hollywood event

WhineAndDine · May 1, 2009

a friend of mine is a celeb photographer and im tagging along with him at a hollywood nightlife event. he thought it would be a good experience for me.

im scared sh*tless.

what type of lens should i be using? i have a 40d with the battery grip and plenty of cards, have a speedlite too. just dont know what to take with me. help!

photogincollege · May 1, 2009

I'd take the 50mm and maybe the 28-135. Also might want to think about getting a small diffuser for your speedlight. Something like one of these http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/52698-REG/Sto_Fen_OM_300T__OM_300T_Omni_Bounce_for_Canon.html

adamwilliamking · May 1, 2009

One word of advice would be that you're not going to have a good time in a nightclub or concert hall with any F4 or 3.5-5.6 lenses. With a flash you can get away with these types of lenses but unless you're experienced with adjusting your flash settings as you run around trying to get once in a lifetime shots than I wouldn't depend on your flash too much.

photogoddess · May 6, 2009

24-70 2.8 will cover most things for you.

JerryPH · May 6, 2009

First off, I am not understanding the fear (scared sh!tle$$ ?)... this should be fun, not scary!!

Second, if you are not sure what to bring, talk to the person that you are going to be coming with, they've done it before and can give you advice too... but...

- fast lenses rule. Club scenes are dark, but have wild wonderful lighting potential. For me, many shots would be done on a lens with F/1.4 apertures (F/1.8 or F/2.8 lenses are about the slowest I would go). As far as focal length, I would take 2 lenses with me... the 24-70 and the 70-200. That is a wide range and covers about any situation that comes up.

- flash can be important. If the ceilings/walls are white, you can bounce it to help avoid red-eye. Off camera light is better, but requires extra knowledge and equipment, though.

- high ISO. Even with the best battery powered flashes, sometimes they are just not strong enough. Raise the ISO to your maximum clean range. This helps the flash not need to work so hard, and in extreme cases, augments the shots you will get with a flash pushing out it's maximum power.

- Enough camera media storage to take at least a thousand pics. Now, you may only take fifty shots, but I would rather have the media for a thousand and not need it, rather than have the media for fifty and need a thousand.

- Have at least 2 sets of batteries for everything that you will be using (ie: 2 camera batteries, 2 sets of flash batteries, etc...)

GeneralBenson · May 6, 2009

If you going to be inside you need a wide lens. 24-70 will suck in a crowded party where you in the mix. If you'll be shooting from a higher/further vantage point then it would work, but 24mm on a crop body sucks when your in a crowd. 16-35 f/2.8 or 17-55 f/2.8 would be way better. Does your buddy shoot Canon? just ask him to borrow some stuff. If he does this for a living, I'm sure he's got enough of the right stuff to go around.