Quick! Need some advice!

Carmel · May 30, 2008

I'm going to a dance club and I want to take some pictures. What iso, and shutter speed should I be using? I assume a high iso like 1600 and the fastest shutter speed. Am I right in assuming this? Is there anything else I should consider?

RKW3 · May 30, 2008

What lens will you be taking? A lens that can achieve f/2.8 and down will be useful.

Try out aperture priority mode at it's largest aperture setting (smallest #), and crank up the ISO's until it appears your shutter speed will be able to freeze the action somewhat.

If your using a flash then disregard my advice.

GeorgiaOwl · May 30, 2008

what to wear.

Seriously, I tried capturing some guys playing tennis last night on lighted courts and it was a real challenge( even at 1600 or 1800 or whatever i was trying) unless I used the flash - and I think it was bothering them so I stopped. If there's alot of strobes, laser-lights and flashing orbie stuff a flash probably won't matter....maybe an expert will pop in and help you out before it's too late. Let us know how it goes! good luck!

Carmel · May 30, 2008

RKW3 said:
What lens will you be taking? A lens that can achieve f/2.8 and down will be useful.

Try out aperture priority mode at it's largest aperture setting (smallest #), and crank up the ISO's until it appears your shutter speed will be able to freeze the action somewhat.

If your using a flash then disregard my advice.

I don't want to use a flash... I want to get the lights, and the lasers. I am going to be using the only lens I have at the moment, a f/3.5

darkpbstar · May 30, 2008

why the high apperture? Maybe they don't want the background blurred, so wouldn't they want low apperture (if they want the entire place? Like in the book Understanding Digital Photography, get the whole thing, tell a story with it!)

Socrates · May 30, 2008

darkpbstar said:
why the high apperture? Maybe they don't want the background blurred, so wouldn't they want low apperture (if they want the entire place? Like in the book Understanding Digital Photography, get the whole thing, tell a story with it!)

It's dark. A large aperture will be needed for exposure regardless of the desired DoF.

Socrates · May 30, 2008

Carmel said:
I don't want to use a flash... I want to get the lights, and the lasers. I am going to be using the only lens I have at the moment, a f/3.5

A 3.5 isn't very fast. You'll need to shoot wide open while leaning against a wall to steady yourself.

usayit · May 30, 2008

Carmel said:
I don't want to use a flash... I want to get the lights, and the lasers. I am going to be using the only lens I have at the moment, a f/3.5

If you have a fully manual flash (one that will allow you to manually cut the power down), you should still bring it along and practice with it just a little prior. I understand you want to maintain the club lights and effects BUT the flash doesn't have to overpower them. You can balance it out just enough to give you enough exposure on the subject directly in front and yet capture the ambiance of the background (and a little pleasant motion blur).

Remember.. there are two exposures involved....

Exposure of the background which is determined by your aperture and shutter
Exposure of the foreground which is determined by the aperture and the flash's output.
You will also want to set your camera for 2nd curtain flash exposure so the flash is fired at the end of the exposure

You meter the ambient background to determine aperture and shutter. The shutter speed might be too slow to be handheld thus motion blur but the lighting will be captured. You might also want to underexpose a stop or two to place emphasis on the lights rather than the subjects in the backgrouind. The slow shutter speed is ok just as long as the shutter is slower than flash sync speed AND not REALLY slow (like in whole seconds). Remember you are going to freeze foreground motion of a subject by flash not by the speed of the shutter. You then reduce the power of the flash until the subject right in front is properly exposed at the aperture already set (do not change aperture/shutter settings). You want to have the subject frozen but not have the flash overpower it. Once you have this settings, you should be set for most of your shots.... you can deviate the exposure by changing the shutterspeed (adjusts the background) or flash power (adjusts the foreground).

The affect is very similar to this video on the phase one demonstration of their MF digital backs. The section of the video of interest is towards the end when the model "waves" a pen light to form motion blur "Graffiti" while the flash at the end of the exposure freezes the model in place. You get a final photo with a clear sharp image of the model in her very last position with the light trailing her motion prior to the flash exposure at the end.

http://www.phaseone.com/Content/p1digitalbacks/Pplusseries/Introduction.aspx

Examples of balancing club lighting with reduced flash can also be seen on the www.evilclubempire.com website, click club pictures at the bottom. They have photographers taking photos at 4 of their clubs throughout the night.... some good examples to spark some creativity that is beyond stretching the ISO and aperture on your camera.

WARNING: Some of the photos on that website might be considered NSFW or inappropriate for some audiences.

Here is one particular photo I liked:

http://www.evilclubempire.com/cgi-b...H=400&HEIGHT=600&TAG=perversion20080424&MAX=8