HELP!

Hey guys,

First timer here in the family events, ive been asked to photograph a family this sunday coming. Its just a mum, dad and a little boy, it will be held in the park at 3pm.

Just wondering what clothes should be worn and stuff? Is there anything else i should really know?

Any small tips to help me out? Ive got reflectors and flashes and umbrellas and stuff so im sweet with that.

Thanks in advance.

It sounds like this is a portrait shoot then?

If it's going to be casual then you can't go wrong with dockers, blue jeans, neutral color clothing for nice exposure. I tend to be a minimalist for this sort of thing equipment-wise, so even though you can make some very nice elaborate umberella and reflector setups, I tend to just use fill flash in nice even open shade.

You may want to consider using a tripod - not that it's so dark you will need it for exposure, but perhaps for consistent posing and as a "visual focus point" for the group to concentrate on.

For metering I'm a big fan of getting a good INCIDENT reading - have done this for decades in the wedding work - and then just adding a splash of fill flash for sparkle and shadow illumination. I use a handheld meter for this with the dome, but you can get a very good equivalent relfected reading off the subject with the camera.

To do the above, pick a mid tone color on the client (grass will even work) meter off this, note the reading, set the camera on MANUAL, dial in/lock the shutter & aperture, and then with your flash on AUTO, have it output FEC -1, or -2/3 or -1/3 of light and note the results. You want enough to get rid of any racoon eye shadows, but NOT so much that you give everybody the nuked-in-the-face look. You want to retain some pleasant modelling.

You also want a shutter speed that will be low enough to allow ambient background light (assuming shade environs) to come in pleasantly and not go dark or black. Hope this helps - let me know if you have any additional questions. - Stu

Clothes, I'd let them decide - although too much text on clothes looks bad I believe. I'd use your 50mm for most. Get them to walk with child in the middle, Mum with son, Dad with son, Mum and Dad, everybody, hold little boy up, throw him up, tickle him, Dad tickle Mum, sit down, lie down, stand up (you too) etc... take lots of photos, shoot Raw files. 3pm should be lots of good available light. Too much gear like reflectors can look a bit serious. Make them relax and have a good time. How about making a slideshow.

Here's an example of the type of shade lighting I enjoy with fill flash:

http://pearlphoto.blog​spot.com …ull-november-28-2009.html

Scroll down to pictures 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 to get an idea of this. I completely agree with highway about the gear. You want them to be relaxed and not intimidated. It should be fun and not shackled with a lot of equipment.

If it's a portrait shoot you might want to ask them to avoid short sleeved clothing.

Some great advice from sapearl there

But am I the only one wondering whether the OP meant THEIR OWN clothes?

EMarkM wrote in post #10262686
Some great advice from sapearl there

But am I the only one wondering whether the OP meant THEIR OWN clothes?

Well sir you gave me a giggle.

hur hur

Thank you EMarkM, appreciate it . You do raise an interesting point though about "proper attire." Steve, why not short sleeves?

EMarkM wrote in post #10262686
Some great advice from sapearl there

But am I the only one wondering whether the OP meant THEIR OWN clothes?

51OAU wrote in post #10260351
Any small tips to help me out? Ive got reflectors and flashes and umbrellas and stuff so im sweet with that.

Thanks in advance.

One word: SHADE

You'll need an assistant to hold your reflector/umbrella if it's windy.

Clothing? If it's just a casual family portrait tell them to dress that way. I tell people not to wear gawdy T-shirts with weird slogans on them. Also, no loud colors. (Like Buzz Lightyear green). Jeans are fine.

sapearl wrote in post #10261157
It sounds like this is a portrait shoot then?

If it's going to be casual then you can't go wrong with dockers, blue jeans, neutral color clothing for nice exposure. I tend to be a minimalist for this sort of thing equipment-wise, so even though you can make some very nice elaborate umberella and reflector setups, I tend to just use fill flash in nice even open shade.

