Halloween party photos

[mgbeach]

Hey all-

I got out to a couple local bars this weekend for some Halloween parties. I went as a photographer, of all things :) The lovely women were quite willing to strike a pose.

[mgbeach]

a couple more

[mgbeach]

and another, last for now :)

[Curtis N]

I like 'em!
What shutter speed were you using? There's some camera shake evident in the backgrounds.

[mgbeach]

That was actually intentional; it's called "dragging the shutter". It helps to give them some atmosphere. I think that I was at about a third of a second at f/8 or 11. The last one I actually gave the background some motion blur in PS. I'm not sure I like it, but it did the trick for now.

[Salleke]

Like you I like to shoot at these events. I have some taken to from yesterday but I see that I have to learn alot. ... ;)

[KaplanMultimedia]

Trick or Treat? All I see is treats! :lol:

Great shots. I liked the dragged shutter effect on several of them.
Thanks for the post. Very nice images. :p

[mgbeach]

thanks guys, there are more at http://www.beachphotography.net/party2005

[EricKonieczny]

Great fun photos Michael, I did the same thing this weekend.

here are also about 200 photos from 2 Halloween parties at Bleu , Some Great costumes , the first two events at the top were the Halloween parties

http://www.ekreating.com/gallery/index.php?groupid=1

Well , here are my two costumes that I wore on Friday and Saturday nights.

Please pardon the crappy photos, I handed my camera to my freind, put the camera on the "Green Box" for him, and told him to push the big button :o . Even when I was shooting I wasn't in Photographer mode, just having fun .

This Fred and Wilma Flintones costume was a big hit, and it was pretty cheap to make, Cloth, Glue gun, and hair color.


http://www.ekreating.com/gallery/photos/small/PAXAHAU_Halloween_007.jpg



I couldn't wear the same costume two nights in a row, especially since my friend couldn't make it tonight as Wilma. So I dressed up and a Chippendale

I made everything excpect the muscle suit
http://www.ekreating.com/gallery/photos/small/Bleu_Halloween_15.jpg

[mgbeach]

good stuff, Eric. I wore a Maxim Magazine t-shirt and the response was insane. No cover charge, free drinks etc. The bar manager knew I wasn't affiliated with them at all, but comped me because the rumor started spreading that Maxim was over at their party and the crowd doubled in size pretty quickly. I was very careful to tell people I didn't work for Maxim, but the rumor mill is a powerful thing :)

[Tlee05]

Hehe, Beach good idea with the t-shirt, I might get my self a flashy shirt clever idea. :D

also people would be more willing to pose for you i bet.

[malla1962]

Very nice.:D:D

[mgbeach]

thanks guys, this was too much fun. I handed out a lot of my business cards, so hopefully some of these girls will do some modeling for me in the near future.

[i2iSTUDIOS]

really nice, i'll do that next year!

[KaplanMultimedia]

Awesome shots guys. Reminds me of the parties I use to go to...
IN THE 70'S... Damn, I'm gettin' old. :cry:

[mgbeach]

Awesome shots guys. Reminds me of the parties I use to go to...
IN THE 70'S... Damn, I'm gettin' old. :cry:
hey, I remember the 70's...all one year of them that I was alive :) Rest assured, the good times are still rolling along!

[leaveit]

Looks like is was a GREAT Halloween party!!!!!!! Full of fun!!!!!!!! Nice Clear Pics...they almost belong in the glamour section! :D

[drisley]

Superb gallery. You did a great job by "dragging the shutter".

[KaplanMultimedia]

hey, I remember the 70's...all one year of them that I was alive :) Rest assured, the good times are still rolling along!

Hey Michael. You know what they say don't you? "If you can remember the 70's, you weren't there". :lol:

[Ronald S. Jr.]

ha...I gotta get me a Maxim shirt!! :lol:

great job!

How come all the parties around here all had kids? :confused: :-(

[SolPics]

Great shots Michael. Looks like you had a lot of fun.

[mgbeach]

Here are a couple edits to clean up the clutter in a couple of the one's I posted earlier

[Dante King]

I didnt get any trick or treaters like that last night coming by the King residence! Whoa. Nice captures.

[flyfishnj]

My 4 year old was a Rainbow Brite Girl too ---- Didn't look like that on her! --- Thank God

[JMHPhotography]

both of these girls are gorgeous.. but that first one... genie I think... ? MY god she is fantastic!!!!!

