Indoor Photography (not enough lighting)

TreasuredMemories

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I recently started to get into more indoor photography. I have an issue with yellows and shadows with flash indoors.
If there is not enough lighting, or not enough lighting indoors, how would I shoot someone on stage?
This is like a conference event.

I have:

Nikon D70s
Nikon SB-800 Speedlight
Tripods
200mm lens


Thank you!!!

TMP
 
One question please! Are you getting paid for this?
 
Most indoor lighting and your flash unit will have different color temperatures.

A yellow color cast indicates mixed flash and incandescent lighting. You can gel the flash unit to match the color temperature of the incandescent lighting (CTO gel) and then set the camera's white balance to Incandescent.

The issue with shadows has to do with the apparent size of your light source. The smaller the apparent size of the light source, the harsher the light, the darker and more sharply edged shadows will be.

Photographic umbrellas. brollys, softboxes, and diffusion panels (modifiers) are all used to make the light source apprently larger. larger apparent light sources deliver softer light, and more diffuse shadows having much lower contrast than the shadows made by small light sources.

Hot shoe flash units don't produce a lot of light power compared to good studio strobed lighting. Coupled with the Inverse Square Law you have to be fairly close to use a hot shoe flash unit.

Your SB-800 can only zoom to 105 mm, so it is not a good match for a 200 mm lens.
Nikon's SB-910 can zoom to 200 mm. Nikon SB-910 Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

If I was contracted to shoot an on stage conference event I would likely set-up at least a couple of studio strobes with modifiers triggered wirelessly from my camera.
 
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I'm getting the impression that you can't bring in light stands and modifiers, etc. If you are allowed to use flash and are within proper range for your flash then use it. If you are noticing a WB conflict with the light from your flash to the ambient light then try to increase shutter speed to turn down the ambient and/or add a gel (probably need amber color) to your flash to help synchronize light temperature. If you have a hot shoe cord then it is always better to move your flash to one side at arms length or higher above your camera so that you get some shadow dof on your subjects. Shoot in raw and auto-white balance. Then you can adjust the color temperature in post processing. Use your widest aperture and determine the highest acceptable ISO you can use that produces acceptable results. If your camera does not let you adjust ISO then put it in 'night portrait' mode. I'm thinking that the situation is like a concert- that's why I question if you can use flash or not. If your subjects are not moving too much and the situation allows a tripod then you should try this as well to reduce the chance of soft shots. When the lights are dim there are several factors that seem to give you less control of your picture but you really just need to adjust and tweak to the situation in order to control your final product.
 
Thank you, that's very helpful!!! I need more practice. Only bad thing about it all that I can't set up anything, I need to work with what I have in my hands. Thank you for the tip :)



Most indoor lighting and your flash unit will have different color temperatures.

A yellow color cast indicates mixed flash and incandescent lighting. You can gel the flash unit to match the color temperature of the incandescent lighting (CTO gel) and then set the camera's white balance to Incandescent.

The issue with shadows has to do with the apparent size of your light source. The smaller the apparent size of the light source, the harsher the light, the darker and more sharply edged shadows will be.

Photographic umbrellas. brollys, softboxes, and diffusion panels (modifiers) are all used to make the light source apprently larger. larger apparent light sources deliver softer light, and more diffuse shadows having much lower contrast than the shadows made by small light sources.

Hot shoe flash units don't produce a lot of light power compared to good studio strobed lighting. Coupled with the Inverse Square Law you have to be fairly close to use a hot shoe flash unit.

