Need advice for an upcoming shoot

[CianOReilly]

Hi guys, new to the forum.

Just looking for a bit of advice about an upcoming shoot I have.

So basically, I'll be shooting at a formal party but will be taking photos of all the guests as they arrive and the pictures will be printed and sent to them. I have a number of problems which hopefully you guys could help me with;

• I need to have some sort of backdrop, as all the walls have pictures on them and the colour of the walls isn't great. Sadly I can't afford a proper one, so would a large bedsheet on the wall suffice?
• People will be dressed formally, so there will be a lot of black suits and tuxedos. What would be the best colour backdrop for this?
• I'm very limited by my equipment. I'll have a tripod, a Canon 600D with 18-55 kit lens, and 1 Canon Speedlite 430EX II. What would be the best way to take these photos to achieve optimal and decent looking results? I know that only having one light source really isn't ideal for these types of photos.

Hopefully you guys can give me some advice.
Thanks in Advance.

 

[jaomul]

Welcome to the forum Cian.

Some people will give you better advise than this but here is a start.

Firstly can you find a natural backdrop, like a nuetral coloured wall, a bed sheet may suffice but if it is a formal party at a good venue the sheet may not be an option. If the sheet is an option I would advise that you set it up so there are no creases in it. You can open your aperture to try blur the background if the sheet is not perfect but your lens will produce better images at f8 if you have enough light with flash.

I suggest that you use a softbox (even a home made one to soften your flash). If you could get a hold of a second flash gun and triggers you could flash behind the people on arrival with gels on the second to have a coloured backdrop. Hope some of this helps

 

[CCericola]

Rent the proper equipment.

 

[CianOReilly]

Welcome to the forum Cian.

Some people will give you better advise than this but here is a start.

Firstly can you find a natural backdrop, like a nuetral coloured wall, a bed sheet may suffice but if it is a formal party at a good venue the sheet may not be an option. If the sheet is an option I would advise that you set it up so there are no creases in it. You can open your aperture to try blur the background if the sheet is not perfect but your lens will produce better images at f8 if you have enough light with flash.

I suggest that you use a softbox (even a home made one to soften your flash). If you could get a hold of a second flash gun and triggers you could flash behind the people on arrival with gels on the second to have a coloured backdrop. Hope some of this helps

Thank's a lot jaomul and thanks for your reply.

Sadly all the walls are covered in pictures which aren't easily removed (I doubt we'd be allowed to remove them anyways). If I was using a bed sheet I'd definitely be wrapping it around a custom made PVC frame or something which I'll build to size, which will stretch it out and hopefully get rid of creases. The party is in a hotel, and they have given me permission to bring whatever I need as a backdrop and also my parents are the organisers of the party so it definitely won't be a problem.

I highly doubt I'll be able to get a second flash, triggers and gels at this stage.

As for positioning of the flash, what would get me optimal results? As far as I know, the 600D has an integrated Speedlite transmitter so I can use it off camera.

 

[KmH]

I don't think the 430EX II is compatible with the camera OCF flash triggering system.

For optimal, professional looking results, you're going to need to learn a lot about photographic lighting before the event.
Photographic Lighting Simplified

!. You need to use light that is not on the lens axis, also known as off camera flash or OCF. A couple of lights, light stands, and a couple light modifiers (like photographic umbrellas, brollys or softboxes).
2. The best color background would be a neutral gray or white. Unless a white background is separately lit, it will be a neutral gray because of light fall off (inverse square law of light).
Bed sheets generally won't be big enough. Subjects need to be 6 feet or more from the background if you want professional looking results.
Savage Seamless Background Paper, 107" wide x 12 yards, Thunder Gray, #27

You can use manual shooting mode and manual flash unit control with inexpensive radio flash triggers.
CowboyStudio NPT-04 4 Channel Wireless Trigger for External Speelights with 1 Trigger and 2 Receivers (NPT-04+extra receiver)
Impact Air-cushioned Light Stand (Black, 8 feet)
Manfrotto 026 Swivel Lite-Tite Umbrella Adapter
Impact Convertible Umbrella - White Satin with Removable Black Backing - 45"

How many assistants will you have to help 'wrangle' the guests and keep track of their names and which image files are of them?

 

[CianOReilly]

Rent the proper equipment.

I'm doing this for my parents, so I can't really afford to rent the equipment. If it was a well paid job, I would but sadly renting isn't an option this time.

 

[jaomul]

To be honest Cian off camera flash takes a bit of time to master. The chances are people will be arriving in couples or groups. I would leave the flash on camera and soften with a softbox which can be made handy if you check you tube etc. If you go off camera chances are one person will be to bright/dark etc, don't over complicate it, people generally for these just want a photo that makes them look good, not necessarily artistic. Good luck

 

[jaomul]

Oh one other thing, if you can shoot in raw it will help with editing slightly over/under exposed shots later

 

[cgipson1]

We can't give you a magic formula to make your shots look "professional"! That comes with experience, skill and the proper equipment. If the proper equipment is already out of the picture, than it will be even more difficult... since based on your questions, you seem to lack the other components also.

