Photographing a Christmas fund-raiser - advice please!

[billtils]

The local group of a national and highly-regarded charity that provides support to patients and their families who are dealing with cancer hold an annual Christmas fund-raiser at an up-market nearby hotel. For the past 3 or 4 years, they have asked the camera club to press-gang someone to take pictures of the event - and this year I lost!

I enjoy portraiture but have zero experience and probably near to zero expertise when it comes to events. Any and all advice on technique (for example flash or ISO), settings (I almost always use Aperture priority and adjust shutter speed and ISO to suit the circumstances but I'm tempted to go Auto for this), and composition (Individuals, groups, performers - it's a choral night with a choir - and what about permissions?) would be very gratefully received.

Don't know if it makes a lot of difference, but the camera will be my trusty D750 full frame, and if it's to be flash, I'd probably use my SB-700 in Auto/TTL mode and on camera with diffuser, but it can be used off camera alone or with an SB-R200 (although I expect that the night will be more street photography than studio). Lenses - tempted to go with the 50mm prime but will take the 24-85 and 70 - 300 zooms,just in case.

[Manfred M]

I seem to remember being "volunteered" for events like this in the past.

1. If you can get access to the site prior to the event, try to get there ahead of time and scout it out, primarily for shooting locations. Take your gear and take test shots to see which camera angles and shooting positions work best. If the lighting can be set up for you in the way it will be at the event, so much the better.

Once you have done this, make sure that access to these shooting positions will be available to you. If the hall has a balcony or other interesting shooting positions, check those out. If there is a stage, access to the wings and front of the stage can be great locations As the designated shooter, you will have a lot more freedom to move around than members of the audience. Try to find positions where you can shoot from, without blocking the view of the audience (shooting from the back or sides and over heads with a long lens while standing can be useful).

If you can get hold of shots from previous years, especially if they were taken at the same venue, this can be immensely helpful in scouting the site and planning your shots.

Finally, if you cannot get access to the hall ahead of time you should be able to do so before the event begins. Even an hour ahead of time can be useful.

2. Assume you will be shooting existing light. Unless the venue is very small, flash will not be all that useful.

3. I find fixed focal length lenses are not particularly useful for this type of shooting as the shooting restrictions mean that you can't move around enough for them. The two zooms you are considering make sense to me. Even your long zoom the 150-600mm might be appropriate). I definitely try to have my tripod along for this type of shooting. Camera on a tripod and standing on a chair can open up what you can do.

4. Plan a mix of shots; whole choir, a few of the singers in a group and head shots of individual singers. Wide angle shots that include the audience or even shots of the audience from the stage can be used to tell the story.

5. I find shutter priority can be the best way to shoot this type of assignment. Avoiding motion blur is far more important than managing depth of field. Auto ISO can be useful if the lighting varies a lot, but I find that in some of these types of events, the lighting is fixed and auto-ISO is not necessary or useful. Just make sure that it is high enough to get sharp images at your selected shutter speed / aperture settings.

Sometimes shooting on manual works best, but you have to be comfortable doing so. As long as the light on the participants if good, autofocus should work well.

6. Get to know the chief organizer and onsite organizer if it is not the same person. They need to know that you are the prime shooter and your job is to get the shots, so a bit of leeway for you to do your job is important. If you have issues with permissions, tell them that it is their role to ensure that the participants know that you will be shooting, especially if you decide you need to shoot flash. If the participants have been to the event before, this is usually not an issue.

Be sure you understand the expectations - how many shots do they expect delivered to them, what format and the timeframe.

[billtils]

Thanks Manfred - that is very helpul.

If you can get access to the site prior to the event, try to get there ahead of time and scout it out, primarily for shooting locations. Take your gear and take test shots to see which camera angles and shooting positions work best. If the lighting can be set up for you in the way it will be at the event, so much the better.

Access should be OK, I live less than a couple of miles from the venue. Not so sure about the lighting but will see what can be done - this was one of the first concerns that came to mind.

Take your gear and take test shots to see which camera angles and shooting positions work best.

Absolutely!

Once you have done this, make sure that access to these shooting positions will be available to you. If the hall has a balcony or other interesting shooting positions, check those out. If there is a stage, access to the wings and front of the stage can be great locations As the designated shooter, you will have a lot more freedom to move around than members of the audience. Try to find positions where you can shoot from, without blocking the view of the audience (shooting from the back or sides and over heads with a long lens while standing can be useful).

I believe there is a gallery where the hotel sets up its AV gear, but no balcony.

If you can get hold of shots from previous years, especially if they were taken at the same venue, this can be immensely helpful in scouting the site and planning your shots.

This is the third year we've been asked to do this. Last year's victim has moved, but the one from the previous year is still around - I'll email him and ask.

That makes sense even if there is a preliminary recce - it gives me a chance to double check.

2. Assume you will be shooting existing light. Unless the venue is very small, flash will not be all that useful.

3. I find fixed focal length lenses are not particularly useful for this type of shooting as the shooting restrictions mean that you can't move around enough for them. The two zooms you are considering make sense to me. Even your long zoom the 150-600mm might be appropriate). I definitely try to have my tripod along for this type of shooting. Camera on a tripod and standing on a chair can open up what you can do.

No problem with shooting available light, and I hadn't thought about the big beast but now you mention it, can see how it may be very helpful.

4. Plan a mix of shots; whole choir, a few of the singers in a group and head shots of individual singers. Wide angle shots that include the audience or even shots of the audience from the stage can be used to tell the story.