Your SB-800 can only zoom to 105 mm, so it is not a good match for a 200 mm lens.
Nikon's SB-910 can zoom to 200 mm. Nikon SB-910 Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

If I was contracted to shoot an on stage conference event I would likely set-up at least a couple of studio strobes with modifiers triggered wirelessly from my camera.
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazing!!! This helps me very much and you are correct, I cannot use light stands or modifiers, pretty much anything that will stand in the way I can't use, only what is in my hands. I'm not use to indoor shooting, especially when the lights are mixed, like blues and yellows. Thanks!!! :thumbup:


I'm getting the impression that you can't bring in light stands and modifiers, etc. If you are allowed to use flash and are within proper range for your flash then use it. If you are noticing a WB conflict with the light from your flash to the ambient light then try to increase shutter speed to turn down the ambient and/or add a gel (probably need amber color) to your flash to help synchronize light temperature. If you have a hot shoe cord then it is always better to move your flash to one side at arms length or higher above your camera so that you get some shadow dof on your subjects. Shoot in raw and auto-white balance. Then you can adjust the color temperature in post processing. Use your widest aperture and determine the highest acceptable ISO you can use that produces acceptable results. If your camera does not let you adjust ISO then put it in 'night portrait' mode. I'm thinking that the situation is like a concert- that's why I question if you can use flash or not. If your subjects are not moving too much and the situation allows a tripod then you should try this as well to reduce the chance of soft shots. When the lights are dim there are several factors that seem to give you less control of your picture but you really just need to adjust and tweak to the situation in order to control your final product.
 
No this is an unpaid job. Why would that matter?

Sorry... I just am tired of helping "PROs" that are charging.. and yet need answers to BEGINNER questions! Been too much of that lately....

I apologize for presuming that might be the case. :)
 
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Oh I'm sorry, me too I did not know about that whoa! It's okay!!
I been on and off shooting for 10 years, but now I'm in school for my AA in photography and I can't stand the shadows and I am learning WB and the 'menu' button has all these 'lighting' functions like Incandescent and fluorescent... honestly I get headache just trying. :er:
I can do a lot of nice pix in daylight, but studio lighting and like 'on stage' shoots, I suck at it!!!
This is what I get for going to medical school and not just jumping right in to photography school.
:(
Thanks

No this is an unpaid job. Why would that matter?

Sorry... I just am tired of helping "PROs" that are charging.. and yet need answers to BEGINNER questions! Been to much of that lately....

I apologize for presuming that might be the case. :)
 
I own a photography studio but I am not a professional photographer. I am learning because my kid (14) is a team gymnast. I use a 1D Mark III with a canon 70-200 F2.8 lens. I had to go with the expensive lens because gymnasts meets don't allow flash photography. A few things I tried when I got blues and yellows due to the indoor lighting, was to play around with the temperature settings. Also, I have found bumping up the ISO was helpful. Please feel free, professional photographers, to correct me if I am wrong. I have also have a beginner photography blog that I post on regularly when I learn new photography tips.
Myrtle Beach Photography
Myrtle Beach Photography, Family Beach Photographers, Wedding Photographers, Event and Reunion Photogaphers
I included my company website in case anyone is traveling to coastal SC and would like a Family Beach Portrait.


Thank you! I will look into that, very helpful. I appreciate it.
 
I recently started to get into more indoor photography. I have an issue with yellows and shadows with flash indoors.
If there is not enough lighting, or not enough lighting indoors, how would I shoot someone on stage?
This is like a conference event.

I have:

Nikon D70s
Nikon SB-800 Speedlight
Tripods
200mm lens


Thank you!!!

TMP

I'm in the same boat with indoor photography. I feel your pain, but be confident in what you do and you have start somewhere ;) I love looking at my photos when I first started out, and how i am improving them each and every day. This site can get hostile at times, but I really have gotten a lot of very helpful advice on here.
 
I recently started to get into more indoor photography. I have an issue with yellows and shadows with flash indoors.
If there is not enough lighting, or not enough lighting indoors, how would I shoot someone on stage?
This is like a conference event.

I have:

Nikon D70s
Nikon SB-800 Speedlight
Tripods
200mm lens


Thank you!!!

TMP

I'm in the same boat with indoor photography. I feel your pain, but be confident in what you do and you have start somewhere ;) I love looking at my photos when I first started out, and how i am improving them each and every day. This site can get hostile at times, but I really have gotten a lot of very helpful advice on here.


Thank you!
 
Whatever you do, do not point the flash directly at the subject. Reflect it and diffuse it, try off the ceiling.
 

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