markie1425 Loc: Bryn Mawr, PA

I don't want to be un-PC, but I'm facing a small problem.

I've been doing reunion photography for my high school's classes. I've done over 30 of them, all as an unpaid volunteer with the stipulation that they provide food for me. I volunteer because the four hours of any high school reunion are often the happiest times on earth (and that happiness is infectious) and also I don't want our alumni, some of whom are loaded, others not so much, to spend extra money hiring a photographer.

For reunions, I use my Canon EOS Rebel T2i w/Canon EF-S 18-135mm lens and either the pop-up flash or my Canon Speedlite 430EX II with a diffuser, usually mounted on a bracket.

Otherwise, I'm a street photographer, so the only time I use the heavy T2i is for reunions, as many as four per year. I've photographed classes from 1950 through 1971.

Here's the problem: Next weekend, I will be photographing our graduation class of 1977's 40th reunion. My school existed from 1931 until 2011 when it was closed and the building converted into a charter school. Beginning in the mid-'60s, the school's demographics changed fairly rapidly. Whereas my 1961 graduation class had fewer than 2 percent people-of-color classmates, the 1977 class seems to have greater than 95 percent African-American classmates.

I will be going in blind. I haven't visited the reunion venue so I don't know either the lighting situation or the composition of the ceiling. And, I'm concerned about being able to capture all the facial details possible. Furthermore, the faces will be variable from very dark to light.

My thought is to bracket-mount my flash and adjust the tilt according to what I see on my first test shots.

I guess my main question is whether I should do anything specific to accurately capture dark faces.

I wrote this tentatively so as not to offend anyone. It's basically a question of the physics of light.

Thank you.

Photocraig

There are resources for this. Google the phrase TTL flash portraits for dark skinned subjects. Basically, you will find, as you probably know, that the in camera (or any) meter will try to make the subject appear 18% gray. So, to do that, it will try to over expose the scene. The same with TTL flash. Conversely if you meter a light skinned person against a light colored wall, the dark skinned person's face will resemble a licorice oval. So see what you learn on Google or You Tube.

Another option is to go manual. Meter an 18% gray card held by one of the group. In Camera Manual, set that exposure. Then take a few manual Flash shots at full (1/1) power, 1/2 and 1/4th power. One of them should work.

Which ever way you choose, TTL of Manual, practice at home with a variety of objects across the tonal range from light to dark. The key is to get the details in the dark object while not blowing out the details on light colored objects. Remember, there are more than various shades of skin in the group photos--there are clothing details that need to be recorded, too.

You are right to raise the issue. There are many examples of group photos where the dark skinned subjects are woefully under exposed and look unidentifiable. And they're loath to be photographed again. Your extra efforts will be appreciated and rewarded with extra patience for your test shots. The reunion participants have had many photos ruined, they'll appreciate your sensitivity and effort to get it right.

A portrait tip on different subjects was passed to me. Light skinned faces are defined by shadows. Dark skinned faces are defined by highlights.

Good luck and have FUN. If you think the fun was infectious with previous classes, you'll find another level of enjoyment with this new group.

Just physics and Light,
C

markie1425 Loc: Bryn Mawr, PA

Thank you so much.

Jim Bob

"You are right to raise the issue. There are many examples of group photos where the dark skinned subjects are woefully under exposed and look unidentifiable. And they're loath to be photographed again. Your extra efforts will be appreciated and rewardesid with extra patience for your test shots. The reunion participants have had many photos ruined, they'll appreciate your sensitivity and effort to get it right." Photocraig

You're right. The same insensitivity that pervades the US in other spheres is present in photography.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Markie, good for you for helping out.
I don't see a problem, but yes, black skin absorbed lots of light. Probably a whole stop more. Once you're exposure is right, it should be pretty consistent.
And as long as they keep their clothes on, you should be ok!! LoL
I'm serious, I shoot LOTS of black models. Head shots are easy, but nude, they're bodies and they're faces are completely different colors, so ask them to keep their cloths on.
The problem is if they're wearing white, to expose the faces you'll possibly blow out the white.
If you do PP use the Orange Slider to manage the color. They have a lot of orange in their skin.
Flash on a bracket works well until you rotate to portrait and it's crowded, your ettl readings will fall apart because people standing to your right/left will absorb the light and cause misreadings, unless you have a rotating bracket.
Just get your flash ettl power setting correct and go to town!
I shot this last week. She is VERY dark so I lightened her a bit just to be able to see here features better. But she's wearing almost white so it was a little tricky. They all refer to themselves as Black models, so it's ok to say that!!! LoL
Good luck and have fun. To bad their all old, or it would be really fun!!!
SS

(Download)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

This topic has come up many times, and it is a legitimate concern.

https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-mixed-skin-tones/
https://www.nyip.edu/photo-articles/fun-stuff-for-photographers/photographing-people-of-color
https://jezebel.com/the-truth-about-photography-and-brown-skin-1557656792
https://www.buzzfeed.com/syreetamcfadden/teaching-the-camera-to-see-my-skin?utm_term=.buk2aWWv2#.iyQ4z22n4

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

AA skin tones check out
https://beautynv.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/2029069.png

KarenKaptures Loc: New Jersey

This model is considered medium skin tone

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

It would be very prudent of you to consult with an African American photographer or artist or one who appreciates photography and talk about skin tone. Maybe before the shots, but certainly after and before you start printing.

halraiser

If you can, get them to wear dark to medium clothes and use a dark to medium background. Light clothing or background will probably exceed the dynamic range of your camera. I learned that when I photographed a black friend up on Mt Hood, sunny day and snow in the background. Ugh! Either the background was completely blown, or she was just a black blob.

Another possibility, if your subjects will hold still for it, is the HDR mode on the camera. That takes three different exposures, then combines them to deal with the dynamic range problem. Obviously not good if things are moving.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Check out "Tangents" site by Neil Van Niekirk. IMO, he is the portrait and wedding guru with flash, both on and off camera.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

I would get a gray card, and lock my meter on it using a set lighting array setup. Using flash - not very reproducable unless you do some practice shots using your gray card and set everything manually.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

What I meant too say was get feedback from a knowledgable person of color to the skin tones of your first print. React accordingly.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

There is no rational basis to think that a photographer's own skin tone is likely to make them better at shooting racially diverse group portraits. Nor is there a basis to think that the photographer's race is a likely indicator that they have encountered mixed race group photos more or less than a photographer of a different race.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

You may be suffering from white privilege and not know it. White people are just not subtley attuned to this area.