Tips for event photography

Let me start off by saying I did a search on this, but couldn't find anything helpful.
Just looking for general tips & tricks for shooting an event (daylight) and candids, I want to spice it up a bit! Thanks

What lens(es) do you have?

And, what kind of event?

I have 24-105, 50 1.4, 85 1.8, 100 2.8, 70-200 2.8, 28-135
Planned on using the 70-200 on one body and 24-105 on the other. It's a volunteer event for a non-profit org. (a walk for kids with Down-Syndrome) that I found through the sticky on top (I've done them before). But I'm my own worst critic and while the images are good, I want them to be awesome.

Well, you've got a good two-body two-lens combo...

It's hard to know what "tips" to give -- you could get everything with the 5D2 and 24-105 if you could get close-ups that capture the "feeling" of the event and then wider group and "event" shots, but the 70-200 could get up closer if you are physically farther...so I'd say "it depends" on location and your position and such...

I cover a lot of events and i do that with two bodies, 7D and 5D2 and the lens setup varies from one event to the other and if it's indoors or outdoors but some general tips i can give are these..

- Shoot a lot of pics, it's better with too many than to few. You can always throw away them later.
- Get close, capture facial expressions, emotions, movements, body movements and more.
- Shoot from a distance to capture the whole happening or as much as possible of it.
- Find the 'spirit' of the event, what is it all about and capture that.
- Flash, i rarely use it as it disturbs people too much and they quickly start acting unnatural.

/ Magnus

Magnus3D wrote in post #13222502
I cover a lot of events and i do that with two bodies, 7D and 5D2 and the lens setup varies from one event to the other and if it's indoors or outdoors but some general tips i can give are these..

- Shoot a lot of pics, it's better with too many than to few. You can always throw away them later.
- Get close, capture facial expressions, emotions, movements, body movements and more.
- Shoot from a distance to capture the whole happening or as much as possible of it.
- Find the 'spirit' of the event, what is it all about and capture that.
- Flash, i rarely use it as it disturbs people too much and they quickly start acting unnatural.

/ Magnus

Hi Magnus,

I found your last comment interesting & would like to ask a question. I'm shooting an event tonight, a benefit for Haiti in Atlanta. There are going to be about 500 people there, including some movie stars. I want to get great images and I'm concerned about being that annoying photographer that has a flash going off all the time. I would love to get great images without flash but how do you properly light the subjects without using the flash?

I have the options of using a 5dMIII, 7D, 16-35L, 24-70L, 70-200L, 50mm 1.4., 580EXII
I'd love to hear from you asap, if possible. Thank you very much.

dougsturgess wrote in post #15747013
Hi Magnus,

I found your last comment interesting & would like to ask a question. I'm shooting an event tonight, a benefit for Haiti in Atlanta. There are going to be about 500 people there, including some movie stars. I want to get great images and I'm concerned about being that annoying photographer that has a flash going off all the time. I would love to get great images without flash but how do you properly light the subjects without using the flash?

I have the options of using a 5dMIII, 7D, 16-35L, 24-70L, 70-200L, 50mm 1.4., 580EXII
I'd love to hear from you asap, if possible. Thank you very much.

You don't light your subject when you aren't lighting them with a flash or strobe. If it is a red carpet event, do you have any credentials or press pass? If not, you shouldn't be getting in the way of other photogs. I won't worry too much about the flash if there are other press photographers. Most likely, they would be firing in burst mode. One of the advantages of doing a big event is that there is always a stage with tons of spot lights. In that case, you won't need the flash for capturing the stage shots.

Magnus3D wrote in post #13222502
I cover a lot of events and i do that with two bodies, 7D and 5D2 and the lens setup varies from one event to the other and if it's indoors or outdoors but some general tips i can give are these..

- Shoot a lot of pics, it's better with too many than to few. You can always throw away them later.
- Get close, capture facial expressions, emotions, movements, body movements and more.
- Shoot from a distance to capture the whole happening or as much as possible of it.
- Find the 'spirit' of the event, what is it all about and capture that.
- Flash, i rarely use it as it disturbs people too much and they quickly start acting unnatural.

/ Magnus

TooManyShots wrote in post #15747054
You don't light your subject when you aren't lighting them with a flash or strobe. If it is a red carpet event, do you have any credentials or press pass? If not, you shouldn't be getting in the way of other photogs. I won't worry too much about the flash if there are other press photographers. Most likely, they would be firing in burst mode. One of the advantages of doing a big event is that there is always a stage with tons of spot lights. In that case, you won't need the flash for capturing the stage shots.

I will be the only photographer there for the event. It's not red carpet, I'll have credentials but want to be respectful of the guests so they can enjoy the event without tons of annoying flash. I'll definitely have to use my flash for the important pictures and will try to get creative shots of the event without flash, if possible.

Thank you for your reply.

dougsturgess wrote in post #15747079
I will be the only photographer there for the event. It's not red carpet, I'll have credentials but want to be respectful of the guests so they can enjoy the event without tons of annoying flash. I'll definitely have to use my flash for the important pictures and will try to get creative shots of the event without flash, if possible.

Thank you for your reply.

Well for me, if the ambient light is crappy and I can't get motion stopping shutter speed even at ISO 2000 at f4, I would HAVE to use the flash in the bounce mode attaching to a Flashbender. Sure, you don't want to annoy your guests but you also aren't getting the shots needed. Which one is worst for you? I would avoid blasting it in burst mode though. If possible, shoot the flash in the off camera mode (flash on your left hand and camera on your right hand) and remember to gel the flash too.

TooManyShots wrote in post #15747114
Well for me, if the ambient light is crappy and I can't get motion stopping shutter speed even at ISO 2000 at f4, I would HAVE to use the flash in the bounce mode attaching to a Flashbender. Sure, you don't want to annoy your guests but you also aren't getting the shots needed. Which one is worst for you? I would avoid blasting it in burst mode though. If possible, shoot the flash in the off camera mode (flash on your left hand and camera on your right hand) and remember to gel the flash too.

Thank you, TMS. One more questions. I'm using my 5DM3 for the first time shooting an event. I'm still getting used to the full-frame sensor. Any suggestions on what lens/lenses would be optimal? 16-35, 24-70, 50mm 1.4?

dougsturgess wrote in post #15747187
Thank you, TMS. One more questions. I'm using my 5DM3 for the first time shooting an event. I'm still getting used to the full-frame sensor. Any suggestions on what lens/lenses would be optimal? 16-35, 24-70, 50mm 1.4?

24-70L would be your friend. 16-35 would be for the interior shots. Leave your 50mm at home. Carry less and be more mobile. Do you have a 70-200L with IS? If so, use that for the longer distance shot.

TooManyShots wrote in post #15747299
24-70L would be your friend. 16-35 would be for the interior shots. Leave your 50mm at home. Carry less and be more mobile. Do you have a 70-200L with IS? If so, use that for the longer distance shot.

I'll agree with this, especially if the 70-200 is the f/2.8 version. The 70-200 can come in very handy when you are trying to shoot a subject that is at a distance, and an "event" with a lot of people can present that kind of situation a lot!

For an f/4 lens, well, for indoor photography I'd say a flash is necessary. But in good lighting you can often get away with f/2.8.

Thanks for all the tips. The event was a photography success.

dougsturgess wrote in post #15748332
Thanks for all the tips. The event was a photography success.

Well, tell us! What "kit" and how did you work it?

Hi Tony, I shot the event decor prior to people arriving with the 16-35L on tripod. The rest of the evening used my 24-70L. Most with ETTL flash, Manual f/5.6, 1/60. Images came out great!