Tips for bar/club flash photos?

CraniumDesigns · Apr 28, 2009

Hey folks,

I just got a Speedlite 430 EX II. I go to a lot of bars and clubs with friends. What are some tips you can recommend as far as settings to get cool, colorful shots. I have been testing in my room with my Tamron 17-50 2.8. At f/2.8 (wide open) I can get good shots at 400 ISO and around 1/4 second. I'm shooting in aperture priority, so the shutter changes, but around that area.

I'm not too worried about perfect sharpness, as they'll probably just be on the web, so a 1/4 second exposure handheld doesnt bother me.

Just wondering where I should point my flash. Up? Sideways? Behind me? And any other advice you have would be great. Looking for shallow DoF and nice colors. Ok with movement blur, as it kinda translates the movement and the chaos of a club.

Pure · Apr 28, 2009

1/4 is crazy slow. Everything is going to blur

CraniumDesigns · Apr 28, 2009

Pure said:
1/4 is crazy slow. Everything is going to blur

not for posed shots. it might come out cool, cuz everyone else will be moving, but the posed people will be still. showing the fun all around them

Mike_E · Apr 28, 2009

Sorry, nothing will blur as the flash will not last longer than around 1/1000th of a second. With flash your shutter speed is irrelevant to the subject and only determines the background exposure.

This is called dragging the shutter. More can be read at planetneil.com on this subject.

As to tips on using a flash in a bar?

Don't, you'll just make a bunch of drunks angry.

If you have to then get some colored gels to stick on the flash to make the whole episode more festive and be a part of the floor show.

Just remember that the later it gets the less patience people have and the more sensitive their eyes get.

CraniumDesigns · Apr 28, 2009

ah cool. now i really understand what dragging the shutter means. so the flash basically is just for the subject, and the shutter speed is for exposing the background. cool.

WhineAndDine · Apr 29, 2009

what a great thread. im looking forward to some more ideas from everyone.

CraniumDesigns · Apr 29, 2009

it's all good. i found what i needed to know at planetneil.com.

bdavis · Apr 29, 2009

Remember aperture controls your flash exposure, shutter controls the ambient.

WhineAndDine · Apr 29, 2009

bdavis said:
Remember aperture controls your flash exposure, shutter controls the ambient.

but i think you are assuming its dark in there. what if there are strobe lights flashing non stop. wont that make a difference?

tsaraleksi · Apr 29, 2009

Even with flashing strobe light you're going to overpower it with the flash.

Clawed · Apr 29, 2009

Mike_E said:
Sorry, nothing will blur as the flash will not last longer than around 1/1000th of a second. With flash your shutter speed is irrelevant to the subject and only determines the background exposure.

I found when shooting a wedding last year that even with an external flash, I still noticed a sense of movement (call it blur if you must

when I would shoot at about 1/10 second or slower. It definitely helps though to have the slower shutter speed if you want to avoid the "cave photgraphy" look.