Flash Advice for reception?

[UmphreyBogart]

so a friend of mine has hired me to do his wedding reception. the reason i'm not doing the wedding is A. cause i've never done one and B. because they are getting married in hawaii and i can't afford to miss work or school. they are having a reception here for all those who can't attend the wedding. anyways, i'm very familiar with external flash but i know i'm going to need to purchase one. that said i'm also unfamiliar with bouncing. for an informal reception in a simple ballroom would it be best to bounce the ceiling the wall behind me? whats the trick to flash in these types of photos. i'll definitely be getting a diffuser as well. thanks guys! oh and if this should be in flash i understand but i wanted to here from you event guys

[UmphreyBogart]

basically how do i get nice shots like this guy got? this is not my photo. i like how well they stand out and how soft it looks.

http://www.picturethenight.com/pics/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=92832&g2_serialNumber=1

[Apshiso]

Chances are you will get a lot more information by searching "use of flash" (indoors or out) Than getting lucky that someone will give you all the info you seek in one post.

Is it indoors or out? Did you mean you were UNfamiliar with external flash??

What other equipment will you be using?

- Be sure to see the place beforehand (at the same time of day) so you will know the lighting (or lack thereof)

Good luck with your shoot!

[UmphreyBogart]

Chances are you will get a lot more information by searching "use of flash" (indoors or out) Than getting lucky that someone will give you all the info you seek in one post.

Is it indoors or out? Did you mean you were UNfamiliar with external flash??

What other equipment will you be using?

- Be sure to see the place beforehand (at the same time of day) so you will know the lighting (or lack thereof)

Good luck with your shoot!


oops yeah i'm very unfamiliar will flash. thanks for your help!

[sej]

basically how do i get nice shots like this guy got? this is not my photo. i like how well they stand out and how soft it looks.


telephoto lens, and high iso / slowish shutter with wide aperture

i.e. an 85mm lens at f/2'ish at 800 or even better 1600 iso at around 1/100th would give you that shot

[crackaonrice]

Read some:

http://planetneil.com/tangents/




Also, that shot that you posted looks fairly typical. In fact, it may even be head on-diffused flash due to rather harsh frontal lighting. Underexpose the image by about 2 stops to let the ambient exposure in and let the flash light the subject. Search on here for "dragging the shutter".


basically how do i get nice shots like this guy got? this is not my photo. i like how well they stand out and how soft it looks.

http://www.picturethenight.com/pics/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=92832&g2_serialNumber=1

[UmphreyBogart]

thanks guys. unfortunatley i don't have a tele that will open that wide and yes i underdstand how its over exposed but i'm out to make the wife happy and i know this is what she is looking for. to me this looks too typical club whorish but hey....the wife is gonna be the one handing me money

[crackaonrice]

On second thought...are those HEART shaped OOF elements in the background?

[Col_M]

On second thought...are those HEART shaped OOF elements in the background?
I think they may be from shake/movement if the photographer dragged the shutter. The flash would have frozen the people but the camera probably moved after the flash fired which could have made those heart shapes....and would go some way to explain the softness in general.
Intentional or not, I like it :)

[aranthe]

I think they may be from shake/movement if the photographer dragged the shutter. The flash would have frozen the people but the camera probably moved after the flash fired which could have made those heart shapes....and would go some way to explain the softness in general.
Intentional or not, I like it :)

That's exactly what it is - I've taken enough photos like that. Though never with the heart shapes in the background

I'd also add that most likely it had a stofen, gary fong type diffuser on it. These are quite handy for receptions. Its really one of the safer ways to go since you may not have anything at the reception to bounce off of. High ceilings anyone?

For off camera you could go with a bracket but if you are feeling luck - a sync cable lets you do a lot of interesting light angles - just depends on how much you want to juggle. When I did use the sync cable and external flash in my other hand, I'd only do it for a little bit as my arms would get really tired after a bit.

~Alli

[razyl]

I use a manual setting around 1/100 sec at f4 (or even down to f3.2) for dark reception halls with my flash at -1 or -2, and try to bounce it if the ceilings arent too high

[UmphreyBogart]

That's exactly what it is - I've taken enough photos like that. Though never with the heart shapes in the background

I'd also add that most likely it had a stofen, gary fong type diffuser on it. These are quite handy for receptions. Its really one of the safer ways to go since you may not have anything at the reception to bounce off of. High ceilings anyone?

For off camera you could go with a bracket but if you are feeling luck - a sync cable lets you do a lot of interesting light angles - just depends on how much you want to juggle. When I did use the sync cable and external flash in my other hand, I'd only do it for a little bit as my arms would get really tired after a bit.

