How do you light your events? ETTL or manual? How many lights?

If you are shooting an event that takes place at a venue where the ambient light does not change, such as at a banquet hall, what is your strategy for lighting?

Do you use one light or two? If one, do you keep the flash on a bracket above camera or is it off camera? If off camera, do you keep it stationary on a stand or have an assistant move it around? If two lights, I'd assume one is on a bracket, and the same question applies for the other - stationary or mobile? If it's stationary, do you use it as a rim light or position it as a key light and try to get shots when people have their faces turned at a good angle?

Also, there's the question of ETTL. Do you find the pre-flash to increase blinking in your shots? Do you use hotshoe flashes or studio lights? Does anyone use a combination of hotshoe and studio lights?

I apologize for having so many questions in one thread, but I'm hoping those of you with experience can answer most or all of them.

Tim has a link, it might even be a sticky, on how he uses multiple flashes to light a venue. Some take that approach, others prefer to work with higher ISO and an on-camera flash that's bounced (which is my approach). They each have their advantages and disadvantages; it just depends on you're style, both with respect to imagery and the way you like to work.

I use one light most of the time, but will use a second for special situations: a little back lighting during the first dance, some kicker lighting during the toast, the bouquet toss with one light for the bride and the other for the ladies, etc. But one flash most of the time.

I never noticed a change in the rate of blinking over the pre-flash. That said, I gave up on ETTL quite a while ago for M and am much happier. I'll still use ETTL for dynamic situations, but my shots are so much better, my exposure is so much more consistent, and my PP goes so much more quickly now that I shoot almost exclusively with my flash(es) in M.

Peacefield wrote in post #13357233
Tim has a link, it might even be a sticky, on how he uses multiple flashes to light a venue. Some take that approach, others prefer to work with higher ISO and an on-camera flash that's bounced (which is my approach). They each have their advantages and disadvantages; it just depends on you're style, both with respect to imagery and the way you like to work.

I've read all of Tim's how-to threads - very informative. And I agree that where one needs to be very mobile, a single on-camera flash might be a good approach. But since its role would be limited to fill, I wonder how useful it is when the dynamic range indoors is not usually greater than the camera's sensor.

Peacefield wrote in post #13357233
I never noticed a change in the rate of blinking over the pre-flash. That said, I gave up on ETTL quite a while ago for M and am much happier. I'll still use ETTL for dynamic situations, but my shots are so much better, my exposure is so much more consistent, and my PP goes so much more quickly now that I shoot almost exclusively with my flash(es) in M.

Thanks for your perspective Robert. One of my goals is to do as little PP as possible, and I think there are many things that one can do to reduce it. What is it that they say? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

You've probably read this thread, but I do more or less the same thing at every venue.

If you want on camera flash only, and the light is even, then use manual camera and ETTL flash.

Yes, I've read that Tim. I've seen photographers use direct flash only at weddings, and I've also see some use a hotshoe flash with a monolight/umbrella bounced on the ceiling. I'll be trying various techniques when I do some event photography as well, but my goal is to somehow approach the results that I'm getting in studio. Granted, the quality in an unpredictable environment will never match that of a predictable and controllable one, but I'd like to try.

I think that if I really want to create an optimal lighting pattern in event photos, I would really need an assistant to carry a light around that would act as key. And my on-camera flash would act as fill. I'm thinking that some smaller modifiers would work here, such as the Demb Flip-it! When getting a particular shot is very critical, such as at a wedding, I can understand that this would not be a feasible strategy. But for a more common social event, I would imagine that this could be done very effectively.

I just started using two strobes about 5 weddings ago, so I'm no expert (yet) but the results have been awesome so far. What I've been doing is setting them up on light stands ideally in opposite corners of the room, but anyplace that's out of the way of doors, guests, tables/chairs, etc. is good. Depending on the color of the walls/ceilings, I'll either point them up and bounce the light off them, or if they're colored, I'll point them directly towards the center of the room. I just use small reflectors on the strobes, no big modifiers like umbrellas since they can be an eyesore. I have a wireless transmitter connected via the pc port, and a hot shoe mounted flash for fill light, so all three lights fire when I press the shutter. Depending on the room size, ceiling height, and how close guests are sitting to the strobes (I don't want to blast them with too much light), the ISO is around 200-400, instead of 2000-3200 if I used the on-camera speedlite alone. The off camera lighting definitely gives more depth and dimension to the photos in an otherwise dark room, and the lower ISO makes them look a lot cleaner. As an added bonus, you can use longer lenses than you normally would to get some nice, tight shots inconspicuously, since you don't have to worry as much about the reach of the shoe mounted flash with the strobes firing. Definitely recommend off-camera lighting - takes more planning, time, and effort, but totally worth it.

