how to shoot a parade at night

[JerryPH]

I can tell I'm going to have to learn the lingo....heh

Wait till you find out that this is JUST one small aspect of what people consider the rudimentary basics of photography.

Don't worry, the headaches stop after a few months.. lol

 

[akash011]

I cannot set up strobes or other lights, I need to be able to move freely around.
Should I set up on the side of the street with no lights, facing the other side of the street with the shops and lights? That would give some background lighting?
please solve this problem.

 

[JerryPH]

What problem?? Sheesh! Take a single picture from BOTH sides of the street while practicing and decide which serves you better!

 

[rubbertree]

Ok, I've had a bit of fun... let me just post something that I posted to a friend on the board here...

Those that said distance... well, you are partly right.

I kinda stumbled on this after playing and hearing the 1/2 answers that others told me. I was never satisfied with their answers because there were holes in the explanations (big aperture = shallow DOF, small apertures = deep DOF, but not always... WHY??), and after doing some simple experimenting on my own found out that:

Depth of field (DOF) is the result of several factors. Not just distance but the ratio of distances from:
- camera to subject
- camera to area behind subject
- subject to area behind them
- aperture (obviously)
- focal length
- focus point

Yes, I am aware of these factors will determine the DOF. However, I am still amazed of the result of that last picture, taken at f/1.8, that's crazy!
I just got my 50mm f/1.8 about a month ago. I used it during a family portrait session of my friends and their new baby. It worked beautifully when it was just the three of them, holding baby in either lap. But in a couple shots they brought their dog in and lay her down in front of them and in those shots, the dog was on the soft side of focus. I was about 15 feet away from them. This is where I get my concern regarding this parade. If I am standing on the sidewalk using this same lens, I will risk some of the image being OOF? I am going to practice with it some more and take the shots from a few more feet way, which should then bring more of it in focus. Also need to decide if I should use my 50mm f/1.8 or the 7-200 f/2.8 for this event. There is a second part of the event that will require my wide angle and the tripod... so much to prepare for here.

I just received my SB-600 in the mail yesterday also, first time using a flash (I ordered it from McBain's it was here in ONE day!). More things to learn before this even next month! Also, I just learned that the Christmas lights down the main street might not go up until the day of the event and also one of the major stores on that street is having it's entire facade being redone and it might not be done in time for the event. Tough to practice when all that light might not be there ahead of time.

Thanks Jerry for taking the time to work through all of this with me, I really appreciate it.