Canon 5D and 580EX II

[BlueSX]

Hi guys,

Got my 580EX II this morning and read the manual. Can you share your experience with me regarding the 580EX and the 5D, what settings do you use when shooting event photography?

I understand tweaking the flash exposure compensation can benefit?

Do you have ultimate set up for night club photos or event photos during day ?

This sort of advice is often not found in manuals but very usuful to begginers like me,

btw...I have the 5DII, 24-105L and the 85mm 1.4.

Mostly I will be taking group photos of 2-5 people.

Many Thanks

 

[Guv]

I love shooting night club events because everyone expects direct light and the surrounding darkness is a signature look of this type of photography. This means you don't have to worry about bouncing your light at all and can shoot either straight on or, better, with a small modifier like a Lightsphere, small softbox, or just a big piece of paper.

Settings-wise, it also doesn't get much easier. I generally start with these settings for a bustling nightclub setting with my 5D, 17-40L and 580 EX II:

• Camera in Manual mode
• Flash in E-TTL
• Aperture f/8 to get large enough DOF to not need to focus
• Shutter 1/2 - 1/30 to give a sense of motion (start with 1/15 and go from there)
• ISO 400-800 to give the flash an easier time recycling (I don't use power packs)
• Manual focus set to about 3-4ft in front of the camera so your DOF with f/8 takes care of your subjects and you don't get stuck with AF hunting in the dark, even with the AF assist sometimes
• Any type of bounce card or sphere or softbox, as long as it's nearly as big as a face, to soften brow and nose shadows a little

The 24-105 will be fine, but if you're in a nightclub setting you'll be at the wide end most of the time. This is when most pro shooters pull out the 16-35 or, in my lower end case, the sister 17-40. I never miss the long end in this situation.

If you find yourself getting a lot of half closed eyes, it's because 2nd curtain sync and semi-slow shutter speeds like 1/20 often don't mix well (the preflash can make people blink at just the wrong time, sometimes). Swap to 1st curtain for the 1/10 -1/30 shots and 2nd curtain if you're going for a long trail blur like 1/2 - 1/4 or your subject's not looking at you. I this this is why the 1st curtain / 2nd curtain button is so easily accessible on the 580.

If all else fails and you panic, full auto will also work pretty well in the night club setting because of the very first point I made up above. Have fun!!

--
http://andymcelroy.smugmug.com

 

[ossme]

Take a look at this book. It well be a great help.

http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Canon-EOS-Flash-Photography/dp/193395244X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1288151039&sr=1-1

 

[BlueSX]

Excellent....yuor advice is much appriciated

Wil be testing the settings this weekend,

Thanks

 

[jackpro]

I shoot flash direct with no softening to preserve flash power adjusting compensation on the fly. I set cam to M, iso 800 & 30th or 60th F5.6 on whatever lens your using. I turn off focus assist on the flash & switch lens to manual if it hunts.

I try to ask permission from subjects when shooting at dance parties & ask for poses or dance moves they usually oblige happily & you get to talk to everyone in the place
Definitely more fun than getting drunk.

party shots http://www.flickr.com/photos/dves/sets/72157603019538054/

event shots http://www.flickr.com/photos/dves/sets/72157603399945050/

 

[BlueSX]

Someone suggested to set the flash compensation at +2/3 and background exposure at -2/3. Is this right ? I did try but all images seemed over exposed ?

Thanks

 

[jackpro]

Dependent on subject > dark or light clothes > bright or dark background.

When you are shooting in daylight outdoors then the fancy stuff happens.

But when your shooting events you don't have time to fiddle just get in & have fun.

 

[Jim Cassatt]

I don't do night clubs, but do do weddings and other events. I have found the Demb flash bracket and flit-it to be excellent accessories. Check out the Demb web site. I usually use between f5.6 and f8 and bounce the flash off the ceiling if appropriate. I like ISO 1250 to ensure I have enough light. I do use an external battery pack--a cheap $50.00 Chinese knocloff and it works well. I can go through 400 shots and not ha ve to change batteries.

I was doing an event yesterday and did notice at the end the flash would occasionally fail to fire. If I had been in the middle, I would have just switched flashes (I think the thing was overheating and the protective circuitry kicked in). I just waited and it begain working again.
--
Jim
http://www.pbase.com/jcassatt