AM I in the Ballpark?
Oct 20, 2012 06:01:44 #
I have an awards Banquet to shoot very soon and I was wondering if some UHH's can tell me what lens is best for all around shooting of Table guest and presentations.
I have a Canon 50D, 550 Flash. I was thinking of an Av sync setting of 250/s and 800 ISO. Am I in the ballpark. :roll: Any settings or suggestions will be helpful.
I have a Canon 50D, 550 Flash. I was thinking of an Av sync setting of 250/s and 800 ISO. Am I in the ballpark. :roll: Any settings or suggestions will be helpful.
Oct 21, 2012 06:00:05 #
Ok I have done some similar jobs.. taking people sitting around a table is 'bad news'' you will get distortion on the people on the near outside of the frame, You will always get some one with their mouth open talking or eating..
Id use a lens somewhere between 50 to 100mm for the actual presentations. (people DONT want to se you all over the stage.) organise with the person who is running the show so that the actual presentation .. that they are facing,you /where you are so thats the first thing that HAS to be sorted out . as for your groups Id get each table to get up and set them up (off to the side of the room..say in 3 rows making sure people are placed between each other (no one is hidding behind some one elses face.).. the back row can stand. then USE a tripod Shows YOUR in controlAnd it will get their atention.take those with your flash off the camera if possible, Through a white umbrella would be even better. doing this is more proffessional way. /..
rather than going from table to table you have less chance of missing someone. .Good luck.. ALSO make sure you find out who is paying you and when. Alot of these jobs get lost in the details such as payment. DONT fall into the trap of doing jobs for free cos one day they will give you a paying job..It dont happen. they will keep going from one person to nother.. all people who are trying to get their foot in the door.
Id use a lens somewhere between 50 to 100mm for the actual presentations. (people DONT want to se you all over the stage.) organise with the person who is running the show so that the actual presentation .. that they are facing,you /where you are so thats the first thing that HAS to be sorted out . as for your groups Id get each table to get up and set them up (off to the side of the room..say in 3 rows making sure people are placed between each other (no one is hidding behind some one elses face.).. the back row can stand. then USE a tripod Shows YOUR in controlAnd it will get their atention.take those with your flash off the camera if possible, Through a white umbrella would be even better. doing this is more proffessional way. /..
rather than going from table to table you have less chance of missing someone. .Good luck.. ALSO make sure you find out who is paying you and when. Alot of these jobs get lost in the details such as payment. DONT fall into the trap of doing jobs for free cos one day they will give you a paying job..It dont happen. they will keep going from one person to nother.. all people who are trying to get their foot in the door.
Oct 21, 2012 06:05:14 #
Oct 21, 2012 06:33:23 #
If a client really wants table shots, I generally ask half the table to stand behind the remaining seated half. It keeps them together, makes for a tight, neat shot. Watch for dining table clutter in front of those seated!
Seldom does anyone complain about having to stand for a minute or so, I try to notice anyone that can't stand and have them in the seated half.
Seldom does anyone complain about having to stand for a minute or so, I try to notice anyone that can't stand and have them in the seated half.
Oct 21, 2012 09:59:33 #
A bounce flash diffuser is also nice. Spreads the light, less harsh.
But you'll be using more flash power, so be prepared to carry more spare batteries.
I'm guessing whoever has done the hiring will know who's who at the tables, be sure to ask if you need to ID people. If so, I use a small digital voice recorder for that information.
But you'll be using more flash power, so be prepared to carry more spare batteries.
I'm guessing whoever has done the hiring will know who's who at the tables, be sure to ask if you need to ID people. If so, I use a small digital voice recorder for that information.
Oct 21, 2012 10:00:49 #
Oct 21, 2012 10:15:51 #
Thanks Raynardo! Got the battery part covered. I know the point of contact now. But, the Flash Difuser, which kind would you recomend or use? Does it clip to the top of the Flash?
