Banquet Shooting

[gian133]

hey everyone.
i've been shooting for about a month now and have been doing pretty good(i think anyways). now here is the issue. as my family has found out of my new hobby i have been volunteered. i need to take pictures at a banquet/dinner dance for a club i am a part of. pictures of speeches, people at tables, the group of officers/president, etc.
im not against this at all (it will be a good expirence) and i know that they dont expect an amazing photographer quality but i would like to do a decent job. im still not really comfortable using all the manual setting on may camera yet(d40). i do have a very cheap flash (phoenix something i got for super cheap) that could be used but not sure how it would work out.

any suggestions to help me out would be great.
thanks
gian

 

[maulrat]

now here is the issue. as my family has found out of my new hobby i have been volunteered.

lol, you've been involuntarily volunteered. I get this often by my girlfriend. I would recommend plenty of indoor practice using your flash. In your situation, your flash will be your best friend. Learn flash photography techniques such as bouncing. Samanax has a good list of links on flash photography info.

 

[gian133]

is bouncing possible with high ceilings. it is at a big open hall probably 30ft ceilings and big enough for 500 people. i am allready starting to practice though.

thanks
gian

 

[RacePhoto]

is bouncing possible with high ceilings. it is at a big open hall probably 30ft ceilings and big enough for 500 people. i am allready starting to practice though.

thanks
gian

Just can't wait to see the answers. I shot a Borthday party in an Antium, with 40 foot ceilings, live trees, an indoor park setting. It was nearly impossible, and I had mixed results.

So dark the auto focus didn't work. I used ear rings, shirt buttons, eyes or anything that would give me a spot to focus on. Tried three different types of diffusers, I'd say that none really worked "best".

Bowl/Lambency on 580-EX, cap diffuser on 580-EX, and clip on, over the on camera flash.

Good thing it was friends and I was getting paid food and cake.