Shooting an event soon -- could use some advice

[distant.star]

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A few thoughts. Advice, for what it's worth...


1. Calm down. This is just taking some pictures the organization may or may not use. No lives depend on this. You, and this thread in general, sound like a teenage girl going on a first date!

2. Spend the first 30 minutes to an hour simply looking. Walk around, look, visualize possible images and THINK how to best make them happen. The day is long. (But don't lose good light if you have it.)

3. Limit the number of shots you take -- I'd say don't take more than 200 all day. If they are well thought out and well executed, you'll save yourself a lot of time in post process. You do not have to shoot pictures of everyone there or of everything that happens. They seemed to have asked for a representational sample that will show what the event looked like. No one will look at more than a couple dozen pictures of the event, no matter how invested or interested. I wouldn't give them more than 50 finished pictures, at most.

4. Review expectations with the person who has asked for these pictures. Tell them exactly what you plan to do and ask for confirmation that it will meet their expectations. Then repeat this process again. (One thing John McPhee taught me about interviewing people was that you keep asking the same question until you keep getting the same answer over and over again.) If there is something specific on the day's agenda they want pictures of, make sure you know when it's happening, where, who's who (and important), etc. The pictures they want don't happen by magic -- they happen by people telling you exactly what pictures they want.

5. Enjoy yourself. Stop shooting for a few minutes every now and again and just be part of what's happening. Watch how the kids are having fun and take pleasure in that.

6. No one has yet mentioned a monopod -- might be very useful for indoor shots, and they're easy to carry.

7. Do the usual event coverage stuff -- look for places where you can get high (balconies, overlooks, stairs, etc.). Make sure you know where the light is coming from outside and maneuver shots accordingly. Find one place where a specific lens will get a unique shot (wide angle, for instance). Look for the unusual shot no one has ever taken at this place. You may want to use the monopod as a pole to get a bit of pole-camera aspect.

8. Don't be afraid to set shots up; this isn't journalism. You can put people where you want them around areas of interest, then coax them to act natural and interact if possible. Find the photogenic people who like being in front of the camera.

Again, enjoy yourself. Relax. They didn't expect to have a photographer to begin with!

 

[ahsanford]

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A few thoughts. Advice, for what it's worth...

...

Again, enjoy yourself. Relax. They didn't expect to have a photographer to begin with!

I continue to be amazed at the thoughtfulness folks put into their posts. That is stellar guidance. Deeply appreciated.

- A

 

[IgotGASbadDude]

.You, and this thread in general, sound like a teenage girl going on a first date!

Comment of the year! ;D ;D ;D

But Mr. Distant Star I have one question. "What if he thinks my braces are ugly?" OMG I'd just diiiiiieeeeeee!

 

[Dylan777]

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3. Limit the number of shots you take -- I'd say don't take more than 200 all day. If they are well thought out and well executed, you'll save yourself a lot of time in post process. You do not have to shoot pictures of everyone there or of everything that happens. They seemed to have asked for a representational sample that will show what the event looked like. No one will look at more than a couple dozen pictures of the event, no matter how invested or interested. I wouldn't give them more than 50 finished pictures, at most.

I tend to shoot more and be selective before PP.

 

[JonAustin]

There's a reason why pros use battery packs, which is something you might consider

Battery packs can actually contribute more to flashes overheating as they dont limit recycle rate as much as AAs. That's why I DONT use battery packs and instead use highly rated rechargeables. I had a quantum turbo SC completely fry two 580ex flashes before I made the switch. Haven't had a problem since.

Ouch - thanks for letting me know. I'm more of a f/1.2-f/2 shooter, but sometimes use flash. The battery pack has worked well for me, but I don't go too crazy with the flash. I could see how easy it would be to overdo it, though.

ahsanford, since you'll be using lots of flash, scratch my advice on battery packs...

I've never used a battery pack, but I've done day-long portrait sessions with lots of flash use. I could be wrong (and I frequently am), but I thought that speedlites have internal circuitry to extend the interval between firing and ready status when they get too hot, regardless of the power source.

Now, if the battery pack is defective and serves up, i.e., too high a voltage, that's another story.

 

[ahsanford]

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3. Limit the number of shots you take -- I'd say don't take more than 200 all day. If they are well thought out and well executed, you'll save yourself a lot of time in post process. You do not have to shoot pictures of everyone there or of everything that happens. They seemed to have asked for a representational sample that will show what the event looked like. No one will look at more than a couple dozen pictures of the event, no matter how invested or interested. I wouldn't give them more than 50 finished pictures, at most.

