photog11 Loc: San Francisco

I'm an amateur drummer, and have been asked by the Big Band Leader to photograph band and dancers when I'm not filling in for the real drummer. The hall is about 40' x 80', well lit with a combination of Tungsten and Fluorescent lights. The band is in a u-shape around the floor with the dancers in the middle. I have a Nikon D5000, with 10-24 mm f/3.5, 35mm f/1.8, 60mm f/2, 105mm f/2.8,and 2 kit lenses (18-55, 70-210). I have only the on-camera flash and no reflectors. The program is at night, so no sunlight at all. Do you have any suggestions for me? Should I simply say, "sorry; I'm not qualified"?

Clicker2014 Loc: Canada

I am sure you will get lots of good suggestions with this! To me it looks like you have a very nice supply of lenses, even a 1.8! If it were me I would take the challenge on and go in ahead of time and take some pictures with a couple different lenses and see which lens and/or lenses do the best. Do it at a practice if you can so you see what the lighting will be. This would be a great leaning experience! Just let the person know that this is a first for you, if it is, and that you will do your best. As long as he understands where you are coming from there should not be a problem. I assume you are not getting paid for this and he should not expect a professional shoot.
I wish you luck and look forward to some pics!

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

The mix of tungsten & fluorescent has me thinking you should go nostsalgic and convert to black & white. I'm serious!

If you can't sell them on black & white, do you know how to do a custom white balance? (and hope that it's the same all over)

Good thing you said the place is well-lit. I think the pop-up flash would be useless you know how to do "drag-shutter" technique.

photog11 Loc: San Francisco

Thanks. B/W is a good idea. Should I shoot in B/W or convert it in post? I can do a custom White Balance, but the mix of lighting makes me wary. I was going to try to correct WB in Camera Raw.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I always convert to B&W in Photoshop.
I think B&W would be really cool! (not to mention eliminating the color balance problem)

There are several programs out there that help optimize black & white images. Nik, Topaz, to name a couple. I don't have any yet, but I'm sure someone out there will chime in.

I've recently played with HDR effect in Photoshop (in the Adjustment tab) on a few black & white portraits. Seemed promising if not overdone. I'd be interested to see what you get.

Shakey Loc: Traveling again to Norway and other places.

Great advice, GoofyNewfie, as always. I would love to see you photos, photog11 (color or BW, maybe both?).

Brian Thomas

I would use the 1.8 lens and just hand hold for your shots. Don't be afraid to up your ISO to max if necessary to get the shot. Like the idea of the practice run, absolutely vital especially if you can get in with all the lights going. I would also recommend that you shoot in RAW since it gives you so much more control over the White Balance during post production. Good luck with the job. Just remember that if you get it wrong the first time you can also use the next gig to practice. I have been known to take a notepad and pen with me to make notes too, which I find useful.

Florida Shooter Loc: Lake Worth, FL

Is there any chance you could rent or borrow a flash. You will not get much out of the on camera flash. If you can, set the flash to manual, shoot wide open, put the F stop in the flash that the lens is set to. Then crank up the ISO as high as you can without getting noise. I shoot at 1600 to 2500 with my Nikon D7000.

I shoot for the website and brochures of a concert band and white balance is a problem. You might try tungston or 3700 kelvin on your white balance. Do full band shots but also do section shots and close ups. Get up on a step ladder if you can.
Good Luck.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

It's expected that band photos are going to have their color out of kilter because there are colored lights pointed at them, so tungsten versus fluorescent doesn't have a lot of importance here unless they are on a stage with their heads directly beneath fluorescent tube lights that will make them look like they all have liver disease. Players will likely have very intense red, green, and blue lights pointed at them and you can't overcome that, no matter what you do. Use your auto white balance and do as well as possible. You can color correct somewhat in post editing anyway.

I shot a friend of mine's 10-piece band a few months ago and just used ISO 800 and the in-camera flash with a clip-on diffuser in front of it. I could have used a more powerful mounted flash instead but in a live performance situation you're trying to create more of a candid, nightclubby, somewhat underexposed, entertainment venue look - not a perfect, bounced flash, wedding party scenario. If you have a higher-powered, TTL, mounted flash with a diffuser, by all means use it. If players and dancers come out too starkly lit like daylight, you can fix it in the mix later.

Try to shoot players when they are doing something unusual like a solo where they stand up or come forward from the group. Shoot horn players when 3 or more of them are playing a section together. Shoot a lead guitarist when he's "working" during his solo. Shoot lead singers when they put their head up to reach high notes or interact with the audience. Since there is no sound and no moving action to create excitement for the viewer in still photography, you have to find exciting things the players or dancers are doing to emulate action.

I didn't cause the shadows, the light show did it

photog11 Loc: San Francisco

Thanks to all of you for your advice. The dance is on 8/29. Look for some pics shortly thereafter.