Day 59: ISO vs Shutter Speed

I have finally accepted that I will have to raise my shutter speed if I am ever going to achieve blur free photographs. Just to confirm that I have made the right decision I read a fantastic tutorial on Clickin Moms entitled ISO vs Shutter Speed When Not Enough Light. The tutorial could have been written for me.  Of course my reluctance to raising the shutter speed is that I am then forced to raise the ISO. In the end it comes down to a choice between out of focus pictures or a bit of grain. I guess that it is a no brainer.

In the true nature of tutorials I was super impressed by the before and after shots used to illustrate the points being put across and naively assumed that I would see the same dramatic improvements. I am still waiting for that light on/aha moment that I hear these women talking about. No ahas for me today I'm afraid.

I have opted to keep my shutter speed above 1/200 when photographing the children. I will keep the aperture as low as I feel I can. Then I will chill out and accept the ISO that is required, whatever it may be. Easier said than done!

The pictures actually looked pretty good in the camera, but then I was disappointed to see the same old blurriness when I looked on the computer. Possibly a bit less blurriness. I am totally convinced that this is the way to go though.

The light in the boys' room is never particularly good but I was interested in the side light from the window.

f/2; 1/250; ISO 1600

f/2; 1/250; ISO 1600

The kids have been screeching on this tin whistle for two days now and I have barely even noticed. I am not sure whether I have gone deaf from the general noise levels around here or I have finally reached a state of Zen parenting....Probably deaf. 

I really didn't need 1/1000 here. I could have adjusted the aperture or taken the ISO down. 

f/2; 1/1000; ISO 800

f/2; 1/1000; ISO 800

I am also starting to get creative with my play in the hope of getting more natural shots of the kids. This evening I let them have races across the floor on my cushions. I got them to stay in one spot and look genuinely happy and excited while I said "ready... steady".. CLICK CLICK... "GO!" 

Now I could write my very own tutorial entitled Cushion Fun vs Overly Posed Unnatural Photos. The cushions seem a small price to pay. 

f/2; 1/500; ISO 1600

f/3.5; 1/250; ISO 3200