I tend to shoot more and be selective before PP.

This is to one's taste, but I agree with Dylan. I shoot JPG+RAW, I shoot more than I need, I use the JPGs to rate shots and only PP the keepers in RAW. Speed on the front end and power on the back end -- that combination has served me well.

I agree with distant.star's take on limiting the number of finished pictures. Hell, I'm doing this for free!

- A

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I'd take my 5D MK III and 24-70L along with the flash. If I had a assistant to hold the flash, I'd also take my tiny 90ex to use as a master / fill, and have the assistant hold the big flash.

I might keep a backup camera in my car, but since its not a critical assignment, lugging two bodies around seems like overkill. For a wedding, yes - two bodies, one run by a assistant.

 

[FTb-n]

I shoot a lot of school events and all I carry are two 5D3 bodies, one with a 24-70 f2.8L II, the other with the 70-200 f2.8L II. (Not long ago, I used the 24-105 f4L before getting the 24-70.)

For what it's worth, the 70-200 gets the most use. It all depends upon how you shoot. I like to stay in the background and get candids of individuals. The 70-200 is great for this.

Things are going to happen quickly. Don't expect to be able to change lenses a lot. For me the two bodies are key to keeping it simple. I find that it's best to limit the lenses that you carry -- it limits the temptation to spend more time switching lenses than shooting.

As for flash, I'll admit that there are some venues that may be well suited for bouncing the flash off the ceiling or a back wall. This is something that I should explore more, but I prefer available light shooting.

I do carry grey cleaning cloth and recently got a business sized grey WB card to carry at all times. It's a good idea if you have the time to grab a shot with a WB grey card in view -- not simply an exposure grey card, but one balanced for color. Make sure you shoot RAW. When I don't have the grey card available, I can often color balance in Lightroom using the whites of the eyes of a subject.

On occasion, I will use custom WB with the camera. But, remember to go back to AWB when the light changes.

My advice is to bring the 5D3 with the 24-70 f4 and the 70-200 f2.8 -- and that's it. You have to decide if the venue will be suitable for the 70-200 -- will you have room to roam a bit or will you always be close to the group?

 

[ahsanford]

My advice is to bring the 5D3 with the 24-70 f4 and the 70-200 f2.8 -- and that's it. You have to decide if the venue will be suitable for the 70-200 -- will you have room to roam a bit or will you always be close to the group?

I don't have a schedule of activities yet, but I presume it will be a balance of some scripted/scheduled activities and some meander-y walkabout time.

- A

 

[agierke]

I've never used a battery pack, but I've done day-long portrait sessions with lots of flash use. I could be wrong (and I frequently am), but I thought that speedlites have internal circuitry to extend the interval between firing and ready status when they get too hot, regardless of the power source.

Now, if the battery pack is defective and serves up, i.e., too high a voltage, that's another story.

sry for the side thread piggy backing this thread...but i feel this is important. yes, modern flashes have safety measures to prevent damage from overheating with each generation seeming to get better at it. and yes, the problem with a battery pack is that it can send a much higher surge to the flash resulting in an overload.

the first flash i had fried was the 580EX v1. i'm not sure if it had safety measures to prevent damage from overheating (i dont recall and if it did i very well may have ignored it). the second flash that got fried was the 580EX v2, and it died twice...once on the battery pack and then again (after repair!!!) on rechargables. at that point i did some research and i recall reading that the 580EX2 had a faulty design in the head that didn't allow it to vent properly and ultimately caused the flash tube to arc...thus frying the head.

anyways...after 3 meltdowns on 2 heads i decided to be more careful about how i powered and used my flashes. sold the quantum and picked up some powerex AAs. no issues since and i only rarely run across instances where those batteries cant keep up recycle rate.

now i run with 600EX-RTs and they do have a clear warning system that the flash is overheating. love those things.

 

[pwp]

Good solid advice from Distant Star. He's probably got a nicely evolved events workflow. There is a lot of great advice on this thread, much of which illustrates the diversity of how photographers approach events work.

I'd shoot a couple of events a week. FWIW here's a little on how I go about it.

The Brief: Get very clear communication from the client on what they want, how they're going to use it and when they need delivery of the job. I learned a long time ago not to accept a brief along the lines of..."well you're the expert, just do what you think is best..." only to get feedback after the job is delivered..."well this actually isn't what we were wanting..." Grrrrr. Insist on a written brief.