You may want to consider using a tripod - not that it's so dark you will need it for exposure, but perhaps for consistent posing and as a "visual focus point" for the group to concentrate on.

For metering I'm a big fan of getting a good INCIDENT reading - have done this for decades in the wedding work - and then just adding a splash of fill flash for sparkle and shadow illumination. I use a handheld meter for this with the dome, but you can get a very good equivalent relfected reading off the subject with the camera.

To do the above, pick a mid tone color on the client (grass will even work) meter off this, note the reading, set the camera on MANUAL, dial in/lock the shutter & aperture, and then with your flash on AUTO, have it output FEC -1, or -2/3 or -1/3 of light and note the results. You want enough to get rid of any racoon eye shadows, but NOT so much that you give everybody the nuked-in-the-face look. You want to retain some pleasant modelling.

You also want a shutter speed that will be low enough to allow ambient background light (assuming shade environs) to come in pleasantly and not go dark or black. Hope this helps - let me know if you have any additional questions. - Stu

Thanks mate, with the reading thing, what do u mean meter off this? do i use auto or p to take the reading? i know how to do the rest. Im completely a noob at people photos ive taken pics of cars only most of my life with my camera.

With the fill flash should i buy a diffuser for my 430ex?

I was thinking jeans and no branded shirts. So that seems fine.

The family pretty much just wants some nice photos of them. just doing everyday things in the park.

Thanks for the tips everyone, now i just gotta hope its not raining.

EMarkM wrote in post #10262686
Some great advice from sapearl there

But am I the only one wondering whether the OP meant THEIR OWN clothes?

i ment the client, ill just be dressed casually as they asked me to.

As far as metering goes, I suppose you could use Auto/P with decent results depending upon the venue, but you then give up complete control to the camera. Sometimes this can be really good. Other times...it...can...be.​......

When you do car photography, typically what settings do you use when say, you shoot a gray, red or light blue car? You may be able to use that as a starting point for some portrait settings. Let me know what those are and I can give you a more thorough answer.

And no, I would NOT buy a diffuser for your 430ex as it will make little to no difference at all - it will just reduce your flash output. You can actually point the flash directly at the group, and then dial down the output with some FEC - for a pleasing fill effect.

51OAU wrote in post #10264688
Thanks mate, with the reading thing, what do u mean meter off this? do i use auto or p to take the reading? i know how to do the rest. Im completely a noob at people photos ive taken pics of cars only most of my life with my camera.

With the fill flash should i buy a diffuser for my 430ex?

I was thinking jeans and no branded shirts. So that seems fine.

The family pretty much just wants some nice photos of them. just doing everyday things in the park.

Thanks for the tips everyone, now i just gotta hope its not raining.

sapearl wrote in post #10264817
As far as metering goes, I suppose you could use Auto/P with decent results depending upon the venue, but you then give up complete control to the camera. Sometimes this can be really good. Other times...it...can...be.​......

When you do car photography, typically what settings do you use when say, you shoot a gray, red or light blue car? You may be able to use that as a starting point for some portrait settings. Let me know what those are and I can give you a more thorough answer.

And no, I would NOT buy a diffuser for your 430ex as it will make little to no difference at all - it will just reduce your flash output. You can actually point the flash directly at the group, and then dial down the output with some FEC - for a pleasing fill effect.

i just take the pics in M mode, usual bout f10, and shutter speed changes.

OK - so you're using MANUAL now. You can apply a similar setup for shade portraits.

If you're in medium shade at ISO 400, you will probably be in the neighborhood of of 1/250 @ f/5.6, give or take a bit. If things are too dark by a bit then adjust your shutter speed downward if you want to maintain a modest DOF of f/5.6. If it's overexposed then do the reverse.

Again, use fill flash FEC - to suit your taste.

51OAU wrote in post #10266009
i just take the pics in M mode, usual bout f10, and shutter speed changes.