frugivore wrote in post #13359146
Yes, I've read that Tim. I've seen photographers use direct flash only at weddings, and I've also see some use a hotshoe flash with a monolight/umbrella bounced on the ceiling. I'll be trying various techniques when I do some event photography as well, but my goal is to somehow approach the results that I'm getting in studio. Granted, the quality in an unpredictable environment will never match that of a predictable and controllable one, but I'd like to try.

I think that if I really want to create an optimal lighting pattern in event photos, I would really need an assistant to carry a light around that would act as key. And my on-camera flash would act as fill. I'm thinking that some smaller modifiers would work here, such as the Demb Flip-it! When getting a particular shot is very critical, such as at a wedding, I can understand that this would not be a feasible strategy. But for a more common social event, I would imagine that this could be done very effectively.

You need to light the whole room, to avoid black hole backgrounds.

tim wrote in post #13359757
You need to light the whole room, to avoid black hole backgrounds.

Got it Tim. And I know that the other options to avoid the black hole is to use fast glass. I guess I'll try using a couple of monolights.

frugivore wrote in post #13360348
Got it Tim. And I know that the other options to avoid the black hole is to use fast glass. I guess I'll try using a couple of monolights.

Fast glass isn't sufficient in most cases. In some wedding receptions i've had the ambient exposure is ISO3200, F2.8, 1/2 a second. F1.2 won't even cut it.

One more question related to event shooting: If one were to use studio lights at an event, would this make high ISO and low shutter speed unnecessary? I find myself preferring primes, so I was thinking about how to use an 85mm or 135mm prime on an APS-C based body.

frugivore wrote in post #13398099
One more question related to event shooting: If one were to use studio lights at an event, would this make high ISO and low shutter speed unnecessary? I find myself preferring primes, so I was thinking about how to use an 85mm or 135mm prime on an APS-C based body.

I usually start off at 1/160, f2.8, ISO800. Last Friday, I was shooting my 85L wide open at ISO100.

tim wrote in post #13361598
Fast glass isn't sufficient in most cases. In some wedding receptions i've had the ambient exposure is ISO3200, F2.8, 1/2 a second. F1.2 won't even cut it.

Tim you are 100% correct. OH but you already knew that

StephenAndrew wrote in post #13359690
I just started using two strobes about 5 weddings ago, so I'm no expert (yet) but the results have been awesome so far. What I've been doing is setting them up on light stands ideally in opposite corners of the room, but anyplace that's out of the way of doors, guests, tables/chairs, etc. is good. Depending on the color of the walls/ceilings, I'll either point them up and bounce the light off them, or if they're colored, I'll point them directly towards the center of the room. I just use small reflectors on the strobes, no big modifiers like umbrellas since they can be an eyesore. I have a wireless transmitter connected via the pc port, and a hot shoe mounted flash for fill light, so all three lights fire when I press the shutter. Depending on the room size, ceiling height, and how close guests are sitting to the strobes (I don't want to blast them with too much light), the ISO is around 200-400, instead of 2000-3200 if I used the on-camera speedlite alone. The off camera lighting definitely gives more depth and dimension to the photos in an otherwise dark room, and the lower ISO makes them look a lot cleaner. As an added bonus, you can use longer lenses than you normally would to get some nice, tight shots inconspicuously, since you don't have to worry as much about the reach of the shoe mounted flash with the strobes firing. Definitely recommend off-camera lighting - takes more planning, time, and effort, but totally worth it.

What triggers are you using?

Don't know about Stephen, but I use CyberSync triggers. Einstein and B800 controlled via Cyber Commander. CST velcroed on a hot shoe mounted 580EXII and connected to the camera via pc sync cable. Works very well.

^ I use something similar.Unfortunatley the 580 EX does not have the PC synch. SOoooo I need to change triggers or upgrade to the 580EXII or have the 580 EX modded.