Cameras & Lenses: Always two bodies with Peak Design sling straps, 24-70 f/2.8II on one and 70-200 f/2.8isII on the other. Sometimes a third body with good high iso capability with a 24 f/1.4II. Typically the 24-70 gets used for posed shots, the 70-200 for candids. Two extra lenses that I'd keep nearby are a 16-35 just in case 24 isn't enough, and a 300 f/2.8is for some awesome candids, or required shots of speakers/presenters from a respectable distance.

Lighting: Speedlight 600ex-rt on each camera, plus additional lights depending on the job eg: a couple more off-camera 600ex-rt or Einsteins. With the on-camera flash, use bounce whenever possible, or if the room has high black ceilings, a diffuser such as a Gary Fong is great. I use Flash Diffuser Pro from Joe Demb http://www.dembflashproducts.com/ As we all know, straight flash looks pretty bad in most cases and should be used only as a last resort or for a particular look. For daylight fill, straight flash can look fine. Also, you can often make good extra money setting up a simple studio and asking the MC to make an appropriate announcement for you. People love it.

Batteries: I've had old 550 EZ speedlights explode when working them hard when powered by a Quantum Turbo. I had one go BANG two days after 9-11. Everyone hit the floor. Client was not impressed. Put in perspective, back in that time I was shooting 100 iso film and needed a ton of light, thus working the speedlights a LOT harder. Now my default iso at most events is 800 and on the 5D3 I have no qualms bumping up to 1600 and occasionally 3200 if that's what's needed to get the shot. Bounce flash at 1600 iso gives a great look, done well it looks like available light. I wouldn't walk out of the studio door without a fully charged Quantum T3 battery (with the twin outlets). Remote 600ex-rt are powered by the incredible value Godox Propac PB960 http://www.amazon.com/Godox-Propac-Battery-Output-Camera/dp/B00D06LUAA (btw they come in black...)

Shooting: I tend to shoot heavily, frequently coming back from an event with 1500-2000 shots. Shooting a lot of candids, there is a high loss rate, but with a ruthless edit you really get those great moments that make the client swoon. In another life as a photo-editor for a metropolitan Sunday newspaper I learned to edit fast. If it's a maybe, then it shouldn't make the cut. Another reason to shoot heavily can be to give an event a bit more sizzle. If you're doing your job well, communicating confidently and genuinely having fun, you're part of the entertainment. People respond to light energies, affinity, respect, humor and a bit of good natured nonsense. Like life, it's supposed to be enjoyable!

Invoicing: Be very careful about doing freebies or heavily discounted events. Better to be reassuringly expensive.

-pw

 

[wickidwombat]

general rules for dialling in Flash exposure compensation in ETTL

if the background is brighter than the subject dial in + EC the amount depends on how much brighter the background is so you need a bit of trial and error start at +1 and work from that.
this is out doors bright sun etc

if the background is darker than the subject dial in - EC same as about the amount depends on how much darker the back ground is again start at -1
this is indoors in shade at night etc

don't leave the flash just in ETTL it will rarely balance correctly you need to practice balancing the ambient exposure with the flash exposure.

another general rule is expose for the background and use the flash EC to correct the exposure of the subject

hope that helps a bit

 

[eninja]

If I were shooting an event for the first time. I would focus on the event more, anticipate and prepare for the shot. And be quick. I need my photographer instinct to be intact.

These advise goes for me also, coz tomorrow will be my first paid event. Only for 2 hours 10-12:00 local time, im not sure about the location but I assume its semi-outdoor and bright.

The problem is.. I GOT NO Zoom LENS.
These are what I got: 6D, 700D, 85mm 1.8 and 35mm f2 IS. 430ex ii with Graslon Dome Diffuser.
I was going to rent 24-70 F4L but it was not available. I was stupid to rent 16-35 F2.8 instead.

I tried using 16-35 on both 6D and 700D. There's no wow effect on the 6D. with 700D worst, I find it not sharp, AFMA error maybe.

So I decided for sure, to use my own trusted perfect matched 6D + 35mm and 700D with 85mm. Which always output nice photos.

As I've said. I need my photographer instinct to be intact. There's nothing more secure feeling than knowing and trusting on your gear. That's why I chose my prime for this event (16-35 will be useless, unless i cant step 5 steps back), in return I need to focus and anticipate more.

 

[ahsanford]

general rules for dialling in Flash exposure compensation in ETTL

if the background is brighter than the subject dial in + EC the amount depends on how much brighter the background is so you need a bit of trial and error start at +1 and work from that.
this is out doors bright sun etc

if the background is darker than the subject dial in - EC same as about the amount depends on how much darker the back ground is again start at -1
this is indoors in shade at night etc

don't leave the flash just in ETTL it will rarely balance correctly you need to practice balancing the ambient exposure with the flash exposure.

another general rule is expose for the background and use the flash EC to correct the exposure of the subject

hope that helps a bit

It does, but I have a jillion flash questions.

