Nightclub Photography

MrsMoo

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Define limited money.

And that image is pretty damn bad. Boring shot, badly exposed. If that is what you want, then stick with what you already have and buy a wide angle lens. Is that acutally a nightclub or some bad frat party?!?

If you want to step it up, keep the D60 as this isnt your limited factor. Get a hotshoe flash (SB-600 $270 - i don tknow Nikon too well), learn to drag the shutter, get a wide angle zoom lens (Sigma 10-20 for $475).

The wide will not be a fisheye but allow for some distortion.

Total $745

You can start with just the wide angle and learn to use the 2nd curtain shutter on your popup flash with low shutter speeds to drag the shutter.

But also learn to take a good picture, not a P&S snapshot of people in a room.
 
I meant the lighting in the photo haha not how bad it is! I want the photos to be better than that! :)
The nightclub is pretty dark, I don't want to over expose the subjects' faces with the flash.

Limited money meaning I'm not paying over £30 for an external flash. I've seen wide angled adapters, you add them to your lens. Not sure how good they are!

I've also been looking into how to drag the shutter. That gives the effect that everything behind is moving, but the subjects are in focus, right?
 
Yep... its working with the 2nd curtain setting of the flash, not the first, and with lower shutter speeds.
Think the shutter is open, allowing for light to get in, motion in the people,... and right before the shutter closes (2nd curtain), the flash goes off to freeze motion, but leaving the blurs
It would work with 1st curtain as well, but the motion would be in front of the subject and not in back, not giving the sense of motion.

For the adapters, you are on your own. I have no experience (and no want for experience) with them.
 
I would not recommend a fisheye. It warps people towards the ends, and those people will not like that effect.

Wide angle is the way to go. I'd suggest getting a pretty strong flash. The problem with clubs is bouncing light. If the ceiling is too high then you have to really bump up the flash exposure.

I would hate to shoot at clubs though. I see guys do it and they aren't having fun, they aren't picking up girls with their big ass camera, and they risk having some drunk guy or girl bump into them on the dance floor and break everything, or someone may spill a drink on their equipment. A lot can go wrong in that environment.
 
Would a flash gun be better for that? In terms of diffusing the light too?
I'll need to experiment :)

I'm buying a lens adapter, a macro and wide angled one for £12.99. If its pants I'll let you know and sell it on lol
 
the fisheye would be a pretty cool effect for some of the photos tho :)
I'm already looking into getting a flash gun, and the ceiling isnt too high where I work downstairs, but upstairs its pretty high!
 
"If its pants" hahahaha is that an expression in Scotland?

Anyway, fisheye might be fun at first, but the novelty wears off fast.
 
A fisheye is a specialty lens. I believe that while they make cool effects, they are not something you want to use 100% of the time. Well, not something *I* want to use 100% of the time. If you want this to be your defining style, go for it.

Specialty lenses are something I either rent or wait until I have every other lens that I need before I actually buy. I'd prefer to pay $40 for a lens rental for a weekend that $800 and only use it a handful of times. Specially when I am charging clients, I'll just up my price somewhat to cover the cost of the lens/gear rental
 
When i was working in clubs all i had was my pc of crap point and shoot... I just stumbled across the solution by acident one night but i started puting my findger over the flash on the point and shoot. The pictures whould turn out perfectly everytime and actually look exatly like we were in the club. Not to sure how to reproduce that same effect with the slr as im still pretty new.
 
Would a flash gun be better for that? In terms of diffusing the light too?
I'll need to experiment :)

I'm buying a lens adapter, a macro and wide angled one for £12.99. If its pants I'll let you know and sell it on lol

They are pants
 
I meant the lighting in the photo haha not how bad it is! I want the photos to be better than that! :)
The nightclub is pretty dark, I don't want to over expose the subjects' faces with the flash.

Limited money meaning I'm not paying over £30 for an external flash. I've seen wide angled adapters, you add them to your lens. Not sure how good they are!

I've also been looking into how to drag the shutter. That gives the effect that everything behind is moving, but the subjects are in focus, right?


You won't get a flash for £30 that will work on your camera, a cheap old flash for off camera flash yes
 
I've been lookinh at flash guns, and there is one about £80 :/
I've seen one the same brand but for £50 less!
Pants is just something I say instead of swearing haha!
 
You will need to adjust the flash power and range manually while working with your camera settings. Not the easiest, but do-able with practice and experience.
 
why dont you get a fisheye adapter to go with that wide angle adapter? xP
 

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