How to shoot parties?

[dearlybeloved]

I have done some reading on how to shoot parties, but the information I'm reading doesnt inform me much on much night club technique. The lighting will be very tricky with all of the lights going on an off so I'd like to hear from you guys some need to know tips that could save me from looking like a total ass the first time I take pictures at a party. I want to be able to produce some creative shots that look cool. I was looking into the dutch angle technique and also wondering what other techniques you guys can share.

The more info the better off I'll be, so anything you have to offer is appreciated!


Thanks guys

 

[Sw1tchFX]

It's really easy:

1. In manual...
2. Meter for the ambient light and get the shutter speed to something reasonable, lets say 1/30th at f/2.8 and ISO 3200. Underexpose it by a stop. So go to 1/60th, f/2.8 and ISO 3200...for the sake of example.
3. Put your flash on or pop it up and that will fill in the foreground and freeze any motion. If you can bounce it, great. If not, don't worry about it.

You can shoot long-bomb's on a 70-200, or come in wide-n-tight with a 16-35 easy. If you have a 16-35, you can drag the shutter more, stop it down and hyperfocal it sometimes, really frees things up. CTO's are also a life-saver if you're inside a tungsten lit room.

That's the easiest way to get professional looking party pics..I do grip-n-grin crap like that all the time.

If you want to get fancy, or are shooting a wedding reception, cross-light the room with strobes and flare the sh*t out of the pictures. Looks baller.

Don't pu$$y out about shooting at ISO 3200-12800 either, that's half the problem with anyone's party pictures anyway, they don't have the balls to use their equipment. It's always ALWAYS better to have a sharp, grainy picture than to have a blurry clean one. I also deliver only 6MP images anyway, and that sharpens things up real awesome and pushes the grain to a point where ISO 12800 on a D700 is totally OK. Nobody needs 12-36MP grip-n-grin shots ever, under any circumstances, and people will comment on how sharp your pictures are and how they couldn't believe you could take pictures in such a dark place if you do that..guaranteed.

 

[dearlybeloved]

Right on, great advice. I'll be shooting with a nikon d300, sb700, nikon 10.5 fisheye, tokina 11-16mm, nikon 35mm 1.8.

Could you recommend some other lens to use or to check out? And keep to tips flowing. Good stuff!

 

[DeeJay]

i would NOT shoot at f/2.8, thats WAY too wide, you might achieve too much bokeh! Try no between f/4 - f/9 if you have a hot shoe flash, use a diffuser, cause you might over expose your subjects.

 

[Tee]

i would NOT shoot at f/2.8, thats WAY too wide, you might achieve too much bokeh! Try no between f/4 - f/9 if you have a hot shoe flash, use a diffuser, cause you might over expose your subjects.

:thumbdown:

They make lenses at 2.8 and wider for a reason. Also, you misused the term 'bokeh'.

 

[mwild]

This may be "cheating" but I shoot in Apeture Priority and use my flash accordingly. I find it gives the cool streams of background light (which tends to be quite popular in night-club photography) and keeps the people in focus (if you set the Av right). Hope that makes sense!

 

[enzodm]

I personally do not have any direct advice to give, but I just now crossed this nice related post: #11

 

[DeeJay]

i would NOT shoot at f/2.8, thats WAY too wide, you might achieve too much bokeh! Try no between f/4 - f/9 if you have a hot shoe flash, use a diffuser, cause you might over expose your subjects.

:thumbdown:

They make lenses at 2.8 and wider for a reason. Also, you misused the term 'bokeh'.

Ya they make lenses at 2.8 and wider for a reason, But its NOT ideal for NIGHT CLUBS photography if you are shooting people! at that setting your DEPTH OF FEILD may be too shallow - depending on what lens and focal length you are shooting at.

 

[dearlybeloved]

Yeah. I don't think it's a good thing to compensate the low light but using a wider aperture. I want to keep my noise as low as I can but it has to be higher and just try to work with the light and my flash. It's been a little troubling but ill keep at it. I'll post a few of my favorites when I'm not a one my phone from the first club party I did.

 

[Derrel]

"Always aim for the heads."

 

[panblue]

Beer.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

i would NOT shoot at f/2.8, thats WAY too wide, you might achieve too much bokeh! Try no between f/4 - f/9 if you have a hot shoe flash, use a diffuser, cause you might over expose your subjects.

:thumbdown:

They make lenses at 2.8 and wider for a reason. Also, you misused the term 'bokeh'.

Ya they make lenses at 2.8 and wider for a reason, But its NOT ideal for NIGHT CLUBS photography if you are shooting people! at that setting your DEPTH OF FEILD may be too shallow - depending on what lens and focal length you are shooting at.

:thumbdown:
It is absolutely ideal when shooting in night clubs. Just make sure that you focus on the faces and you're golden. If someone on the sides is a wee bit out of focus IT'S OK. Unless you want BLACK backgrounds, shooting at f/2.8 lets you bring in ambient light to give context!

 

[panblue]

i would NOT shoot at f/2.8, thats WAY too wide, you might achieve too much bokeh! Try no between f/4 - f/9 if you have a hot shoe flash, use a diffuser, cause you might over expose your subjects.

:thumbdown:

They make lenses at 2.8 and wider for a reason.

Actually those apertures were as much to assist manual focussing before stopping down. For example, a 2.8/50 Tessar was never designed to be shot f2.8.

 

[panblue]

Unless you want BLACK backgrounds, shooting at f/2.8 lets you bring in ambient light to give context!

How so? f2.8 is going to flood your subject in flash not ambient. Shutter speed is your go-to ambient control.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Unless you want BLACK backgrounds, shooting at f/2.8 lets you bring in ambient light to give context!

How so? f2.8 is going to flood your subject in flash not ambient. Shutter speed is your go-to ambient control.