Without a flash, I am predominantly an aperture priority guy. With a flash, I keep hearing two schools of thought on flash settings when you don't have time to dial everything in:

• Rookie mode: Stick with whatever mode you usually use without a flash, use your knowledge of that mode to nail the ambient and heavily rely on tweaking FEC as you go.
  
  
• Let's get braver mode: Switch to M, guess/practice at average starting settings (before the shoot), say ISO 200, F/6.3, Shutter 1/80s, and then tweak as needed throughout the event, using the rule that shutter affects ambient exposure and aperture affects flash exposure. If either aperture or shutter are getting forced into values you that are problematic (shutter too slow to hold, shutter too fast for sync, or an aperture that is composition unfriendly to keep shutter where you want it, etc.), tweak your ISO to bring you back into settings that give you elbow room either way for flash and ambient exposure.
  
  
• Jedi Event Master Flash mode: Bend the spoon with your mind. Just instinctively know what to do.

The concern with events is uneven lighting, which makes locking in 'you're good, just shoot' settings next to impossible. Can someone give me a simple algorithm for managing this?

Also, I understand the hit to power by using HSS, but sometimes you have to use it, right?

- A

 

[wickidwombat]

general rules for dialling in Flash exposure compensation in ETTL

if the background is brighter than the subject dial in + EC the amount depends on how much brighter the background is so you need a bit of trial and error start at +1 and work from that.
this is out doors bright sun etc

if the background is darker than the subject dial in - EC same as about the amount depends on how much darker the back ground is again start at -1
this is indoors in shade at night etc

don't leave the flash just in ETTL it will rarely balance correctly you need to practice balancing the ambient exposure with the flash exposure.

another general rule is expose for the background and use the flash EC to correct the exposure of the subject

hope that helps a bit

It does, but I have a jillion flash questions.

Without a flash, I am predominantly an aperture priority guy. With a flash, I keep hearing two schools of thought on flash settings when you don't have time to dial everything in:

• Rookie mode: Stick with whatever mode you usually use without a flash, use your knowledge of that mode to nail the ambient and heavily rely on tweaking FEC as you go.
  
  
• Let's get braver mode: Switch to M, guess/practice at average starting settings (before the shoot), say ISO 200, F/6.3, Shutter 1/80s, and then tweak as needed throughout the event, using the rule that shutter affects ambient exposure and aperture affects flash exposure. If either aperture or shutter are getting forced into values you that are problematic (shutter too slow to hold, shutter too fast for sync, or an aperture that is composition unfriendly to keep shutter where you want it, etc.), tweak your ISO to bring you back into settings that give you elbow room either way for flash and ambient exposure.
  
  
• Jedi Event Master Flash mode: Bend the spoon with your mind. Just instinctively know what to do.

The concern with events is uneven lighting, which makes locking in 'you're good, just shoot' settings next to impossible. Can someone give me a simple algorithm for managing this?

Also, I understand the hit to power by using HSS, but sometimes you have to use it, right?

- A

The above works just fine in aperture priority so stick to that if its your thing the flash ec is seperate anyway
Just go with the +1light back ground -1 dark back ground if its off bit its not a huge deal and you will get a feel for it soon enough

 

[RustyTheGeek]

I shoot enough events that I feel like I can offer some decent advice. All the advice given is good and solid... and my head is spinning after reading it.

My BEST ADVICE -> K.I.S.S. Principle <- My BEST ADVICE (Read distant.star's advice again. Relax and enjoy!)

I don't care how much you shoot, how many events or whatever, every photographer who gives a hoot will over think these things because they want to do a great job.

There are many ways that this can be done with many cameras and lens scenarios. In general, you have good equipment and a LOT can be fixed in Post so don't kill yourself. Take your time, relax and try different things. Watch your LCD as you shoot and adapt as you go. Don't take too much stuff. And ditch the CPL.

