Some tips for a low light venue & flash use please...

[HSK]

Hi POTN, Just need to seek some advice - My friend is a photographer, and he's kindly arranged for me to tag along with him to one of his paid job for me to practice some photography.

Its will be an album/record launch party for an artist, and I don't know the exact details yet, but I'm assuming the venue will be a club, thus low or different lighting.

I have a 450D and the 50mm f/1.8 (which I will use) - I don't have a flash gun, so I was just wondering what kind of settings and general practice for this situation with what I have to work with. I know the on board flash is probably limited, to be honest I have never really used it. I don't like the harshness of the flash - so I've put the compensation down? if there is enough light and I don't have to use the flash - Should I keep the assist on (to help focusing), but turn the flash firing off...Also what AF mode would be good...?

Thanks in advance, any general info or idea would be great.

[blackshadow]

I'm unclear as to whether it will be a concert or just a launch.

If it's a concert you should be fine - make sure you read the Performing Arts FAQs for lots of handy info.

Shoot RAW
Don't be afraid to push your ISO to 1600
If you aren't comfortable shooting in M mode I suggest that you use Av and keep your aperture fairly wide.
Adjust ISO and aperture to suit the lighting.

If it is more people shots at an event/party type function set your camera to something like 1/160 f4 ISO 400 and use ETTL flash.

Good luck!

[HSK]

Hi blackshadow, I'm not totally sure on the full details myself, but It defo will not be on any big scale/concert etc. If any thing the artist might perform to the crowd/party goers, but in a club/small venue.

Thank you so much for the tips, i'll check the setting out on the camera, take care,

Hari.

[HSK]

Well I went to this yesterday, I got a fair idea now what I need to learn to try and get the best results under the low light conditions, what i need to do in the future and how my equipment performs!

here's a few:-

http://www.kalay.co.uk/images/photo/events/IMG_2708.jpg

http://www.kalay.co.uk/images/photo/events/IMG_2709.jpg

http://www.kalay.co.uk/images/photo/events/IMG_2718.jpg

focus was hard to get under the low light, ISO1600 noise and grain doesn't look too bad when the image is high contrast B+W, don't think i did a noise reduction on these.

[johnstoy]

#1 and #3 are good framing...

Experimenting with post processing helps pick out the keepers... Often, color images are retained and slightly enhanced by accentuating the positive attributes of the image.

Noise reduction post processing helps, sharpening too... However, noise is acceptable in low light stage action photography... It represents the ambiance at the event.

[HSK]

#2 I thought i might be able to get away with that framing, but I guess it don't look correct with the way the artist is facing.

Thanks for the tips John, I'm gonna mess around with them and try and adjust the colour versions of them.

Yep, i agree with noise adding a certain touch!