Basic studio lighting backdrop for event I'm shooting

[Lady707]

A friend of mine asked me to take pictures at his 50th birthday. The venue will be at a banquet hall and he wants a corner of the room to be set up for pictures with a backdrop. I have no equipment other than my Nikon D750, External flash D910, Sigma 24mm-120mm, 50mm and 35mm and that's it.

What is the minimum amount of equipment I can get away with? I have no experience with studio lighting. I had a look on the internet and saw these two studio & Light kits. One is with umbrella and the other kit is with a soft box. I don't want to stress myself with complicated set up but I do want decent pictures. Suggested tutorials, websites and advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! Alison

 

[Designer]

Minimum you've already got. Bounced flash is quite nice. If the walls and ceiling are white or very nearly white, point the SB-910 at the ceiling or a wall. Use your 24-120 at 100mm to 120mm. Hand-held, you'll want to keep your shutter speed at or faster than 1/120 sec. 1/1000 sec. would be better. Set your camera and flash to i-TTL and bang away.

If you have already planned to purchase studio strobes and modifiers, then sure, but you wanted to know about the minimum.

 

[tirediron]

My suggestion would be as follows: Use the corner of the room as indicated, and place the subject with one wall about 3-4' to his right or left and about 6-8' in front of the wall which will be the background (put a tape mark on the floor to mark your position and the subject's). Bounce your flash at an angle, preferably off of the corner between the wall and ceiling, and use MANUAL flash. Set your camera to ISO 200, SS of 1/250 and f8. This should require a flash output of somewhere between 1/16 and 1/32 (depending on the exact distances). While TTL would probably get you decent shots, you would likely find that there would be a significant difference in exposure between someone wearing all black and all white. Manual flash (assuming you and the subject maintain your relative positions) will ensure consisten results and proper exposure every time.

 

[Lady707]

Minimum you've already got. Bounced flash is quite nice. If the walls and ceiling are white or very nearly white, point the SB-910 at the ceiling or a wall. Use your 24-120 at 100mm to 120mm. Hand-held, you'll want to keep your shutter speed at or faster than 1/120 sec. 1/1000 sec. would be better. Set your camera and flash to i-TTL and bang away.

If you have already planned to purchase studio strobes and modifiers, then sure, but you wanted to know about the minimum.

Minimum you've already got. Bounced flash is quite nice. If the walls and ceiling are white or very nearly white, point the SB-910 at the ceiling or a wall. Use your 24-120 at 100mm to 120mm. Hand-held, you'll want to keep your shutter speed at or faster than 1/120 sec. 1/1000 sec. would be better. Set your camera and flash to i-TTL and bang away.

If you have already planned to purchase studio strobes and modifiers, then sure, but you wanted to know about the minimum.

Thank you! Feeling relieved that I don't require additional equipment! Will test settings you have suggested. Thank a lot

 

[Lady707]

My suggestion would be as follows: Use the corner of the room as indicated, and place the subject with one wall about 3-4' to his right or left and about 6-8' in front of the wall which will be the background (put a tape mark on the floor to mark your position and the subject's). Bounce your flash at an angle, preferably off of the corner between the wall and ceiling, and use MANUAL flash. Set your camera to ISO 200, SS of 1/250 and f8. This should require a flash output of somewhere between 1/16 and 1/32 (depending on the exact distances). While TTL would probably get you decent shots, you would likely find that there would be a significant difference in exposure between someone wearing all black and all white. Manual flash (assuming you and the subject maintain your relative positions) will ensure consisten results and proper exposure every time.

Much appreciated. Will test with your suggestions prior to function. Thanks for your help.

 

[Designer]

Fortunately, most modern wall decor styles include painting the walls and ceilings a white or off-white color paint in either flat or eggshell gloss which will work quite well as a reflector of some size when directing flash onto your subjects.

 

[KmH]

With light being bounced from above, you'll also likely want to use the SB-910's built in bounce card or a larger DIY bounce card to add fill light to people's eye sockets, under chin, under nose, etc.