party shots - help please

[jannez]

Hello everybody,

soon I'll be photographing a friend's party. Party will be inside a small to medium sized pub. In a pub will be only indoors lights with no sunlight. I will use my G3 with internal flash.

I find out that P mode with flash isn't the right choice because of the fixed shuter speed 1/60. This makes moving peoples (especially when dancing) blured.

To avoid this problem I was thinking that the TV mode with internal flash at shuter speed between 1/100 and 1/125 is suitable choice.

I'm a beginner, so any sugestions from you are welcome.

P.S. sorry for my bad english

[mcolella]

Have a look at http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18694

[jannez]

mcolella wrote:
Have a look at http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18694

thanks for your response mcolella. As I told, I'm a beginner with poor english and because of that I don't correctly understand your described techniques.

Are you saying that I can set my G3 to TV mode with shuter speed 1/250. Would that be apropriate setting for small to medium sized pub? I need setting in which a pub would be well exposed-just like the photographed subjects (not too dark background and not blured dancing peoples).

Thanks in advance

[gicleeman]

The problem with going with a shutter speed faster than 1/60th is the background willl be pitch black. 1/60th, or even better, 1/30th will allow for some background to show, which is probably desirable. The duration of the flash is likely somewhere around 1/1000th of a second, which is plenty short to freeze any motion by your subject.
I've found that some blur in the background, and exposure of the ambient lights tends to lend to the festive atmosphere.
Why don't you go to the pub with a couple of friends a day or two before the party, and while having a couple of beers, try this approach and see if you like the results.
On a more personal note, I've shot many weddings over the years, and have come to the conclusion that pictures of people dancing are not flattering. Without the benefit of the festive atmosphere and rockin' good music, all you see are people flailing about with weird expressions on their faces, and in weird positions.
Peter

[quote]jannez wrote:
Hello everybody,

soon I'll be photographing a friend's party. Party will be inside a small to medium sized pub. In a pub will be only indoors lights with no sunlight. I will use my G3 with internal flash.

I find out that P mode with flash isn't the right choice because of the fixed shuter speed 1/60. This makes moving peoples (especially when dancing) blured.

To avoid this problem I was thinking that the TV mode with internal flash at shuter speed between 1/100 and 1/125 is suitable choice.

[civis]

gicleeman wrote:
Why don't you go to the pub with a couple of friends a day or two before the party, and while having a couple of beers, try this approach and see if you like the results.
Yes! It's a very good idea to prepare by doing on-site experimentation and groundwork. It's like a driver walking the course before the day of the race; no distractions or pressure, and he can concentrate on the track. If he does a dry run (as dry as you can get in a pub that is) and tries a bunch of different settings, he'll walk in on the day of the shoot and know exactly what he's going to do. It beats the hell out of trying to learn on the fly. Practice, practice, practice.