Getting Good Photos in Low Light, No Flash

I shot a graduation for a family friend this week and the location was hell. The ceremony started at 6, windows faced South, and the interior lights were very dim, similar to a fancy restaurant.

I started with my 24-105 at ISO 3200 and couldn't get the shutter speed over 1/100. Hoping to get some more light, I threw on my 50 f/1.4. I figured I could crop later. Almost every image came out excessively noisy or blurry. I don't know what was going on, but I was getting frustrated. I was fairly overwhelmed in the attempt to get a decent histogram, a high enough shutter speed, and shooting RAW for the first time. For a while, I thought I had a problem with my 50 f/1.4.

What do you do in these situations? How do I fix this for next time? I'm shooting a friend's sister's cotillion soon and would like to be better prepared.

Here's the pictures for your viewing pleasure: http://www.flickr.com …i/sets/72157624​080834893/

If you were at f4 and 1/100 at ISO 3200 then thats quite a lot of light, shooting with the 50mm f1.4 would let you drop the ISO a bit to reduce the noise or increase the shutter speed.

Adding some extra light via flash or a constant light source is your other option to give you more latitude with your camera settings.

are you not allowed to use flash?

An f4 lens would be a bit slow in my estimation. And if your 50mm lens did not have enough reach then I'd say you're not equipped for such an assignment. What you'd need perhaps (if no flash is allowed) would be Image stabilisation, reach and a wide aperture. The 70-200 2.8L IS could be the tool you need - but on a camera capable of performing well in low light, the 5D for example. But having said that - sometimes there's just not enough light. Some people throw jobs at us like this and expect us to work miracles.

PS - just viewed the photos on flickr, was expecting worse, you haven't done too bad.

highway0691 wrote in post #10307031
An f4 lens would be a bit slow in my estimation. And if your 50mm lens did not have enough reach then I'd say you're not equipped for such an assignment. What you'd need perhaps (if no flash is allowed) would be Image stabilisation, reach and a wide aperture. The 70-200 2.8L IS could be the tool you need - but on a camera capable of performing well in low light, the 5D for example. But having said that - sometimes there's just not enough light. Some people throw jobs at us like this and expect us to work miracles.

PS - just viewed the photos on flickr, was expecting worse, you haven't done too bad.

Thanks. I think that is why I wasn't happy with the focus of the shots with my 50. It simply was too short. I've been happy with my camera at ISO 1600, and I think it can pull of 3200 decently if I didn't make so many post adjustments.

I'd love to pick up a 70-200 2.8 IS but the funds aren't here. I've thought about picking up another longer prime. Or I could always rent the 70-200.

kenwood33 wrote in post #10306698
are you not allowed to use flash?

They didn't want me to use flash.

WHO didn't want you to use flash? I'm sure all the Point-n-shooters were using flash!

That ceiling looked PERFECT for bouncing.

All in all, the shots you posted don't look too bad. But I would have used flash

Can you post a link to the specific image you're having trouble with? Lots of different images in there. Sounds like the solution would've been to add light.

egordon99 wrote in post #10309423
WHO didn't want you to use flash? I'm sure all the Point-n-shooters were using flash!

That ceiling looked PERFECT for bouncing.

All in all, the shots you posted don't look too bad. But I would have used flash

The teachers. I only have the built in flash. I guess I should start looking for a used 430 EX

You can still bounce your built in flash(granted it's not as powerful or convenient as a speed light). Taping an index card to your pop up to point it up would have helped a bit.

Staszek wrote in post #10310210
The teachers. I only have the built in flash. I guess I should start looking for a used 430 EX

I think what somebody was asking is why people with P&S cameras were allowed to use flash and not you. Most don't know how to turn their flash off so I'm sure everyone else was firing merrily away.

Anyway... now you know what happens when you're the only one that blindly follows silly requests without questioning them. No flash at a school graduation - never heard of such a thing.

And yes to the 430ex.

RT McAllister wrote in post #10310346
I think what somebody was asking is why people with P&S cameras were allowed to use flash and not you. Most don't know how to turn their flash off so I'm sure everyone else was firing merrily away.

Anyway... now you know what happens when you're the only one that blindly follows silly requests without questioning them. No flash at a school graduation - never heard of such a thing.

And yes to the 430ex.

This is true, P/S flashes were going off like crazy at certain parts. They were all from their seat, I was moving around the room and getting in the way looking for angles. It's safe to say I was the only one that talked to the teachers beforehand. Being my first indoor event, I wanted to be respectful and be out of the way. Shoot and learn right?

zelseman wrote in post #10310332
You can still bounce your built in flash(granted it's not as powerful or convenient as a speed light). Taping an index card to your pop up to point it up would have helped a bit.

Can I get a picture of this? I'm not fully inderstanding the how to.

I have taken good photos with the 24-105/4 at 105mm at 1/30 and 1/60, the IS is very good in this lens.

Mark

To be honest...those images are good considering.

I took one of those images, put it through Noiseware pro, and sharpened the eyes and they look perfectly ok.

A bit of using the dodge tool will also help brighten areas that count and burn to darken the others...can also help bring back the contrast too.

Personally, in my photography I always factor photoshop as an extension allowing me to not be bound by my camera.

With your image below in these stages I :

Used Noiseware
Burned the blacks in the dress
Sharpened the eyes (but didn't brighten them, possibly over done but I put that down to the small file size, doesn't usually happen so vividly with high res images)
Dodged certain areas of the face that I felt needed it.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

Wow Gel, that came out nice. I'm going to have to look into that Noiseware program.

*EDIT* just saw that Noiseware is for Lightroom. I think I've headed down the Aperture 3 path...