a torch with my phone, camera set on iso 6400/ ss 1/100/ f 2.8 lens 40mm 2.8
I got a photo but nothing like yours….the torch kind of iluminates the whole scene….how did you obtain just you little one?
Thanks for helping
Just play around with the light. Set the light up to illuminate your little one as you want. Also my settings may be different than what you want to use depending on the light in your image.
Always lovely to take pics of my son while he is sleeping. Here is a link to my blog of a shot I took of my son having his afternoon nap on the couch!
http://0lakool0.blogspot.co.nz/2013/10/day-11-something-that-makes-you-smile.html?m=1
Very cool! Thanks for sharing.
I’m gonna try this one tonight, love it!
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