Nightclub Photography

Hey guys, I want to apologize from the start for making this thread since there is already a thread similar to this one with 500+ pages of knowinger. I'll be totally honest with you, I went through around 40 pages and couldn't go any more, you have to understand.

I have a few questions in regards towards nightclub photography that I couldIn't find, so perhaps some of you can help me out.

I have a D40X and that is it, but I saved up a good amount of money and now can buy tons of equipment for my baby.

1. I figured that for nightclub photography all I need is a flash and a camera, I figured that I will go right in there and just take pictures in automatic, click'n'shoot, done! But I keep noticing that people take pictures in manual mode? Doesn't it take for ever to set up, or am I missing something? (I mean to juggle between shutter, ISO, etc is tons!)

2. What is the difference between manual mode and manual focus? =/ this one kept bothering me for a while now. Because some people shoot at manual mode, but with automatic focus? Or.. Not sure

3. What flash would be appropriate?

4. What is the difference between having the flash on top of the camera, and having the flash in your hand? .. For the people that have the flash in your hand, do they still use manual mode? How do they do it?

5. Should I get a lightsphere? Or is it just a prefrence?

6. Is a stock lens OK that comes with d40x or should I get one of those 'non-adjutble' lenses that just have one 'mm' count and can't be adjusted (I really hope I make sense)


Guys, thank you so much for the help

just a quick reply to no2

manual mode = you choose the aperture and the shutter speed that the camera will use

auto mode = the camera sets aperture/shutter..

also have AV mode and TS mode, AV = you choose aperture and camera chooses the shutter speed. TS = you choose shutter speed and the camera chooses the aperture

manual focus = you adjust the focus on the lens

auto focus = the camera focus's for you

most people shoot with auto focus switched on and depending on your needs (and experience) use AV, TS, Manual, Auto for the camera setting

to add to the mix, you should read up about ISO settings which is about how sensitive to light your sensor is

the mix of aperture, shutter speed and IS0 is the first thing to understand how they relate to each other and what effects of each are on the picture taken

also, a lot of nice photos taken in night club environment are taken without a flash.

123ShootWithMe wrote in post #9244284
1. I figured that for nightclub photography all I need is a flash and a camera, I figured that I will go right in there and just take pictures in automatic, click'n'shoot, done! But I keep noticing that people take pictures in manual mode? Doesn't it take for ever to set up, or am I missing something? (I mean to juggle between shutter, ISO, etc is tons!)

You shouldn't have to juggle much, especially if you're using flash. Set your ISO, set your shutter speed and then just adjust your aperture according to how close your flash is to your subject. Alternatively, you can put the flash in TTL mode and it will adjust it's output automatically so you don't need to adjust your aperture.

The fun thing with flash is you can use a slow shutter speed to show movement and get a lot of ambient light in while still freezing most of the movement. See this for more details: http://photo.net …rts/mirarchi/co​ncer_4.htm

I don't know anyone who actually holds the flash in their hand - but the benefit would be that you can slightly change the direction of your light source so it's not coming from straight-on like a deer caught in headlights. Also, the further away from the lens the flash is, the less likely you are to get red-eye.
If you don't want to hold it, check out flash brackets.

I don't think a lightsphere does much good if you don't have a ceiling to bounce it off of. That will depend on the night club - if the ceiling is too high or too dark, it may not do you much good.

That's called a prime lens. Your lens choices really come down to what YOU want to get out of photography. If you're happy with your current lens, use it. Eventually, you may grow out of it. But I would not recommend throwing money around on equipment when you sound like a beginner who is still trying to get a grasp on the basics. Never go out and buy equipment just because someone else has told you to. Wait until you understand the equipment enough to know what equipment you need as an individual.

Generally, you use a shutter speed that will allow the dim room light to bring out the background. Then you choose an f-stop that will allow the flash to properly light the closer people in the image. An auto flash will give you a pretty fair image on one of the auto settings, but my flash allows manual with settings from 1/64 to full power, & that's what I prefer to use. Whatever you're using, its always a good plan to shoots some tests, even if it's just at home in dim lighting?

For calculating a M exposure with strobe, this might help understand how distance relates to flash output:
Fill light at sunset

Hey guys, thank you so much for the replies!

I think I have a somewhat clear idea on what I want. But what I will do first is just rent everything (which is super cheap!) try it out for a night or two and see if I really need it or not, how different things work, etc.

Also, quick question

You know how the pros shoot the models right? Then the pictures are printed on posters (liek 26x32 inches) and they are printed on 300dpi (resolution). ... That means that they need to have a 76 megapixel camera?

