Help with speedlight settings for live music shoots!!?

[Niz]

Hello,

I have just purcahsed a Sunpak PX40 flash for my Nikon d90 and i decided to test it out by photographing a mates band playing, i ended up getting alot of photos with a shadow behind the musicians and am overall unhappy with the results. I was shooting manual and had the flash in manual with a defuser, i found TTL to over expose the shots but i also found that having the flash in manual meant i had to continusly fiddle with the settings to get a correct exposure.

Could anyone please give me some advice on what settings you would use to shoot a band in low light if flash photography was allowed? i was shooting 1/125-200 with 2.8 and the flash on manual beteween 1/32-1/64 and would like to achieve better results next time around!

I should also mention that the band were playing close to a white wall aswell so, that may also have contributed to to the shadows but mainly it was just my lack of ability!

Basically with practise i'd like my photos to turn out similar to the one below. So any advice would be really appreciated!

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...s-live-music-shoots-6836635574_d7fc3c4cb8.jpg


Thanks in advance

Ben

OP: As noted below, TPF does not allow the posting of images which are not your or unless you have specific permission from the copyright holder. I've converted that image to a link for you.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

I simply set the shutter speed for background/ambient light and the aperture for the fill flash on the subject. In a situation that dark i, may tweak the ISO to allow a slower shutter, but don't get so greedy the flash looks silly

 

[table1349]

You might want to read this first

* You agree to only post images and/or other material to which you have exclusive copyright, or permission from the copyright holder that you are able to present to TPF Staff. Under no circumstances will any instance of copyright infringement be tolerated.


Full set of rules. Photography Forum & Digital Photography Forum FAQ

 

[Niz]

You might want to read this first

* You agree to only post images and/or other material to which you have exclusive copyright, or permission from the copyright holder that you are able to present to TPF Staff. Under no circumstances will any instance of copyright infringement be tolerated.


Full set of rules. Photography Forum & Digital Photography Forum FAQ

Sorry, ill be sure to look over the rules before making another thread and in future.

I dont want to sound rude but why didn't you at least offer some advice since you went out of your way to write that?

 

[fjrabon]

there's really no reason to try to get used to shooting bands with a flash, since you're basically never allowed to do it in 'real life' situations anyway.

And if you're shooting with the flash on the camera, and not trigger remotely somehow, they're basically always going to look crappy. Your best bet if you HAVE to do that is to bounce it off a wall.