Daytime Event Shooting

[bdunbar79]

Does anybody here ever have to shoot events during the day, such as between 10am and 3pm? I did yesterday and due to the sun, I missed so many potentially great shots, taken otherwise in proper lighting (morning or evening). Does this frustrate anyone? Sorry I'm just venting

 

[Z]

Are you able to post some examples? If so, maybe forum members could offer input and advice on how to deal with similar situations in future.

Tasteful use of fill flash springs to mind!

 

[distant.star]

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Yep, high contrast scenes, harsh light, speckling shade under trees, etc. -- it's quite a challenge. I've been doing it a lot lately. My best advice is lowered expectations, resourcefulness and lots of post-processing.

Different types of events can have different challenges. In situations where you have some control, you can ask people to move for optimal lighting/background and such. Sometimes you can move objects, most time not. If you want strictly candid shots, you're at the absolute mercy of the elements most of the time. Often it's best to watch the overall event and see where the best setting is -- then set up there and use that as your little "studio." That can take some discipline when a lot is going on all over the place.

If you can pose people, bring along a simple umbrella. Lots of color in an umbrella can be used both as sunshield and background color. A light/gray umbrella can be used for simply diffusing the light uniformly.

Generally, when doing scenes, there's little choice but eval metering. If I'm going for head shots, I'll use spot metering and do as much as I can to fill the frame with the person's head. I also tend to slightly underexpose and use selected fill light in post. Oh, and don't forget a lens hood.

Someone mentioned fill flash. That's always an option in the right situation. I tend to use it rarely -- once or twice in an 800-shot event a couple of weeks ago.

If you have control of time, use it. Where events go on all day, get there early and use better light, or be there late. Sometimes, there isn't a choice -- the July 4 parade here on Wednesday starts at noon. Shooting the vehicles in the parade on the street, I'll need a polarizing filter against glare. To get the people on the sidelines, that filter will just cut down my shutter speed. It's all compromise.

As I said in the beginning, lowered expectations can alleviate some of the frustrations.

Best to remember the old "Dirty Harry" movie advice -- a man's gotta know his limitations.

 

[bdunbar79]

Thank you very much guys. Yes I can also post some photos. I am really not an event photographer; that is something I've just recently gotten into. Heck even weddings were more controlled than an outdoor balloon festival all day. I like your suggestions a lot distant.star. I will read through your post many times. Fill flash is a good option, but limited where I was. Outdoor still shots/controlled shots, sure, but this was rapid movement rapid fire from 12-2pm mostly! Ouch! Again, thanks.

 

[Marsu42]

I missed so many potentially great shots, taken otherwise in proper lighting (morning or evening).

... highlight recovery +100, shadows +100 .. and you can have a couple of assistants swarm around you with flashes and reflectors - I'm always amazed by the big effort if I see film crews setting up the light for daytime shooting.

 

[bdunbar79]

I missed so many potentially great shots, taken otherwise in proper lighting (morning or evening).

... highlight recovery +100, shadows +100 .. and you can have a couple of assistants swarm around you with flashes and reflectors - I'm always amazed by the big effort if I see film crews setting up the light for daytime shooting.

100's not high enough If only I were good enough to have those assistants following me around.

 

[wickidwombat]

pretty much essential to have an assistant with an off camera flash setup maybe 2 or 3 flashes in a ganglight setup through an umbrella. depends on how much power you need really

 

[bdunbar79]

pretty much essential to have an assistant with an off camera flash setup maybe 2 or 3 flashes in a ganglight setup through an umbrella. depends on how much power you need really

I agree. But I only do 2-3 events/year, most of my other stuff is sports and portraits. So far this year I've covered a parade and then this festival. Next weekend I'm covering a fireworks event. And that'll be it until football and volleyball season. I don't even do weddings anymore, so I have no assistant. It was tough.

 

[wickidwombat]

here's an option if you absolutly have to go it alone

Human Light Suit: Burning Man 2010

 

[briansquibb]

I use a light stick with 3 flash heads, hand held plus one on the shoe, all PW fired.

HSS is no problem - at iso50 to reduce the impact of the ambient

Can shoot 1 handed as shutter speed will be about 1/4000.

 

[bdunbar79]

Oh I love this board. You guys crack me up. I'm not upset about the event anymore thanks to that video, oh man was that a good one!

 

[wickidwombat]

Oh I love this board. You guys crack me up. I'm not upset about the event anymore thanks to that video, oh man was that a good one!

glad you liked it

now you just need a wheel barrow some batteries and soft boxes....

 

[distant.star]

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Brian, I had no idea you could be so subtle!

I use a light stick with 3 flash heads, hand held plus one on the shoe, all PW fired.

HSS is no problem - at iso50 to reduce the impact of the ambient

Can shoot 1 handed as shutter speed will be about 1/4000.

 

[briansquibb]

.
Brian, I had no idea you could be so subtle!

I use a light stick with 3 flash heads, hand held plus one on the shoe, all PW fired.