Just do the best you can... go here... read.... Strobist: Lighting 101

 

[CianOReilly]

I don't think the 430EX II is compatible with the camera OCF flash triggering system.

For optimal, professional looking results, you're going to need to learn a lot about photographic lighting before the event.
Photographic Lighting Simplified

!. You need to use light that is not on the lens axis, also known as off camera flash or OCF. A couple of lights, light stands, and a couple light modifiers (like photographic umbrellas, brollys or softboxes).
2. The best color background would be a neutral gray or white. Unless a white background is separately lit, it will be a neutral gray because of light fall off (inverse square law of light).
Bed sheets generally won't be big enough. Subjects need to be 6 feet or more from the background if you want professional looking results.
Savage Seamless Background Paper, 107" wide x 12 yards, Thunder Gray, #27

You can use manual shooting mode and manual flash unit control with inexpensive radio flash triggers.
CowboyStudio NPT-04 4 Channel Wireless Trigger for External Speelights with 1 Trigger and 2 Receivers (NPT-04+extra receiver)
Impact Air-cushioned Light Stand (Black, 8 feet)
Manfrotto 026 Swivel Lite-Tite Umbrella Adapter
Impact Convertible Umbrella - White Satin with Removable Black Backing - 45"

How many assistants will you have to help 'wrangle' the guests and keep track of their names and which image files are of them?

Sadly I don't have the budget to buy more accessories right now, as this job isn't paid. It's a favour for my parents. I'm not looking for extremely professional results, I'm just looking for results better than something taken with a point and shoot, and will be a nice picture for the guests to keep.

Keeping track of names and all that won't be a problem, as I will know most the people there and my parents will certainly know everybody there.

 

[CianOReilly]

Oh one other thing, if you can shoot in raw it will help with editing slightly over/under exposed shots later

That's a given. I always shoot in RAW, makes life a lot easier in post production.

 

[nycphotography]

• I need to have some sort of backdrop, as all the walls have pictures on them and the colour of the walls isn't great. Sadly I can't afford a proper one, so would a large bedsheet on the wall suffice?
• People will be dressed formally, so there will be a lot of black suits and tuxedos. What would be the best colour backdrop for this?
• I'm very limited by my equipment. I'll have a tripod, a Canon 600D with 18-55 kit lens, and 1 Canon Speedlite 430EX II. What would be the best way to take these photos to achieve optimal and professional looking results? I know that only having one light source really isn't ideal for these types of photos.

10' wide dark grey seamless background paper. $100.
adjustable background paper stand. $100. (optionally you can cut off a length of paper and duct tape it to a wall. very tacky. get the proper stand).

Put a snooted monolight on a low stand off frame and aim it at the paper. +1 to +2 stops hotter than your main light. Makes a nice background vignette, while keeping the foreground evenly lit from your softbox monolight on a shoulder level stand.

I know you said single speedlight, but honestly, that's not really appropriate for this situation. MAYBE two speedlights, one with a shoothough umbrella on a stand and one snooted on a low stand. Notice how its the same lighting setup just with less powerful lights?

This is basically the minimum equipment I would consider using for something like this. Formal dress deserves decent lighting.

 

[nycphotography]

and if you buy the paper recommended above and are taping the paper to the wall, let it run out onto the floor in a parabolic arc.

considering your constraints (which I read after responding to the OP), you can probably get away with using the flash OFF CAMERA and HAND HELD. Camera in one hand, flash in the other. It's awkward, but I've done it and you can get moderately decent results. Remote trigger is preferred, but a TTL coiled cord will work too. Make sure you have a pocket to slip the flash in when not shooting.

I'd suggest you practice this technique before the event should you choose to try it.

like this.

 

[CianOReilly]

We can't give you a magic formula to make your shots look "professional"! That comes with experience, skill and the proper equipment. If the proper equipment is already out of the picture, than it will be even more difficult... since based on your questions, you seem to lack the other components also.

Just do the best you can... go here... read.... Strobist: Lighting 101

Professional was the wrong term to use I guess. I've done some studio work in the past as part of a course, so I know that I can't achieve professional results using just the equipment I have. What I'm looking for is to get the optimal results using the equipment I have. I don't have a lot of experience in this field of photography; I mostly walk around at events, taking group photos etc.. so this is new to me.

 

[CianOReilly]

and if you buy the paper recommended above and are taping the paper to the wall, let it run out onto the floor in a parabolic arc.

considering your constraints (which I read after responding to the OP), you can probably get away with using the flash OFF CAMERA and HAND HELD. Camera in one hand, flash in the other. It's awkward, but I've done it and you can get moderately decent results. Remote trigger is preferred, but a TTL coiled cord will work too. Make sure you have a pocket to slip the flash in when not shooting.

I'd suggest you practice this technique before the event should you choose to try it.

like this.

Yeah my constraints make this a difficult task to accomplish. I have an old tripod lying around that I could probably modify to hold my flash.