Prom Photography Advice

[Premgenius]

My brother's school have for the past 3 years started prom. They have never her a photographer as their budget does not make a photographer an option so the teacher put up a white background and shoot with a point and shoot.

This year whilst talking to my brother's friend who is helping organise it said I should come in and shoot I told them that this is a once in a lifetime memory that if I mess up will be bad for the memories, I provided them with some photographers to contact which I have a feeling will not be able to get one.

If they tell me to shoot as a last option I don't have a soft box/umbrella, what sort of front lighting can I use/ideas?

[breathless]

Will you have more than one flash to work with? Will you have off camera sync capability? If not, and assuming no flash diffuser/bracket, either shoot with flash pointed at the subjects, or bounce the flash above/behind you on a white wall.

[dreamcatcher23]

Hi,

I'll happily provide any answers to your questions - alternatively if you don't want to do the prom, message me. I run a prom & ball photography company in the UK and would be more than happy to help out - we can even bring you along on the night and teach you a few things if you like!

If you decide to shoot yourself, ideally you want off-camera flash. If you only have one, set it at about 10 degrees off direct and about 8 feet up, shooting down towards their chests. A diffuser would definitley be a boon. If you can't shoot off camera then try and find somewhere you can bounce the light - a low white ceiling or white wall behind you would work well.

[bsaber]

Find something to bounce off is your best bet and if you have a reflector use it for fill.

[toxic]

For off-camera, you need a flash, a hotshoe-pc cord adapter, pc sync cable, and something to put the flash on. Could be a light stand, tripod, shelf, desk.... Bounce it off something neutral-colored and use a bounce card or index card to throw some light forward. Or get a reflector (or white shirt or styrofoam board) and shoot through that (have someone hold it). A reflector can also be used to bounce light and fill in shadows.

And practice. Multiple times. I've done something similar I think five times now, and have managed to screw up something every time.