So here's MY two scenarios... :

Simple - Take the 5D3, 24-70 and Flash. Shoot RAW. Set your WB to daylight and leave it there or use the gray card and set it custom but once it's set, don't change it. Corrections in Post will be much easier starting from the same place every image. Set ISO 3200 indoors and 400 outdoors. Create custom camera settings for indoor and outdoor to save time. Set for Av Priority f/4 (lowest you can go) with Flash ETTL AUTO indoors. Outdoors, depending on light levels, shade, etc you might need to go with center point metering. I wouldn't worry about HSS, you won't have time. It would probably be better to use a smaller aperture anyway to help control all the background light and have more of the scene in focus. Point flash with Sto-Fen up 45 degrees indoors, 90 degrees forward outdoors and dial in EC on the fly like wickedwombat suggests. (This is pretty much what I do most of the time.) I wouldn't take the 70-200 unless you are planning to get a lot of face only shots, or maybe just noses and eyes. Heck, I would have my 16-35 L lens hanging on my belt because I would find it much more useful indoors where I'm cramped and trying to get the event in the frame. And you might shoot a bit with no flash so the aquarium will be pretty, or with the flash dialed back quite a bit so as not to overpower or reflect heavily off the glass.

Another indoor flash idea, gel the flash to match the aquarium light color. Some kind of blue or green perhaps?

More Work and Versatility - Take the T2i with the 24-70 for reach and put the 16-35 on the 5D3. Put the flash on the T2i. Use the 5D3 wide with available light indoors and out for group, event, story shots, etc. Use the T2i for candids, etc and light the faces better with the flash.

Another lens I would take for some fun shots would be... drum roll... the EF 15mm f/2.8 FishEye! Inside with the aquarium, letting the kids get really close and capturing them near the tanks, no flash. I think that would be really neat! Also, held up high it would give some great story shots.

Seriously, relax and enjoy this. To reduce the worry, go to the venue early and experiment for an hour or two. Make sure it's about the same time of day!

Keep us posted on how this goes and what you ended doing. Sharing a few pictures would be nice too!

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Cameras & Lenses: Always two bodies.... .... Speedlight 600ex-rt on each camera

Two cameras with speedlights attached hanging from straps, in a crowd of kids/parents?

That sounds like a good way to get equipment busted. One bad bump and one of those speedlights can snap off. I think that is a bit over-kill for this type of shoot. Especially for someone doing this type of shoot for the first time.

 

[ahsanford]

Awesome feedback everyone. Please understand I'm not frantic at all about this event -- That's just how I ask questions and learn. I'm a 'hyper-questioner' who nibbles at a bigger question with many little ones. Your feedback is stellar. (I'm actually quite calm about the event, believe it or not.)

Individual responses:

Rusty -- yes, getting close to the kids in interactive moments with games/displays on the 16mm end seemed a natural choice. 16mm is as wide as I go, so that will have to do. 100% agreement on the sto-fen indoor/outdoor positions. I'm still on the fence with two cameras as the T1i will be fairly useless for ambient light indoors (even ISO 1600 is a challenge on that rig). I'm leaning towards just the 5D3 with the 24-70 and the 16-35 as option #2 as needed.

Wickidwombat -- I presume your +/- rule on bright/dark backgrounds for FEC is tied to Evaluative Metering? I assume that switching to Spot Metering would limit how often I need to compensate, right? (Side question -- at events, for those that use Av or Tv, what metering modes do you use?)

Many folks who recommended the 70-200 -- I love the isolation that lens gives me, and I appreciate the value it has for candids, but I'm not sure I'll have the room to use it in the venue (which, other than a long and narrow atrium, is quite cramped). I feel like the 16-35 will get much more use, and not bringing the 70-200 will do my back a favor over the course of the day.

- A

 

[mackguyver]

Cameras & Lenses: Always two bodies.... .... Speedlight 600ex-rt on each camera

Two cameras with speedlights attached hanging from straps, in a crowd of kids/parents?

That sounds like a good way to get equipment busted. One bad bump and one of those speedlights can snap off. I think that is a bit over-kill for this type of shoot. Especially for someone doing this type of shoot for the first time.

Agreed - I'd keep one on the 5DIII and the other in a bag/pocket as a spare or for off-camera shots. Two mounted flashes are too easy to bump into each other, crowd or not.

 

[ahsanford]

Cameras & Lenses: Always two bodies.... .... Speedlight 600ex-rt on each camera

Two cameras with speedlights attached hanging from straps, in a crowd of kids/parents?

That sounds like a good way to get equipment busted. One bad bump and one of those speedlights can snap off. I think that is a bit over-kill for this type of shoot. Especially for someone doing this type of shoot for the first time.

Agreed - I'd keep one on the 5DIII and the other in a bag/pocket as a spare or for off-camera shots. Two mounted flashes are too easy to bump into each other, crowd or not.

I don't even own two speedlites. #naturallightshooter

- A