Variety = interest = good outcome!

5. I find shutter priority can be the best way to shoot this type of assignment. Avoiding motion blur is far more important than managing depth of field. Auto ISO can be useful if the lighting varies a lot, but I find that in some of these types of events, the lighting is fixed and auto-ISO is not necessary or useful. Just make sure that it is high enough to get sharp images at your selected shutter speed / aperture settings.

Sometimes shooting on manual works best, but you have to be comfortable doing so. As long as the light on the participants if good, autofocus should work well.

Shutter priority - oops, will have to get out and practice I'm not a fan of auto-ISO but I'll check if there will be any special lighting that may make it worth a go. No problems with going manual if required - the ring flash I use for macros is a bargain basement job that does not have TTL.

6. Get to know the chief organizer and onsite organizer if it is not the same person. They need to know that you are the prime shooter and your job is to get the shots, so a bit of leeway for you to do your job is important. If you have issues with permissions, tell them that it is their role to ensure that the participants know that you will be shooting, especially if you decide you need to shoot flash. If the participants have been to the event before, this is usually not an issue.

Be sure you understand the expectations - how many shots do they expect delivered to them, what format and the timeframe.

I think that the link between the camera club and the organisers has been the same person for the last 3 years. That's good advice re permissions - thanks.

As of now, the flash stays home, and this is an established annual event so many (if not most) of the participants should be used to it. Thanks also for the reminder on being clear about expectations.

[rpcrowe]

Just a few thoughts...

A relatively fast zoom would be a great help as would VR or IS or whetever shake reduction your brand lens uses. My Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS on my 7D Mark-2 would be the combination that I would choose for this type of shooting. Of course, there are cameras with better low light capability than the 7D2!

IMO, a prime lens (although it may be faster than a zoom) is difficult to use when you are covering this type of event...

FLASH This is a big question.

If you are used to using flash and can rely that your subjects will not look like "deer in the headlights" By all means use it. I like using the Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro (http://www.dembflashproducts.com/pro...lash-diffuser/)
Joe Demb's site can give you some ideas.

Whether I used flash or available light, I would select an ISO high enough to allow me a shutter speed fast enough to get sharp images at whatever f/stop I would be shooting. Noise is not as much of a problem as is fuzzy imagery from too slow a shutter speed. Noise can be reduced or even at times eliminated in post processing.

One thing that is often thought (in-error) is that flash will stop the action of your subject, no matter what the shutter speed is. This only holds true when there is not enough ambient light to register an image. If you are shooting at a shutter speed that is too slow and if there is ambient light (which there usually is - unless shooting in a studio) the subject movement can be recorded as a secondary, ghost image.

Neil van Niekirk has tons of flash oriented information available on his website. Here is a link to "Natural Looking Flash" you can navigate around Neil's website from there...
https://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-ph...looking-flash/

[billtils]

Thanks for the input Richard.

I am happy to go available light, the D750's low light performance is very good, so that's not a problem. I will probably go mainly with the 24 - 85 and with the 70 - 300 as back up just in case, but there is always the option of the "foot zoom" if I go prime (it's a nice portrait lens).

There is an update to the response to Manfred, but it seems that a realistic pre-assessment is not going to be possible, so it will have to be the "turn up early and check it out" version.

[loosecanon]

All depends on the use of the images. Will they be sold to attendees, or is it more for a social scene - men in dj and ladies in long dresses. If the latter look in some "County" type publications which cover such events. Don't forget the notebook to get the names of who you are photographing so you can caption.

[billtils]

a social scene - men in dj and ladies in long dresses. If the latter look in some "County" type publications which cover such events. Don't forget the notebook to get the names of who you are photographing so you can caption.

Good points, hadn't thought about the notebook! If there is a commercial element, it would be as a fund raiser for the charity.

[billtils]

The deed is done. First impressions are:

(1) it was easier than expected. Everyone was very co-operative, and the D750 handled the 4000 to 5000 ISO for the available light shots much better than I was expecting.

(2) there were unexpected problems. The main one was white balance. The room "ambience" was created by green ceiling lighting, floor mounted green lighting on the walls, and a warm (almost orange) light on the choir. I got round this with a mix of B&W conversions, gradient masking to set some areas to "Cloudy", and masks to selectively desaturate slightly.

The shoot was last night, it's nearly Christmas, and we leave on Friday morning to spend 3 weeks with family in Texas, so not a lot of time has been spent on edits. However, here are a few to give the flavour of the evening:

Centre of Attraction: My favourite of the lot, and one where the mono conversion saved the day:



Caught snapping: nothing more to be said ...



In full voice: This will receive more attention when the festive season gives me the time, but it does show the lighting/WB issues.




Audience participation:



As I said, not a lot of time was spent on these, but C&C welcome.

[Manfred M]

I'm glad the shoot went well for you. The sign of a "pro" is that he or she walks away with images that will keep the client happy. I suspect that will be the case here, looking at these "proofs".

A few thoughts from my personal experience shooting events in mixed light conditions for "clients".

1. B&W hides issues with white balance / colour temperature perfectly, so that is always an option.

2. Reducing saturation can be a useful way of minimizing tonal issues related to mixed lighting shots.

3. If you have to fudge things with colour, getting the skin tone of most noticeable people looking right.

4. Most importantly, often it is only us photographers that are so critical. Others often completely miss the nuances of mixed lighting and white balance.

[billtils]

Thanks Manfred.