[mgbeach]

both of these girls are gorgeous.. but that first one... genie I think... ? MY god she is fantastic!!!!!
Yeah, she's quite hot. I'm working out a time to do a real shoot with her, so keep an eye out :)

[symes]

Mg..What lens did you use? the lighting seems really good...you obviously had your tripod but did you use a flash at all or just long shutter speeds?

[mgbeach]

all handheld, the EF24-85 f/3.5-4.5 with 420ex on the digital rebel. 1/4 sec at f/8

The bar was extremely dim. As with all flash photography, you're really making 2 exposures at the same time. In this case, it was like taking a picture of the subject at 1/2000 sec (my approximation of the flash duration, maybe someone has more info on the actual duration) at f/8 and a picture of the background at 1/4 sec and f/8. Any blur of the subject results from focus issues in the dark, and not from any shutter speed issues. I only wish the Rebel had 2nd curtain flash sync, because some photos were ruined when the background lights washed over the subject due to camera movement. With 2nd curtain, the flash exposure would come after the background exposure and keep that from happening

as an aside, the 24-85 is one of the most overlooked lenses in the Canon lineup in my opinion. And it uses the same odd filter size of 67mm that the 70-200 f/4L does. They also compliment each other nicely in focal length

[Curtis N]

I only wish the Rebel had 2nd curtain flash sync, because some photos were ruined when the background lights washed over the subject due to camera movement. With 2nd curtain, the flash exposure would come after the background exposure and keep that from happeningSorry, I'm not buying that.

If your camera moves such that the background lights hit the sensor over the same area as your subject, you'll get the same effect, regardless of whether the flash fires at the beginning or the end of the exposure.

2nd curtain sync is useful for moving subjects because it puts the blurred area from the ambient exposure behind the flash-exposed subject, to give the impression of forward movement.

[kenwood33]

What kind of post processings were done? The photos look good, even at 1/4sec.

[Keiffer]

Michael, Did you use a gel over the flash? How did you get that gold tone on them? Very nice shots as always:-)

[mgbeach]

No gels, just the white omnibounce. I think the ambient light gave a little of that, and then it was enhanced with levels and curves adjustments. When I get home I'll try to remember and post one of the shots as it came out of the camera and some of the settings for the adjustment layers.

[Keiffer]

Wow, pretty cool! I also for the omni bounce, What position did you have it in? 45 degree? I know, I know, So many questions LOL. But I really do like your work and hope to learn something from you. And thank god I'm not in S.C. I'd be over your house daily trying to learn your PS skills.:-)No gels, just the white omnibounce. I think the ambient light gave a little of that, and then it was enhanced with levels and curves adjustments. When I get home I'll try to remember and post one of the shots as it came out of the camera and some of the settings for the adjustment layers.

[Keiffer]

OOps That top line is supposed to say, I also "have" the Omni bounce"

[mgbeach]

thanks for the kind words :) Almost all of these are with the flash head at its normal 90 degree angle.

[Keiffer]

90 is normal? In the immortal words of Johnny Carson, I did not know that. I guess normal while using a bounce right? I was wondering if I should always leave it in the 90 with the Omni on. Cool, Thanks again Michael for answering my questions.

[mgbeach]

i meant its "right-angle" straight ahead position :)

[Shutter22]

These are all amazing. Since you told us whyat shirt you wore I understand their cooperation. Heh. The only thing that bothers me is that in the 4th one with the police officer, it looks like her leg is on fire, and maybe part of her shirt.

[mgbeach]

funny, that's what I like about that one :) I'm a fan of the unintended consequences of the longer ****ter speeds.

[mgbeach]

oops, that's shUtter speeds :lol:

[mgbeach]

Here's one of the originals right out of the camera, and a screenshot of the layers.

[Samiad]

Thanks for posting some of your post-processing details. I like the way you have split the image up into many different selections. That is obviously more time consuming, I am interested to know what particular effects you tried to achieve with each layer, because the end result is stunning.

Instead of taking snapshots at this party you have taken photos. That is probably the best thing that can be said about taking shots at any party. I really enjoyed seeing them :)

For what it's worth, I prefer the first photo with the slight clutter. It isn't obtrusive to me, and nicely balances the frame.

[Samiad]

Michael, your website no longer works - is there a problem?