DISCLAIMER: I know the majority of you here are working in festivals, quite different to the scenarios I am about to talk to, however I'd appreciate any critique/advice. This issue feels like the final obstacle for me.
Quick question here for the experienced ones.
Me - Nightclub Photographer
Skill - You judge:
www.facebook.com/Gdesignfcbk
Question
In my pictures I expose for a colourful, bright and lively ambient. This means slow shutter speeds ranging from 1/3rd to a 1/15th. My ISO is ranges from 800-1500 and aperture as wide as possible depending on the picture at hand. So, you've seen my style, you know my basic workflow.
What is the official way of using flash to burn through ambient?
When I work in the clubs I do, I know the best pictures are on the brink of the dancefloor, where I have no lights to interfere with my subjects' faces, whilst maintaing a beautifully vivid and colourful ambient backdrop.
Unfortunately the real atmosphere is on the dancefloor. Where the constant fear of dynamic lights, is never amiss. Through trial and error, and a combination of personal methods, I've near neutralised this. The methods I currently employ:
- Faster Shutter Speed
- Lower ISO
- 2 Picture Precaution
- +2/3 E-TTL FEC (should I push myself into manual? Or would that prove just frustrating in a nightclub environment? It's something I need to learn)
Now photographically I feel like those are the only solutions, and in combination definitely will solve my issue. Thing is, when I'm taking a picture, I can see how the picture will turn out, I can see that the ambient is on their faces and that the picture will be ruined. I adjust the camera settings quickly in turn, but a quick gander after taking the picture sometimes shows I didn't adjust enough.
This example shows what I mean. One second the picture is a beautifully vibrant hairlight, the next it's a savage picture monster. Thankfully the 2 picture precaution saves me about 50% of the time.
I just want to understand it. So I can better approach it in the future. Is there no way to fully control this beast? Especially with my personal style of bringing in as much ambient light as possible?
Cheers guys.