How do you get a friend to take your picture with YOUR camera??

[markubig]

Although we spend most of our times behind the viewfinder, it's cool to once-in-a-while spend some time of the other side of the lens. You give your camera to another person in the hopes that they take a decent photo of you. My question is: How do you prep your camera and how do explain to that person how to take the shot?

Do you:


just hand it to them in whatever mode u were just in and let them snap away?
leave the center AF point (then explain to them to focus and recompose) or change to auto AF points?
explain composition?
explain how to zoom w/ your lens and not to touch the focus ring (for non USM lenses)?
the reason I ask is because my friends never seem to take a decent photo when I'm in it. There is sometimes too much camera movement, or the AF point blinks on something behind me, thus keeping me OOF. But before the shot, when I'm trying to explain using the AF points on something showing contrast on a mid-tone subject, they give me a look like i'm speaking Martian.http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_confused.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_confused.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif

[mbze430]

I still haven't figure this out yet. The worse is when the composition only shows very little of me, and a whole lot of nothing.

[Todd Jacobsen]

How do you prep your camera and how do explain to that person how to take the shot?


This is like the two barber barbershop. Always get your haircut by the guy with the crappy haircut...

You can never expect someone else to take the shot you wish they would. Use a timer or wireless (Pocket Wizard) remote if you want the shot - with you in it.

[Jesper]

If it's somebody who isn't a photographer or doesn't know how my 10D works, I setup the camera myself, so that the only thing (s)he has to do is half-press the shutter to focus and fully press it to make the photo. I do explain that last part, about half-pressing to focus and then fully pressing to make the photo.

I set the camera to center-point focus because otherwise the camera might focus on the background. I don't bother to explain how to focus and recompose - usually, people who never made anything else than vacation snapshots tend to put the subject right in the middle of the picture anyway...

Explaining composition sounds useless, they won't make the photo as you have it in mind anyway and explaining how to make a good composition to somebody who doesn't really have the feeling for it doesn't work.

Sometimes I do explain how to zoom in and out. ("I have to turn this? Don't you have buttons for zooming?" :rolleyes: ).

You can never expect someone else to take the shot you wish they would. Use a timer or wireless (Pocket Wizard) remote if you want the shot - with you in it.The difficulty with making a self portait with the camera on a tripod and timer is that you can't compose and focus the camera properly. You can focus on something else in the same plane as where you're going to stand and choose a small aperture to get enough DOF.

[robertwgross]

I prep my camera by putting extra ballast on the bottom of the tripod so they won't knock it all over.

---Bob Gross---

[Big_B]

my friends never seem to take a decent photo when I'm in it.

After consulting your avatar, I wonder if it is fair to blame the camera/photographer?

[Claire]

I got my friend to take pics of me a while back (search for "photographer turned model"). At first I kept it center focused, but then explained to her how to change the focus and how to zoom in and out. She did well. :)

This week I've shown my parents how to use the camera. With them I haven't bothered to explain anything but centre focus. Dad's the more technology scared one of them, but he found the camera surprisingly easy to use. Ok, so his compositions aren't the best (mom kept shouting at him to move, where to focus etc etc), but hey, he never was good at it with the usual P&S... ;)

[markubig]

After consulting your avatar, I wonder if it is fair to blame the camera/photographer?
Ha! i was feeling a little ill that day . . . http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[PhotosGuy]

Ok, so his compositions aren't the best The cure for that is to zoom out a bit or take an extra 2 steps back so, when the resulting pic has your head neatly positioned in the center of the frame, you can crop out the pic you wanted to get. :) ;-)

[slin100]

I prep my camera by putting extra ballast on the bottom of the tripod so they won't knock it all over.

---Bob Gross---
If you have a tripod, then you really don't need someone else. That's what the self-timer is for! :)

[robertwgross]

Self-timer?

Is that what the beeping sound is? I thought it was a cell phone ringing.

---Bob Gross---

[markubig]

center AF is fine, until they take a picture of me with someone else. they place the the center AF point in between us so that it focuses on something behind us. I've tried to explain the focus-recompose, but it's such a production (like pulling teeth) . . . i've recently resorted to the auto AF points. . . it's better, but not great . . . http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_sad.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_sad.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif

[tim]

If I ever risk handing my camera to someone i'd stick it on green box mode or P, and centre point focus, and explain the zoom in/out thing. I too find that most people have no eye for composition. At a recent work thing in a resturant 3 people took photos with their P&S, at least 100 photos, and I wouldn't want my name associated with any of them. I'm taking my camera next time, though I get a lot of comments about it, and I suspect i'll get even more once I start using a LS II or flash bracket!

[Bruce Hamilton]

If somebody wants to take my picture, they'd better bring their camera. ;)
I've got too much invested in glass to trust others with it.

[Jackal]

I wouldn't hand my new XT to anyone right now. It's my baby and I'm slightly over protective because it's new. Can you blame me? :p

But yes, showing someone how to use an SLR for a quick picture who's only held a cellphone and a P&S their whole life is like pulling teeth.

[Claire]

I'll lend the DSL to a friend or family member, but not anyone I don't know well enough. Dad said he was honoured I let him use the camera at all. LOL

[mbze430]

There has one been one time where a stranger had taken a good family shot of us, only because she happened to be using a EOS 3. So I kindly asked this person to shoot the photo of us.

This holds true the other way around, I have been asked so many times to take photos for other families when I am holding my 1-Series, as well as my old EOS 3.

[markubig]

There has one been one time where a stranger had taken a good family shot of us, only because she happened to be using a EOS 3. So I kindly asked this person to shoot the photo of us.

This holds true the other way around, I have been asked so many times to take photos for other families when I am holding my 1-Series, as well as my old EOS 3.
I never ask strangers to take pictures 'cause i just can't trust anybody i don't know. Did you every see National Lampoons European Vacation? The Grizwalds asked a total stranger to videotape the family. He ran off with the camera . . . next thing you know, there were billboards going up with Hellen Grizwald in a towel . . . http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif it was hillarious, but that would suk if it happened to me. http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif

.

[johnnybfan]

That's why I went and bought a decent tripod and a wireless remote. A little practice and I won't have to worry. BTW that's how I got the drebel "fever"! We were in California in Sequoia National Park and I was asked to take a picture of a couple with their dreb. One pic and that was it! So now I'm broke (lol) and lovin' it.

[smittymike19]

if it is a family memeber i find the best thing to do is set the camera up then give them 2 basic instructions:
1. push the button halfway and take the piucture ONLY when it looks in focus.
2. If i want to set up the composition, ill just set teh focus point to where i want to stand in the picture, then tell them to push the button halfway and look through the view finder. Then ill ask, "see that little red dot?" well aim it at my face, then puch the button the rest of the way. has worked everytime. But seriously you cant expect them to get perfect results, if I still cant...lol

I like the idea of zooming out, as you can always crop, but you cant add. good one.:)