~Alli

so i think i'm going with the 430ex. how do i know whether i want a stofen or fong? will the lightspere II do me wonders? thanks again guys for all your help i'm just really starting to stress about this. are my lenses gonna be sufficient enough?

[razyl]

If you can afford the 580 then you should go for that....you cant use the 430 as a slave and I also find the buttons on the 430 much harder to use when under time pressure. The 580 has a nice circular wheel that allows you to adjust the FEC very quickly. It also have more power so if you are bouncing (or using a diffuser like a Stofen) that will be useful

[aranthe]

so i think i'm going with the 430ex. how do i know whether i want a stofen or fong? will the lightspere II do me wonders? thanks again guys for all your help i'm just really starting to stress about this


they are only a tool - and you'll be able to start a flame war over which way to go (or go without) - but personally I'd say go with the stofen - its cheaper, easier to get local and good enough - and most importantly its an attach, do some compensation as you shoot (white dress and a diffuser typically means bumping the flash output by 2/3rd to 1 stop - but check as you go as ymmv) and forget it. Its that last part that I love since I used to do a lot of seat of the pants shooting at weddings and not having to think too much is always better for me :grin:

If you aren't used to a diffuser I would recommend some practice since it really changes the light and it could take a little bit to get used to - especially with the light drop off.

~Alli

[elysium]

basically how do i get nice shots like this guy got? this is not my photo. i like how well they stand out and how soft it looks.

http://www.picturethenight.com/pics/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=92832&g2_serialNumber=1Usually lens wide open. Maybe a 1.8 but you should be able to get away with a 2.8 without major difficulties.

High ISO, usually anything between 400-1600 (3200 if you have a high end body) and a bounced diffused flash. I tend to use a stofen and bounce at about 45degrees or so.

[aranthe]

If you can afford the 580 then you should go for that....you cant use the 430 as a slave and I also find the buttons on the 430 much harder to use when under time pressure. The 580 has a nice circular wheel that allows you to adjust the FEC very quickly. It also have more power so if you are bouncing (or using a diffuser like a Stofen) that will be useful

you mean can't use the 430 as a master right? I have the 420 and I use it as a slave to my 580 so I'm assuming the 430 is that way as well.

Just checking

oh and I'll second that scroll wheel being wonderful - I can't imagine shooting without that feature.
~Alli

[elysium]

you mean can't use the 430 as a master right? I have the 420 and I use it as a slave to my 580 so I'm assuming the 430 is that way as well.

Just checking

oh and I'll second that scroll wheel being wonderful - I can't imagine shooting without that feature.
~Alli
Thats right, the 430ex can work on the hotshoe of the camera or as a slave. Master feature from the ST-E2 or a 580ex

[elysium]

telephoto lens, and high iso / slowish shutter with wide aperture

i.e. an 85mm lens at f/2'ish at 800 or even better 1600 iso at around 1/100th would give you that shot
I tend to shoot in clubs using 1/60th and maybe even slow down to 1/30 if I find im getting stuck. Providing I keep my footing, I can work with that.

Not too sure how the guys in the night club photography feel about 1/100th, maybe a tad bit fast.

[ofdphoto]

Flip-it's are cheaper and more useful than Stofen's, though Stofens are good when you particularly want a barebulb effect. I would get one of these for now tho (I almost never use my Stofen):

http://www.dembflashproducts.com/flipit/

But the important thing is to read a lot and practise a lot. Flash in general is hard to master, and E-TTL with its strengths and weaknesses makes it harder again.

A few other tips:

* Don't be afraid to shoot at a high ISO. Your flash will recycle faster and the batteries will last longer.
* Get very familiar with your histogram and ride your FEC off it.
* Use M on camera. In that situation you should be able to "set and forget" the ambient exposure, at least until you change apertures. Get an exposure you like in M without firing the flash at all (blurry is good ;)), then turn your flash on.

[ofdphoto]

Oh, and I think this shot was taken on a wide angle lens btw (telephoto + direct flash = redeye + REALLY yucky shadows ... the shadows here appear to be coming from a high on-camera flash ... possibly on a bracket), and it could easily have been stopped down a bit. The blur in the background is primarily motion blur, not bokeh.

[ngorkngork]

1/100th is too fast. I remembered dragging the shutter somewhere from 1/10th to 1/3 and using rear shutter flash sync. I think 1/60th will do, rear shutter flash sync.

[rsmith6621ab]

Here why don't you ask the photographer who took the image..

His name is Jacob...

http://www.myspace.com/jacobinorlando

Ask nicely and he is likely to reply back.