HSS is no problem - at iso50 to reduce the impact of the ambient

Can shoot 1 handed as shutter speed will be about 1/4000.

My lightsaber is very, very useful at wedding receptions too . Here is an example of it being used in a disco, 2 flash pointing up for bounce, 1 down for hairlight, one onshoe for catchlight

Indoors, in the dark I will shoot at 1/160- 1/250, f/5.6 or f/8, iso 200/400

Not a good portrait - but shows how it can be used in a tight space - 50 f/1.4 on 1D4 - not cropped. Single flash on shoe does not give as good light as this from 4/5ft. The light stick is held some 3-4 ft above my head.

- The big bouce means I get some local ambient whilst taking shots at low iso
- shadow is minimum as bounced light source is from above the people, whereas onshoe bouce means shadow from close objects

The onshoe is just a tickle so the local people dont get flash blinded

Camera Model Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Shooting Date/Time 30/06/2012 00:05:48
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/160
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 400
Auto ISO Speed OFF
Lens EF50mm f/1.4 USM
Focal Length 50.0mm
Flash On
Flash Type External E-TTL
Flash Exposure Compensation -1/3
AF Mode AI Servo AF
Drive Mode Low-speed continuous shooting

 

[RLPhoto]

Does anybody here ever have to shoot events during the day, such as between 10am and 3pm? I did yesterday and due to the sun, I missed so many potentially great shots, taken otherwise in proper lighting (morning or evening). Does this frustrate anyone? Sorry I'm just venting

Get a good flash for filling in shadows, And post-process the RAW's to your tastes.

If there is any posed photos during the event, get a scrim and use it to soften the light above there head. It will get a basic Rembrandt light and looks great. Much simpler than multiple flash setups.

 

[Marsu42]

... highlight recovery +100, shadows +100

100's not high enough

Actually, there's a good way even around this: As long as there's any data to recover in highlights and shadows, you can try single image exposure fusion: make 2 virtual copies +-2ev or +-1.5ev, then re-combine them in Photomatrix or with enfuse. I hope Lightroom 5 will have this procedure built-in, very handy, you can even do batch processing this way.

 

[briansquibb]

Does anybody here ever have to shoot events during the day, such as between 10am and 3pm? I did yesterday and due to the sun, I missed so many potentially great shots, taken otherwise in proper lighting (morning or evening). Does this frustrate anyone? Sorry I'm just venting

Get a good flash for filling in shadows, And post-process the RAW's to your tastes.

If there is any posed photos during the event, get a scrim and use it to soften the light above there head. It will get a basic Rembrandt light and looks great. Much simpler than multiple flash setups.

Cant get much simpler than 1 off camera, 1 on shoe plus of course the sun

 

[RLPhoto]

Does anybody here ever have to shoot events during the day, such as between 10am and 3pm? I did yesterday and due to the sun, I missed so many potentially great shots, taken otherwise in proper lighting (morning or evening). Does this frustrate anyone? Sorry I'm just venting

Get a good flash for filling in shadows, And post-process the RAW's to your tastes.

If there is any posed photos during the event, get a scrim and use it to soften the light above there head. It will get a basic Rembrandt light and looks great. Much simpler than multiple flash setups.

Cant get much simpler than 1 off camera, 1 on shoe plus of course the sun

I suppose. A Large 60" Scrim can do wonders to soften patched light or harsh direct over head light into stunning light that gives large catchlights in the eyes. Its like carrying a 60" soft box with you. ;D

 

[briansquibb]

Does anybody here ever have to shoot events during the day, such as between 10am and 3pm? I did yesterday and due to the sun, I missed so many potentially great shots, taken otherwise in proper lighting (morning or evening). Does this frustrate anyone? Sorry I'm just venting

Get a good flash for filling in shadows, And post-process the RAW's to your tastes.

If there is any posed photos during the event, get a scrim and use it to soften the light above there head. It will get a basic Rembrandt light and looks great. Much simpler than multiple flash setups.

Cant get much simpler than 1 off camera, 1 on shoe plus of course the sun

I suppose. A Large 60" Scrim can do wonders to soften patched light or harsh direct over head light into stunning light that gives large catchlights in the eyes. Its like carrying a 60" soft box with you. ;D

Hope it isn't windy

 

[RLPhoto]

Does anybody here ever have to shoot events during the day, such as between 10am and 3pm? I did yesterday and due to the sun, I missed so many potentially great shots, taken otherwise in proper lighting (morning or evening). Does this frustrate anyone? Sorry I'm just venting

Get a good flash for filling in shadows, And post-process the RAW's to your tastes.

If there is any posed photos during the event, get a scrim and use it to soften the light above there head. It will get a basic Rembrandt light and looks great. Much simpler than multiple flash setups.

Cant get much simpler than 1 off camera, 1 on shoe plus of course the sun

I suppose. A Large 60" Scrim can do wonders to soften patched light or harsh direct over head light into stunning light that gives large catchlights in the eyes. Its like carrying a 60" soft box with you. ;D

Hope it isn't windy

Hope you carry sandbags.