Ok so I have no idea how I managed it - but today a DJ asked me to photograph a club event for him.... TOMORROW! This is the first time I will ever have shot anything for anyone other than myself! I have under 24 hours to get an idea of what to do AND travel back to the area where I will be shooting - travel itself will be 2 hours!
So I need as much help as I can get!
I DONT have a flash gun - when asked I told the DJ I would not do it because I only have a cheap DSLR plus the kit lens - no flash gun nothing.. to which his response was "the best photos we've ever had taken were with a point and click and I'd really like to see what you can do and how they'll come out"
So I decided just to go for it and put it down as experience I can use at least :)
I actually have no idea what I need to do about getting there or doing anything... or well... anything!
Basically if any of you have any advice on shooting events with lots of people I'd like an idea of styles or advice on getting good looking pictures
And if anyone has any advice on shooting in dark clubs I'd like advice on that too!
I've only had my SLR a month so barely know how to use it yet! I dont get f stops or anything! I know how to do shutter speed and exposure and am just playing about!!
So really any help you could give me at all would be fantastic - God knows how the guy came across my facebook or why he asked me! My photos arent even that good!!!!
"Pick up a lens hood and a filter for your lens. I call it "the drunk guard". You'd be surprised how much that small investment will help you out in the long run from people smashing into you and spilling drinks."
Thank you @eyebrows - I think thats how I tag you lol
I did a little more digging into flash diffusers and found this! http://www.instructables.com/id/Cigarette-Packet-Flash-Diffuser/ Im sure I can stretch myself to some cigarettes too to make a diffuser lol :P
Im gonna have a play about now with different things to make a diffuser from:D
just saw the comment on lens hood and filters - good job I picked up cheap stuff off ebay a while back just to get an idea of how they worked before deciding whether or not I'd use them and if it was worth investing in an expensive one :D
Can you rent a larger aperture lens? Maybe you could find a camera shop that will rent you something in the f1.4 range? Maybe 2.8 would be enough. Then whatever focal length you'd need. 18mm can be good for large group shots and then some amount of zoom for closeups of stuff on the stage.
@hammster: I have absolutely no money in my bank account whatsoever :P so renting is really out of the question - else I would be! When he said a point and click had some of the best pics they've had I figured I may as well go for it! Though I really wish I hadn't now!
I have however looked through their pictures... and to be honest most look pretty shit! Its difficult cause its a club night as opposed to a venue in particular, and theres not many pictures of it... so I'll have to see how it goes!
I decided to go with using either white tissue paper or white fabric I have left over from my textiles studies - both work well :) I tried to turn my living room into a night club with the lights off at night and a disco ball lol
They seemed to work pretty well so I'll give them a go tonight :) The only thing I dont know is how I'll attach them lol
Noo then it'll leave sticky marks! My camera is less than a month old :P I dont want sticky marks! I've gone for the material with an elastic band to hold it on :D
Done the filter - just got to charge the battery :) Its in charge - takes four hoursish and will have been in for near enough four hours when I leave :)
It went ok til some prick studying photography at university came up and said I had no flash gun so I may as well not bother and that my camera was shit cause it was a sony and not a nikon!
That kinda threw my confidence totally!
Anyway here's a link to the final few images I got lol http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=259285&id=742725782 I only had 4 hours there so there arent too many - and I really struggled to focus - a lot looked ok on the camera but awful once they were on my PC.. and some are over edited because the flash was way too damn bold :P
I decided not to use a diffuser in the end... mainly cause I couldn't be assed lol
Anyway constructive criticism as always is appreciated :)
Well I think you did pretty well! Some of those in there were really good. Don't let that prickface put you off from trying it again (if you enjoyed it, of course :p ) and keeping on improving. Seems a good start from here.
Danielle, you did a fabulous job. That moron at the club obviously didn't know what he's talking about.
A tip with onboard flash photography: You can place a white 3x5 index card under the flash (hold it to the flash with a rubberband) to get a bit of bounce flash so the light from the flash isn't so harsh and can eliminate red eye. I'm assuming the onboard flash is the kind that flips up from the top of the camera.
Potential issue with bounce flash is what color the surface the flash is bouncing from. Could make for interesting skin tones. ;)
Ahh thank you Mike! Good idea! I'll give it a go next time I'm in a situation which requires a flash :)
The home made diffuser would have worked well - but I was too lazy to keep putting it on and off dependant on where in the club I was :P
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I have no idea why I let myself get bullied into this -.-
"Pick up a lens hood and a filter for your lens. I call it "the drunk guard". You'd be surprised how much that small investment will help you out in the long run from people smashing into you and spilling drinks."
I did a little more digging into flash diffusers and found this! http://www.instructables.com/id/Cigarette-Packet-Flash-Diffuser/ Im sure I can stretch myself to some cigarettes too to make a diffuser lol :P
Im gonna have a play about now with different things to make a diffuser from:D
I have however looked through their pictures... and to be honest most look pretty shit! Its difficult cause its a club night as opposed to a venue in particular, and theres not many pictures of it... so I'll have to see how it goes!
How did making the diffuser go?
I decided to go with using either white tissue paper or white fabric I have left over from my textiles studies - both work well :) I tried to turn my living room into a night club with the lights off at night and a disco ball lol
They seemed to work pretty well so I'll give them a go tonight :) The only thing I dont know is how I'll attach them lol
If I panic too much I'll put it on auto... otherwise its my first time on manual :D
That kinda threw my confidence totally!
Anyway here's a link to the final few images I got lol http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=259285&id=742725782 I only had 4 hours there so there arent too many - and I really struggled to focus - a lot looked ok on the camera but awful once they were on my PC.. and some are over edited because the flash was way too damn bold :P
I decided not to use a diffuser in the end... mainly cause I couldn't be assed lol
Anyway constructive criticism as always is appreciated :)
I enjoyed it much more than drinking on a night out - so sure I will keep practising! And it was so much cheaper! :P
A tip with onboard flash photography: You can place a white 3x5 index card under the flash (hold it to the flash with a rubberband) to get a bit of bounce flash so the light from the flash isn't so harsh and can eliminate red eye. I'm assuming the onboard flash is the kind that flips up from the top of the camera.
Potential issue with bounce flash is what color the surface the flash is bouncing from. Could make for interesting skin tones. ;)
The home made diffuser would have worked well - but I was too lazy to keep putting it on and off dependant on where in the club I was :P