# Faegoria 2011 - Camera Practice/Question



## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Yesterday we got a few lights set up and the scarecrow put out. I took a few pictures after dark but initially wasn't happy with them. So I decided to document some of the presets, check out the EXIF data, and ultimately just compare shots to see what I like best. I don't have (nor, like most of us, can afford) one of those expensive fandangled DSLR cameras. But I do have a fairly high-end point-n-shoot, the Panasonic DMC-ZS5, which gives me not only some good presets (which I have some of the better examples below) but also lets me manually tweak aperture and exposure levels (which I'll experiment with tonight, weather permitting). Unfortunately though I can't manually control the gain levels which would be quite beneficial as I believe I could improve some of the darker shots of I could tell it to boost the lows.

Without further ado here are the shots.

*Close subject, Night Scenery preset (Exposure=8, Aperture=F3.3):*









*Close subject, Starry Night (15sec) preset (Exposure=15, Aperture=F3.3):*









*Mid distance shot, Candle Light preset (Exposure=1/4, Aperture=F3.3, Gain=High Up):*









*Mid distance shot, Starry Night (15sec) preset (Exposure=15, Aperture=F3.3):*









The Starry Night preset allows me to choose from 15, 30, and 60 second exposure times. Obviously the longer the time the more washed out in light the picture will be. And while in a lot of cases gives me some of the best shots, the warm colors tend to wash out the closer they get to white. Notice the pumpkin on the porch is just a big white blur in the last shot.

Unfortunately with the presets I couldn't find any sort of happy medium. I'll try and play with the manual controls tonight and see how they come out.

I'm curious, as haunters, which do you think are the better shots so far and what would you change if you could to get better shots?


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

I am in the same situation as far as equipment...basic decent point and shoot with some options. I have never been able to get decent results with the preset "scene" options. I usually result to manual operation where I can control the aperature and white balance. 

A tripod is a basic must-have. I also like to set the camera on a 2 second delay so I han press the button and get completely away from the camera to let it shoot with no motion.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Agreed on the tripod. I have two of them and planning on picking up one of those short ones with the bendy legs for taking low angle shots. I've definitely decided to up my game this year by experimenting and documenting BEFORE 10/31 which settings work best for which shots. 

Unfortunately I can't control the specific amount of white balance. But the presets I have are: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Incandescent, and White Set (name is deceptive, it doesn't let me actually SET it to anything - that IS the setting). Maybe setting it to Cloudy or Shade might help tone down the brightness in that last shot. Man tonight ain't getting here quick enough.


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

that's the great thing about digital cameras...take more pix than you think you will ever need...even if you think you are taking the same picture more than once you will be surprised at the differences when you upload them to the computer. Try everything you can think of if you have the patience for it....document as you go so when you do find the magic combination you don't forget what it was. 

Good luck!


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## Jaybo (Mar 2, 2009)

Can you manually set your ISO? Set it as low as possible for still shots at night. Don't forget to get creative with your lighting. Grab a couple of small led flashlights or those cheap single led lights that were so popular last year. Light your subject from the side at a low angle, and then add another light on the opposite side from a high angle. Also, have a third light highlight the background so your subject does not blend into the background.

Get all of this together and set you camera on the tripod. Take your shots with several different exposures, move your lights and do it again, now move your tripod to a different angle and start all over again. It helps to keep a small notebook handy to write down the settings that work.

As long as you are taking still shots at night, you don't really need a DSLR. You just need a decent point and shoot that allows a little control. A lot of the Canon point and shoot cameras use the same system as the fancier DSLR cameras, so they have manual control on the cameras. You can pick up a used Canon Powershot A540 / A560 / A590 for around $40 or $50 on eBay. The cameras are about 5 years old, but they have full manual control, plus you can run a custom firmware called CHDK which allows you to do all kinds of crazy stuff.

Oh, and use the timer function religiously to keep the camera from picking up the shake from pushing the shutter button.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

@Jaybo: I can INDEED change the ISO level and will try that too. I love the Panasonic DMC-ZS5, it was one of the best purchases I've made. Gizmodo rated it the best in-between camera and I think they pretty much nailed it. It also has a stability feature so it will add a couple seconds after clicking the shutter button before actually snapping. The only time I get blur is when I shoot without a tripod or the subject is in motion on its own (which can happen on windy night). It's one of the main reasons I try to wire the animatronics separately from any internal lighting of the prop (have to remember that for Aegothotep) - then I can unplug all the motors to get good shots.

@Dave: Absolute agree, it's why I love digital. Typically do exactly that and take a ton of pictures Halloween night, upload them and keep the best of the best. I'm a picture pack-rat. In fact the only ones I ever actually delete are the ones that are totally unusable due to blur or incredibly bad lighting. Never know when something you might not have showed off might come in handy for a logo or various banner graphic on the website.

The idea right now is to avoid taking and/or reduce that large number of experimental pictures on Halloween night. I usually close shop around 9pm-ish. Take a bunch of pictures. Then bring in as much of the big stuff as possible. And considering I do pretty all of this alone (especially this year with Kaoru expecting our new haunter) the last thing I want to do is stand around for another hour in the New England cold snapping pictures.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Also, out of the two close subject shots, which are your favorites? The brighter or the darker. Personally I like the darker one but Kaoru likes the brighter one.


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## Dixie (Feb 18, 2009)

Definitely the darker one is my favorite shot.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Alright, think I may have found a magic set that works best for me and my camera. Good call Jaybo on the ISO settings, it seemed to make a good deal of difference.

Settings for both pics: Aperture=F3.3, Exposure=6sec, ISO=80



















Also the two lights next to the front door are 80w floods while the one lighting the scarecrow is a low wattage orange party bulb from iParty. The difference in the two wattages make it extremely difficult to capture them both at the same time. I'm pretty happy with the results though.


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## Jaybo (Mar 2, 2009)

Those look much better! Just enough light to show the details and not lose the creepy shadows. Plus, the colors are much more vibrant in these shots.


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

I'm looking forward to playing around with the camera once everything is set up. But in low light a tripod is absolutely necessary - and to make absolutely sure you moving the camera - if you have a delayed shutter release - set it to take the picture - that way not even your hand pushing the button will move the camera


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

looks good TM!

Great balance of light and dark.


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