... is that true!? That is nuts! I doubt that every poster that has a real person in it is shot with 76 megapixels.. or is it true?

how are you doing the maths to get 76 mp ?

also, as you get to larger posters , you stand further away to see them , so you dont need 300 dpi

26x32 (inches) is equal to 7800x9600 (300dpi) = 74,880,000 = 74.8 megapixels

Hmm... So you don't need a 300 resolution, 100%? I mean.. I don't have any posters in my room, I should totally get one and check it out how many dpi it is.

my guess is that they are 100dpi and 24mp

and how on earth are you going to tell if you posters are 300dpi ? are you going to count them ?

dynamitetony wrote in post #9245947
my guess is that they are 100dpi and 24mp

and how on earth are you going to tell if you posters are 300dpi ? are you going to count them ?

I deal with printing for the past 4 years of my life, I can safely say that I know more about printing then you do

72dpi is what we see on the screen of the computers. Its 72 resolution, we don't need any more. Now imagine taking
THIS CURRENT WEBSITE, screen shot it, and print it. See how it will come out. Now go to Photoshop, open up a 300
resolution 8x11 paper and PLACE that image of this website on to that page. You'll see that the size of it will decrease
dramaticlly, but when you printed it, it'll be really clear.

The best way to see it is to download a vectoe image (.EPS or .AI if you have Illustrator) and print it on 72 reslution,
and then again on 300 resolutuion. You'll be able to see 2 images that are the SAME SIZE, but one is pixelated and the
other one isn't.

Back to my point, when we print 100 resolution images... they.. they suck to tell you the honest truth. Then when we
go 150/200+ they become better, and 300 is just.. superb, top high end graphic design art magazine.

So that is why Im asking... at my resolution do they print the posters.


Its okay I'll find out by myself in a few days, I just gotta find this little tool that I bought (about 4$) that you place
ontop of any piece of paper and it tells you right away at what resolution this paper was printed at, awesome toy.
I'll do that and get back to you.

But if you guys can... if anyone has anything else to add to my previous questions on the first post, that would be awesome.

thank you so much

"I deal with printing for the past 4 years of my life, I can safely say that I know more about printing then you do"

If you're such an expert, you should also know that they have been printing large posters for much longer than there have been 74MB native sensor size cameras(which still do not exist today). Pictures from smaller image size cameras are routinely enlarged to 100 or 300 dpi posters at very good quality.

sspellman wrote in post #9246797
"I deal with printing for the past 4 years of my life, I can safely say that I know more about printing then you do"

If you're such an expert, you should also know that they have been printing large posters for much longer than there have been 74MB native sensor size cameras(which still do not exist today). Pictures from smaller image size cameras are routinely enlarged to 100 or 300 dpi posters at very good quality.

Reread what you wrote, rephrase it, and I'll answer if it makes sense.

Sorry, I don't want to sound like an ass, I just don't understand what you are trying to complain about.

As for your second comment, there are things as "Smaller size cameras". I'm guessing you were talking about the megapixels, right? Because all cameras shoot at 300DPI, ALL OF THEM.

The problem is that the second you want to enlarge the photo in some software, your DPI goes down to keep the balance of the picture as smooth as it can.

But.. I found out... and it turns out that it won't be "smart" to print over 150DPI on posters that are for my need (22x28) because over 150 I won't see any difference.

and in order to get the true 150dpi @ 22x28inches, I will need a camera with around 27 megapixels.. which won't happen, so I guess I will resie

123ShootWithMe wrote in post #9246697
I deal with printing for the past 4 years of my life, I can safely say that I know more about printing then you do

you know, you should be careful making statements like this of forums when you have no idea of who you are talking too, what they do, and how long they have been doing it for.

dynamitetony wrote in post #9247202
you know, you should be careful making statements like this of forums when you have no idea of who you are talking too, what they do, and how long they have been doing it for.

This screams Dunning–Kruger effect.

good thread, good thread

hi5s all around

Back to the topic of nightclub photography-

Adjusting the camera settings to take the pictures you want vs a preset of the equipment is what makes this photography as oposed to taking snapshots. Most people want to capture the dynamic environment of clubs as well a good pictures of the people. They use manual mode to adjust the camera settings to capture some ambient light and the external flash will adjust to properly expose the subjects. Try these settings as a start: ISO400, f4, 1/20th sec, partial metering, flash head on at FEC +1/3rd. This technique is commonly called "draging the shutter". With your own camera/environment/sty​le you will be able to make adjustments to suit your photos. Have fun!

-S
-Scott