Need some help for event.

[FITBMX]

My sister does a lot of work for a camp for kids with cancer, this Saturday is there camp "reunion". I volunteered to make balloon animals. (Yes I make balloon animals so stop laughing!)
I also said I would shoot some photos for them, there could be any were from 40 to over 200 people there, most likely on the low end of that number.
The problem is that it is in a gym/basketball building, what's the best way to shoot this? I have a Canon T3i, a 18-55mm, and 70-300. I have no lights except my pop up flash!

Any help would be great!!!

 

[tirediron]

If all you have is an 18-55 and a pop-up flash, then that's the best way to do it! This is definitely one of those cases where more gear might make things easier, BUT... you can do okay with what you've got. Rummage around in the kitchen diffuser (Tupperware) drawer to help take the curse off of the pop-up flash, and avoid shooting them straight on. You'll do fine!

 

[vintagesnaps]

Balloon animals! cool. Is that what you call that drawer in the kitchen John! lol learn something new every day.

Anyway, I used to do my nephew's Bball and it would depend on the gym how good/bad the lighting would be. Usually I've done sports/events where flash isn't an option so I walk around and see where the light at least looks the best and avoid the dark corners and areas. Try different vantage points and facing different directions and see where you get shots that look brighter.

You might want to try some with existing light and some with diffused flash like John suggested. Go early and do some test shots beforehand.

I use prime lenses and depends on the size of the room but I don't know that I'd use a 300mm length or try to shoot something at the other end of the gym in crappy lighting, I'd probably use either my 50 and/or 135, I walk around and get photos of various things going on, booths etc. Hope you have fun.

 

[Jamesaz]

A ladder to elevate camera position will be a help also. Good luck


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[mmaria]

Can't help but.... balloon animals! That's cool!

 

[Derrel]

Stay fairly close, less that about 8 feet, with the pop-up flash, with the ISO set relatively high, so the background does not drop to black too rapidly. Keep in mind the CIPA battery life numbers for your camera are with flash used every other shot, so...if you are shooting every single shot with flash, and your battery is weak,well, you might run out of juice. So....make sure you've got enough battery power to get through the event.

I enjoy balloon animal people at events like this.

 

[CameraClicker]

A T3i can easily manage ISO 3200, you might be able to get away without flash. Keep an eye on the histogram, making sure the right side has data.

 

[sm4him]

You've already gotten advice as good as any I could have provided, but yeah, balloon animals, that's cool!
When my oldest son was a teenager, his youth pastor talked him into doing the balloon animals at a fair they were hosting. My son loved it so much he then convinced me to buy him material to practice on and he became QUITE proficient at balloon-animal making.

Unfortunately, *I* have a bit of a phobia about balloons popping, so I wouldn't let him practice in the house if I was home; he had to go outside so I wouldn't hear it if one popped!

 

[FITBMX]

Can't help but.... balloon animals! That's cool!

You've already gotten advice as good as any I could have provided, but yeah, balloon animals, that's cool!
When my oldest son was a teenager, his youth pastor talked him into doing the balloon animals at a fair they were hosting. My son loved it so much he then convinced me to buy him material to practice on and he became QUITE proficient at balloon-animal making.

Unfortunately, *I* have a bit of a phobia about balloons popping, so I wouldn't let him practice in the house if I was home; he had to go outside so I wouldn't hear it if one popped!

I have volunteered for this camp a few years ago, and my camper went home sick after two days. So I made balloon animals for three days, I made over 500!!!
I have mad about everything out of balloons!

 

[FITBMX]

If all you have is an 18-55 and a pop-up flash, then that's the best way to do it! This is definitely one of those cases where more gear might make things easier, BUT... you can do okay with what you've got. Rummage around in the kitchen diffuser (Tupperware) drawer to help take the curse off of the pop-up flash, and avoid shooting them straight on. You'll do fine!

Whats the best way to use Tubberware with a camera?

 

[tirediron]

The best way is to take one of those small sauce/dressing containers (usually 2-3" tall, ~2" diameter) and cut out a chunk so that you can gaf tape it to the camera over the flash (You can just drop it over without cutting it, but this means you have to remove it to put the flash down if you don't want it), but that can get you injured by the owner of said diffuser drawer. You can also buy (Gary Fong I think) diffusers especially made for pop-up flashes if you have a little extra $$ to toss around.

 

[FITBMX]

Stay fairly close, less that about 8 feet, with the pop-up flash, with the ISO set relatively high, so the background does not drop to black too rapidly. Keep in mind the CIPA battery life numbers for your camera are with flash used every other shot, so...if you are shooting every single shot with flash, and your battery is weak,well, you might run out of juice. So....make sure you've got enough battery power to get through the event.

I enjoy balloon animal people at events like this.

Thanks for bringing up the battery, I didn't think of that!

The kids get so excited about balloon animals. I can't do both at the same time, but my sister will be helping, so I can get some shots of them.

 

[tirediron]

Stay fairly close, less that about 8 feet, with the pop-up flash, with the ISO set relatively high, so the background does not drop to black too rapidly. Keep in mind the CIPA battery life numbers for your camera are with flash used every other shot, so...if you are shooting every single shot with flash, and your battery is weak,well, you might run out of juice. So....make sure you've got enough battery power to get through the event.

I enjoy balloon animal people at events like this.

Thanks for bringing up the battery, I didn't think of that!

The kids get so excited about balloon animals. I can't do both at the same time, but my sister will be helping, so I can get some shots of them.

Strap a Go Pro to your melon and do both at once!

 

[FITBMX]

The best way is to take one of those small sauce/dressing containers (usually 2-3" tall, ~2" diameter) and cut out a chunk so that you can gaf tape it to the camera over the flash (You can just drop it over without cutting it, but this means you have to remove it to put the flash down if you don't want it), but that can get you injured by the owner of said diffuser drawer. You can also buy (Gary Fong I think) diffusers especially made for pop-up flashes if you have a little extra $$ to toss around.

I am going right now to the diffuser drawer, to sneek one out!
I would look into buying one, but the closest camera store is over 60 miles away.: (

 

[FITBMX]

Stay fairly close, less that about 8 feet, with the pop-up flash, with the ISO set relatively high, so the background does not drop to black too rapidly. Keep in mind the CIPA battery life numbers for your camera are with flash used every other shot, so...if you are shooting every single shot with flash, and your battery is weak,well, you might run out of juice. So....make sure you've got enough battery power to get through the event.

I enjoy balloon animal people at events like this.

Thanks for bringing up the battery, I didn't think of that!

The kids get so excited about balloon animals. I can't do both at the same time, but my sister will be helping, so I can get some shots of them.

Strap a Go Pro to your melon and do both at once!

Go pro! Hey big money!!!