night club photos (NWS) (2)

CMcGrath16 wrote in post #13874961
Ok so new guy here. Only into my first year doing photography and started doing nightclubs about that time. Ive been looking at this forum for about 6 months and kept putting off uploading. So now I'm here sharing some work...

Just out of curiosity, what hardware and settings are you sporting? More specifically, what general settings do you utilise for general group shots? (i.e. 2-8 people)

Stuff such as camera, lens, flash, iso, aperture, shutter speed, FEC compensation, mode, etc.

It's always cool to hear another mode of working.

GCWB wrote in post #13891378
Just out of curiosity, what hardware and settings are you sporting? More specifically, what general settings do you utilise for general group shots? (i.e. 2-8 people)

Stuff such as camera, lens, flash, iso, aperture, shutter speed, FEC compensation, mode, etc.

It's always cool to hear another mode of working.

Im just using a Canon 600D with the kit lens. Im trying to get some new glass but money is tight the now. For general shots... usually about f8, 1/10 - 1/20 (depending on the light, ISO 800-1600, FEC about 0 to 1, commonly about +2/3. From that I think you can guess I'm in manual. Standard stuff.

Nicole Moudaber stopped in this weekend...

So I ended up taking photos for the Kerrang Tour Aftershow party tonight. Here's some of the photos!
As always feedback is welcomed.

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CMcGrath16: I am not really an advocate of nice glass in nightclubs. It, actually depends, on the look you are trying to achieve.

You will more likely notice an improvement in your images in a better body than better glass.

I use a 5DMKII. You know what glass I am using now? This rubbish 35-70mm lens. I think it was manufactured 10 years ago or so. It cost me 30$.

I used a 16-35L 2.8. before this, and while great, it was heavy, and not really worth it financially to lug it around a nightclub environment.

If you look at my images, you can't tell the difference between the two lenses.

It goes back to your settings that you shoot at. I shoot at iso100 most of the time, f4.5. Sometimes Ill boost the iso to 1600/2800, but still keep the fstop at 4.5. I don't really "need" the extra fstops that 1.8, or 2.8 provide.

On the other hand though, you buy cheap, you buy twice. Good glass is great when you decide to print the images, or studio settings. I think that a majority of nightclub photos dont reach beyond the web.

For me, it's not worth it. But I am sure other photographers might disagree.

If you check out the site: ambrel.net, the images were shot with a Canon 5D and some horrifying lens. I think it was a 28-120 kit lens, or something similar. Cheap glass. But the images come out beautiful.

Facebook quality, but you get the picture These were shot at a party to celebrate the fact that highschool will be over in a hundred days, so these kids are young. Some too young I might add, but hey that's Belgium for ya.

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fminus wrote in post #13895160
ambrel.net

Cool link man. How is it you know what camera/lens combination they're using? Any idea what ISO they go with for the more colourful/long shutter shots? I imagine pretty low... Funny cos I always assume ISO100 to not really pick up much ambient light so never go down there!

fminus wrote in post #13895160
For me, it's not worth it. But I am sure other photographers might disagree.

To an extent, yes, it's the body. However, a good solid piece of L glass will give you the extra ten percent that you need sometimes.

And L glass is designed to come through a battlefield environment, so the way I see it, a club won't faze it much. My walkabout lens has been a 16-35 2.8 for the longest time now...

Brandsanity: Lot's of google searches, and one email sent. There was a thread on flickr where he chimed in as well.

Iso100 I love. It produces the sharpest images, hands down. Long shutter, paint with light, that **** is golden.

The painting with light comes with alot of trial and error.

ISO 100 in a club?

Are you mental?

fminus: Well I do see your point although I find that the kit lens' sharpness can be a bit that was mostly the reason I wanted some new glass.

I assume that your from the US, as you used $. I dont know what it is like over there but from photos it looks pretty light. Clubs that I work in regularly dont use alot of lights, not bright ones that fill the room anyway. Maybe it has a little to do with your sensor? using a 5D, you have a better sensor than my 600D. The lowest I will go would be about 400 ISO but thats only for full room shots with a long shutter to compensate each other.

Im also wanting to try some more flash defusers. I only have a bounce card, which isnt very big. I didn't want to jump into buying anything. Any suggestions?

CMcGrath16 wrote in post #13898907
fminus: Well I do see your point although I find that the kit lens' sharpness can be a bit that was mostly the reason I wanted some new glass.

I assume that your from the US, as you used $. I dont know what it is like over there but from photos it looks pretty light. Clubs that I work in regularly dont use alot of lights, not bright ones that fill the room anyway. Maybe it has a little to do with your sensor? using a 5D, you have a better sensor than my 600D. The lowest I will go would be about 400 ISO but thats only for full room shots with a long shutter to compensate each other.

Im also wanting to try some more flash defusers. I only have a bounce card, which isnt very big. I didn't want to jump into buying anything. Any suggestions?

Have you looked at a Sto-Fen diffuser? That's what I have used in the past with no problems

Does stuff like this seriously **** anyone else off?

stuart_hatch: Oh yes.http://www.nullochvoid​.com. The ****ing and punching gallery, were all shot iso100.


CMcGrath16: Currently in Europe working. Clubs are well lit, and some are dark as hell. It depends really. I just increase my shutter and paint with light accordingly. As for diffusors.. I usually throw a stoffen on my main flash with a warming gel in it.

As for diffusors in general...alot are ****. The ones made by Gary Fong, I find useless. I had a lightsphere, and it was useless. It pissed light 360 degrees.

I use a LumiQuest big bounce on my off camera flash, which works great.

Side note. Noticed you had a Orbis Ring flash. That goes into my collection of things I wasted my money on as well. Great in theory, but blocks the AF Assist beam, making it useless in a nightclub setting.


Brandsanity: The guy is a douche. I have people like that all the time. I just look them in the eye and tell them to gtfo.

a link to my gallery from the Cedric Gervais video for the song "Molly" from this past weekend. Most of it was shot without flash, at ISO 6400 and various other settings:

check it out