Party Photographer!
Discussion
I have been asked to be the 'photographer' at a 60th birthday party at the end of the month! It's obviously important that I get some good results (although its for friends/family and not paid... phew).
It will be at night and in a marquee - so lighting will be poor at best. I'm thinking that my D70 with stock lens will be ok (18-70) and flexible enough - but I think a flash might be a good idea - s700?
Does this sound ok? Does anyone know where I can rent a flash (spent out this month so buying outright is out of the question
)
It will be at night and in a marquee - so lighting will be poor at best. I'm thinking that my D70 with stock lens will be ok (18-70) and flexible enough - but I think a flash might be a good idea - s700?
Does this sound ok? Does anyone know where I can rent a flash (spent out this month so buying outright is out of the question
)The two flashes that are fully compatible with the D70's 'iTTL Creative Lighting System' are the Speedlight SB600 and SB800. I'm sure the cheaper SB600 will do fine for what you intend; there's also a Sigma model that is apparently compatible but the spec MUST say D70. Let's face it, you don't want any chances of a balls-up on the night.
No idea where you can hire them though, sorry.
No idea where you can hire them though, sorry.
'Gun for hire' 
If it's anything like the SB800, get it well in advance and practice using it, especially the TTL and TTL-BL modes and flash compensation. TTL-BL (fill-flash) is unlikely to give a correct exposure in dark siuations as it's designed for a reasonable dose of ambient light too. Strange but true!
If it's anything like the SB800, get it well in advance and practice using it, especially the TTL and TTL-BL modes and flash compensation. TTL-BL (fill-flash) is unlikely to give a correct exposure in dark siuations as it's designed for a reasonable dose of ambient light too. Strange but true!
maxf said:
It will be at night and in a marquee - so lighting will be poor at best. I'm thinking that my D70 with stock lens will be ok (18-70) and flexible enough - but I think a flash might be a good idea - s700?
Hmm, marquee eh? Should offer some excellent potential for bouncing the flash and other creative activities.
Best get some practice in though. Any light rooms (magnolia and paler) should be good practice areas and at least with digital you can see the results and know whether you have hit or missed.
Wonder if fill-in flash would work together with bounce?
LongQ said:
Wonder if fill-in flash would work together with bounce?
I don't know about the SB600, but the SB800 has a white plastic slip that you can pull out from the top of the head. It deflects a small amount of light towards the subject for that eye-highlight.
If the marquee is a massive big-top affair it might not be the handy bounce reflector you think, so keep your wits about you!
406 - why do you have two top flashes you've never used?
And even then it's tricky! 
unfortunately marquees never work as well with bounce flash as you would imagine - they often have a subtle (to the eye) colour caste that can be exagerated with the flash. But you may find your one is OK in this respect.
If you are going to use an SB800 (and I assume this applies to the SB600 as well) then they are pretty much foolproof. Aim the flash at the ceiling and off you go. The only thing you have to think about is what exposure mode you are going to use. They are so clever now you can use A/Av, S/Tv, P and even M without having to worry about anything (assuming you don't go silly and try and take pics at f/22 and ISO100). I tend to use M nowadays for this sort of stuff, because when you use A then it often selects a shutter speed that is too low, usually 1/60th. When you use S you don't have control over aperture which is silly. So go to manual exposure and select your ideal aperture and shutter speed and off you go - it's the perfect solution!
One essential thing is that you know the basics of how flash exposure works in relation to aperture/shutter speed/ISO etc, which is not actually very logical when you first think about it. I know quite a few pros who don't understand it. I'm sure there is a good web reference that explains it all, but i don't know of it. Maybe someone else here does.
hth
If you are going to use an SB800 (and I assume this applies to the SB600 as well) then they are pretty much foolproof. Aim the flash at the ceiling and off you go. The only thing you have to think about is what exposure mode you are going to use. They are so clever now you can use A/Av, S/Tv, P and even M without having to worry about anything (assuming you don't go silly and try and take pics at f/22 and ISO100). I tend to use M nowadays for this sort of stuff, because when you use A then it often selects a shutter speed that is too low, usually 1/60th. When you use S you don't have control over aperture which is silly. So go to manual exposure and select your ideal aperture and shutter speed and off you go - it's the perfect solution!
One essential thing is that you know the basics of how flash exposure works in relation to aperture/shutter speed/ISO etc, which is not actually very logical when you first think about it. I know quite a few pros who don't understand it. I'm sure there is a good web reference that explains it all, but i don't know of it. Maybe someone else here does.
hth
Simpo dcw@pr said:
I tend to use M nowadays for this sort of stuff, because when you use A then it often selects a shutter speed that is too low...
Note there's 'M' for manual flash and 'M' for manual camera exposure. Suddenly life can get awfully complicated...
Call me a coward but I wouldn't use manual anything in an environment where speed and results are important. With a 70-200 I'd probably use shutter priority to make sure I don't get the shakes, and set the flash on TTL or TTL-BL depending on the ambient light. I also like to take a few test shots with +/- flash compensation and check the histogram to make sure it's not too far off.
But the number of combinations of settings is massive and the main thing is that you find one that works for you that you have confidence in - then you can concentrate on getting the shots and not poking around in menus while the sweat trickles down you neck...
simpo two said:
stuff
you're thinking too hard! modern flashes are miraculous things, and M (on the camera) is a totally different ball game when you are using flash - it isn't really M at all. It's the only way you can guarantee to have BOTH the shutter speed and aperture that you want, but the flash sorts out the exposure - what more could you ask for?!
put the flash on TTL and bounce it off a wall or ceiling. it starts to turn difficult when there is nothing suitable to bounce off (try taking nice photos in a pitch black oak panelled bar!). Apart from those situations concentrate on the composition not the exposure.
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