Engagement party (first time doing this stuff)

Well last night I did my first ever gig photographing people. Not only that but it was the first time I have used a flash and shot in these conditions at all.

So it was a brutally steep learning curve for me but I think I did ok all things considering. But I would love some feedback on how to improve!

So here are two photos taken in the two difference scenarios I encountered for some critique!!

First shot (all shot manual mode) (1/250, f2, ISO100) was indoors where it was quite bright behind these two but the light was behind them a bit so quite a bit of shadow on their faces. So I exposed correctly for the background then used the flash to lift the shadows by bouncing it off the wall behind me. I think it came out ok.

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To start, some very nice shots with the last being the best IMO. Some nice energy in the poses.

In the first and last, I would have preferred not having the bottles/cans of drink in their hands.

Since this was all a young crowd, I think I would have reduced the aperture a bit and gone for more in focus, particularly in the group shots since some of the girls are OOF. Most of these are a bit soft for my taste.

The last shot has the flash bounce captured in the top right corner.

I carry a Sto-Fen Omni Bounce (about US$ 20). I really like the effect it has on softening the flash when a ceiling or wall bounce is not workable.

Not bad, your 2nd photo I like the back ground exposure the way it is. I don't like to have the back ground under exposure too much. Looks good.

I would have taken the photo more level rather than point the camera down at a angle.

Your 3rd photo I would have position myself more in the center rather than a angle, definately would have gotten everyone in focus.

I also agree your last photo is the best of your set.

Thanks for the tips guys!!! The drinks in hands was unfortunate looking back but it was a pretty mad rush with me getting people together for photos so I guess I was not really prepared enough (and I was quite nervous since this is the first time I have ever done anything like this) to ask them to put down drinks and all that. It was not really a professional shoot or anything though, just asked by a friend to take "happy snaps" hehe.

I will look into that Omni bounce Rick. As for the focussing, It was my lack of experience there since i was juggling a 50 prime and it seemed every time I had that on someone would quickly drag in for a group shot so I had to quickly adjust my position to fit them in the frame and bleh, just inexperience hehe. Practice Practice!!!!

Thanks again!!!

RickRitz wrote in post #10184909
To start, some very nice shots with the last being the best IMO. Some nice energy in the poses.

In the first and last, I would have preferred not having the bottles/cans of drink in their hands.

Since this was all a young crowd, I think I would have reduced the aperture a bit and gone for more in focus, particularly in the group shots since some of the girls are OOF. Most of these are a bit soft for my taste.

The last shot has the flash bounce captured in the top right corner.

I carry a Sto-Fen Omni Bounce (about US$ 20). I really like the effect it has on softening the flash when a ceiling or wall bounce is not workable.

Without a ceiling or wall to bounce off of, the stofen does nil, as far as I know, to soften light.

I'd say you did really well here--good expressions in all of them; all really well lit.

Did you happen to get any candid unposed shots ?

Christopher Steven b wrote in post #10187769
Without a ceiling or wall to bounce off of, the stofen does nil, as far as I know, to soften light.

I did not think it would either but have tried on occasion when no bounce available and I feel that I get a more even light with the Sto-Fen than when not using. It does use up the batteries faster so I don't do this as a standard light effect.

RickRitz wrote in post #10188101
I did not think it would either but have tried on occasion when no bounce available and I feel that I get a more even light with the Sto-Fen than when not using. It does use up the batteries faster so I don't do this as a standard light effect.

Oh, I agree--you definitely would get softer light with a stofen in certain circumstances--but it can happen if and only if there are surfaces that the light (which is then flung in all directions) can bounce from. In most cases there are such surfaces (In an open field, for example, there aren't, and so here the sto-fen does nil to soften shadows). Softness of light is determined by the relative size of the lightsource vis-a-vis the subject--adding a stofen doesn't change the relative size of the light.