Oct 21, 2012 10:59:28 #
One of the flashes I use has a built-in bounce diffuser, so that's what I use.
Another one just has a diffuser.
I've seen folks use other ones out there, so hopefully someone that has experience with one of these will pipe up.
Sometimes shooting groups at a table you can't back far enough away to get the group, your only alternative is to use a wide angle lens, making sure to keep your subjects away from the right and left edges of the frame as it will distort their faces. By going wider (ample border) you can then crop the images so the photos are more pleasing. I'd recommend an equivalent of a 28mm lens on a 35mm camera as the widest angle lens.
The diffusers are a great asset to spreading the light to give coverage for wide angle lenses.
Be sure to use your camera's histogram feature to check your exposures, and adjust accordingly. The LCD viewfinder is just to check composition, the histogram exposure.
Another one just has a diffuser.
I've seen folks use other ones out there, so hopefully someone that has experience with one of these will pipe up.
Sometimes shooting groups at a table you can't back far enough away to get the group, your only alternative is to use a wide angle lens, making sure to keep your subjects away from the right and left edges of the frame as it will distort their faces. By going wider (ample border) you can then crop the images so the photos are more pleasing. I'd recommend an equivalent of a 28mm lens on a 35mm camera as the widest angle lens.
The diffusers are a great asset to spreading the light to give coverage for wide angle lenses.
Be sure to use your camera's histogram feature to check your exposures, and adjust accordingly. The LCD viewfinder is just to check composition, the histogram exposure.
Oct 21, 2012 13:32:32 #
Guypix wrote:
I have an awards Banquet to shoot very soon and I was wondering if some UHH's can tell me what lens is best for all around shooting of Table guest and presentations.
I have a Canon 50D, 550 Flash. I was thinking of an Av sync setting of 250/s and 800 ISO. Am I in the ballpark. :roll: Any settings or suggestions will be helpful.
I have a Canon 50D, 550 Flash. I was thinking of an Av sync setting of 250/s and 800 ISO. Am I in the ballpark. :roll: Any settings or suggestions will be helpful.
Regarding a lens, I have taken similar table pictures using Canon's 17-55 f2.8 lens on my crop frame DSLR. It was deal for this use. It's probably not long enough for longer shots of the stage.
Oct 21, 2012 18:26:36 #
Wabbit
Loc: Arizona Desert
Guypix wrote:
I have an awards Banquet to shoot very soon and I was wondering if some UHH's can tell me what lens is best for all around shooting of Table guest and presentations.
I have a Canon 50D, 550 Flash. I was thinking of an Av sync setting of 250/s and 800 ISO. Am I in the ballpark. :roll: Any settings or suggestions will be helpful.
I have a Canon 50D, 550 Flash. I was thinking of an Av sync setting of 250/s and 800 ISO. Am I in the ballpark. :roll: Any settings or suggestions will be helpful.
Hey Doc ..... Hum, are you in the ball park? ..... well, from where you are can you see the infield? .....
Oct 21, 2012 18:53:55 #
I have done a bunch of these. No table shots as mine have been with 500-1000 attendees, but I do the awards. Here is my setup:
We do NOT do the award shots on stage. They get the award there and then move to an off-stage area for the "hero shot." groups range from two to eight or ten.
Two light stands with umbrellas close to and on either side of the TRIPOD-mounted camera. Lights are a Nikon SB-800 in each umbrella. I fire them with Pocket Wizards, but any cheaper trigger will work great in this close configuration. Flashes are set to meter f8. Groups are small enough that two rows deep are not needed, so f8 works fine. If I had two rows I MIGHT consider going to f11.
If my groups were no larger than 5 or 6, then one umbrella would suffice.
If you do have to do table shots, the advice about getting half up to stand behind is excellent. In any case, do NOT shoot people eating as there is no way to make someone chewing look good.
IMO, a tripod is ESSENTIAL if you are going to control groups. You need to be able to interact with them to keep them looking where you want and hiding behind a big black metal thing is not the way to do it. It also allows YOU to see if there are blinks or if someone looks away.
