DESPERATE for help! This is urgent!!!!

Without going into detail, my photographer for today skipped out on me due to personal issues, and now I'm left with no photographer to photograph my toddler and I need them done TODAY and finished by 6:30. I take pretty good pictures if I know what I'm doing, but this camera (Canon Powershot S2) that we just got is too complicated for me at this point. I've been reading up on it, but don't know enough yet to take pictures that I can pass as professional.

These pictures have to be taken by 6:30 and I can't get a photographer that is close enough to me since I live in a suburb of Atlanta. Everyone is too far to make it here by then.

PLEASE, if you can tell me a good standard setting that will give me professional looking pictures, that would be a great help. I don't know the features of this camera at all really...

I'll be taking most, if not all, of them outside. I need the blurred background look.

PLEASE HELP!!! Auto mode never seems to look that great on this camera for what I'm going for.

ALSO...how do I use digital and optical zoom in combination? The manual said something about zooming in as far as I could go, then "hitting" the zoom one more time. What??? Lol...

I'm so confused by this camera, I almost wish I had kept my crappy cybershot. I can take really good MACRO pix, but that's all I've really accomplished thus far.

Thanks for all your help!

There is probably a portrait setting (little head in profile).
Have your subject about 10' away from your background.
Use optical zoom (only) to zoom in as much as possible.
Do not use digital zoom.
Turn flash on to fill any dark shadows.
Click away
Post your photo's here - requesting help to edit.

P.S. Make sure camera is taking the largest photo possible.
Large size, fine detail, ISO 50 or 100 max.

Try also posting in the small compacts section, you might attract more actual S2 users. If all else fails, put the camera on full auto and give it a try. If you know how to activate the flash, use it, it will help with the shadows. Don't even worry about ever using digital zoom. Besides, I believe your S2 has a pretty decent optical zoom on it anyway.

Okay...this is stupid, but how do I JUST use optical zoom? I guess the manual is what confused me. I have taken decent pix, but I'm really just one of those people that doesn't know how to use certain things.

So, ifyou could just tell me that, then I think I can manage.

Thanks for both of your reponses...really helps!!!!

I suggest just using your optical zoom.. Look for an area without harsh light.. If you have overcast that would be best... try to put your subject atleast a few feet away from any objects behind them.. I really don't know how/if you can create DOF with a P&S... and keep your ISO as low as possible.. good luck..

sari

In the menu there should be a selection for optical zoom, just make sure it is off. Low iso, portrait mode, flash on, no optical zoom. Good luck.

Only zoom until the lens stops moving out. I think if you continue to push the zoom button 3X or 12X will pop-up in the display so just back-off until you are fully zoomed with no extra digital zoom.

Basically digital zoom only crops the picture and decreases resolution thats why we say stay away. You can crop the full image later in post processing to what you want.

Good luck

Probably too late now, but that should read "selection for DIGITAL zoom, just make sure it is off."

This may sound redundant, but if you want portraits, be sure to hold the camera turned 90 degrees.