Photographing the White Party

Hello all,

I just got my biggest paying gig to date with an assignment to photograph the White Party this weekend in South Florida.

Just looking for tips on shooting various scenes which I will describe below. But first, the equipment that I have to work with :

2 XTis
Sigma 10-20
Tamron 28-75 2.8
Canon 50 1.8
Canon 70-300 IS
430EX

(various other supplemental equipment)

The scenes will be in some clubs - dark lighting (typical dance club lighting) - with everyone wearing white. (Which true to form the "white" will really be 999 various degrees and tones of white..sigh...)

Some clubs will have a stage for performers, so there will be spotlights there.

Outdoor venue at the Vizcaya from early dusk to 3-4 AM in the morning.
http://www.vizcayamuse​um.org/
again everyone wearing white.

Any tips that anyone want to throw up against the wall here for me to see what sticks?

Many thanks in advance.

In a crowd I'd use the Sigma 10-20 & try to standardize my subject distance while using the zoom to frame. That way I can pre-test to keep the white from blowing out, while still making the "black cats" look good. Adjusting the shutter speed for the background as much as possible.
As always, RAW & M make me happy knowing some dufus from Canon isn't adjusting my exposure for me.

What would your M settings be in this case?

Would you adjust the exposure level to compensate for the white perhaps throwing the meter reading off?

Try a setting of f/8 & ISO 100 to start. Test at 5.6', 8', & 11'. Why those distances? Read this: Fill light at sunset
Chimp the histogram to get white near the right. RAW will give you latitude if you are 1/2'-1' off at the location. Now you only have to remember one setting at 8' when things get crazy? For 5.6' & 11', you just close down one stop or open up one stop. How hard can that be?

I wouldn't use the meter except to read the background lighting to adjust the shutter speed. White in the frame is important, but it doesn't matter to me when I'm reading exposure if I can get in the light that is hitting the subject, or the background in this case: Need an exposure crutch?

I may be wrong, but I'm thinking if you don't set your exposure compensation to +1 your meter will try to make everything 18% grey and your whites will look like crap. At least that happened to me this weekend shooting some white cars. But I was outside using available light. Good luck.

There's no auto EC compensation in M mode, except in your brain, & the meter is only being used for the background in my suggestions.
Some people like to guess what the meter is doing & then guess at the EC. It's easier for me to figure out the right exposure from the start.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #4344718
As always, RAW & M make me happy knowing some dufus from Canon isn't adjusting my exposure for me.

That dufus from canon is preparing your histograms and that little green needle in your view-finder though:p. Unless you solely use an external light meter, then never mind.

A constant.

The way I read exposure, another constant. See post #4.

Too much crap to carry & fiddle around with. I've had one for decades, but with the histogram, I don't need it anymore.