We do NOT do the award shots on stage. They get the award there and then move to an off-stage area for the "hero shot." groups range from two to eight or ten.
Two light stands with umbrellas close to and on either side of the TRIPOD-mounted camera. Lights are a Nikon SB-800 in each umbrella. I fire them with Pocket Wizards, but any cheaper trigger will work great in this close configuration. Flashes are set to meter f8. Groups are small enough that two rows deep are not needed, so f8 works fine. If I had two rows I MIGHT consider going to f11.
If my groups were no larger than 5 or 6, then one umbrella would suffice.
If you do have to do table shots, the advice about getting half up to stand behind is excellent. In any case, do NOT shoot people eating as there is no way to make someone chewing look good.
IMO, a tripod is ESSENTIAL if you are going to control groups. You need to be able to interact with them to keep them looking where you want and hiding behind a big black metal thing is not the way to do it. It also allows YOU to see if there are blinks or if someone looks away.
Oct 21, 2012 22:32:44 #
With the flash power you have why use ISO 800? Use a tripod and shutter speed 1/125, ISO 400 or less. Don't forget a shutter release cable.
Oct 22, 2012 01:12:15 #
Guypix wrote:
I have an awards Banquet to shoot very soon and I was wondering if some UHH's can tell me what lens is best for all around shooting of Table guest and presentations.
I have a Canon 50D, 550 Flash. I was thinking of an Av sync setting of 250/s and 800 ISO. Am I in the ballpark. :roll: Any settings or suggestions will be helpful.
I have a Canon 50D, 550 Flash. I was thinking of an Av sync setting of 250/s and 800 ISO. Am I in the ballpark. :roll: Any settings or suggestions will be helpful.
Setting your camera at Av (aperture priority) will not allow you to set the shutter speed at 1/250s and ISO 800. You need to set your camera in M (manual mode) or Tv (shutter priority) to obtain your stated settings.
If you use Av the camera will set the shutter speed based on the metered ambient light level (at your set ISO and aperture). The photo will be properly exposed because of the flash duration being controlled (ettl) but you may get ghosting due to a slow shutter speed set by the camera.
Oct 22, 2012 01:25:21 #
Robert us right - you run the risk of exceeding your shutter sync speed if you use Av. If you are in low light, you also run the risk of getting the shutter too slow and introducing too much ambient and even getting blurred parts not exposed by the flash - or ghosting WITH the flash.
For the casual stuff, use TTL, go Manual on the camera, set your shutter to the max sync speed, and your aperture to a reasonable 5.6 or f8 and let the TTL magic happen.
Then for the awards I already gave you how I do it and it works flawlessly. Camera on manual 1/250 @ f8, two speedlights in umbrellas, metered to give me the f8 at the place where the recipients stand. Adjust ISO if needed. Fired by radio triggers. Perfect - works every time - no issues - 100% success every time.
If you do not have that equipment, go buy it. You are either doing professional work or you are not. Well...I just thought you were getting paid for this. If not, forget what I told you and just use Av. :-)
For the casual stuff, use TTL, go Manual on the camera, set your shutter to the max sync speed, and your aperture to a reasonable 5.6 or f8 and let the TTL magic happen.
Then for the awards I already gave you how I do it and it works flawlessly. Camera on manual 1/250 @ f8, two speedlights in umbrellas, metered to give me the f8 at the place where the recipients stand. Adjust ISO if needed. Fired by radio triggers. Perfect - works every time - no issues - 100% success every time.
If you do not have that equipment, go buy it. You are either doing professional work or you are not. Well...I just thought you were getting paid for this. If not, forget what I told you and just use Av. :-)
Oct 22, 2012 08:02:40 #
HA-Ha-, No, but I see a Dancing WABBIT in the BULLLLLL Pen... AAAAHHH What's up Doc..
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