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Now I've done it...my work has an annual conference every year. They have asked me, and I have accepted the challenge of being the official photographer!

I need some ideas on how to tackle such a job. We will be having Phillip Ruddock and David Koch there ....so obviously need to make sure I get their pics. Any other suggestions to cover the event...there is also a conference dinner.

Also I dont have a dedicated flash...do I need one or can I rely on the built in flash? I have the kit lense 50mm 1.8 and a tamron 70-300 - I think these should be enough. suggestions? PS I work for the company so not a paying job...nevertheless you dont want to stuff something like this up..

regards

We will be having Phillip Ruddock and David Koch there

Sorry to hear this.

blinkblink wrote:

We will be having Phillip Ruddock and David Koch there

Sorry to hear this.

jyt

I'd suggest you beg, borrow or steal an SB800. It will make a marked difference for indoor shots compared to the on board flash.

Your lenses may sufficient for the works that you're looking for, I'm assuming you are going to take photos under the floro lights and in the room, depending how big the room for the event is, it may be restricted you.
- 50/1.8 is quite good enough for taking shot of an invidual person. Candid shots or portrait shots.
- The 70-300 is little bit tight in the room if you don't have room to move back or forth.
- If you can find a kit lens 18-70Dx, it could be taking shots for a small group of people or at least two or three people in one frame.
- Do preset WB if you can.

I shot few events with Mr Philips Ruddock and he always posed for the photographers, he looked straight to the camera everytime he knew that I'm taking photo of him.

I would get a dedicated flash, it allows you more control over the harsh lighting the flash produces. If your using a nikon D70 (D50 or D70s) type camera, I would think about maybe a SB600, rather than the SB800 due to the substantial cost differences. The SB800 has more features (creative lighting support, fatser recycle time), but when it comes to more simple flash photography you can't go past the SB600.

If you are going to get a speedlight, get it soon and learn to use it properly. It's not just a matter of placing it on the camera and hoping it does it job. You will be disappointed if you do this. Used properly it makes a big difference.

I would lean more towards the 50mm lens, it will allow you to get close enough to the crowd, but will still be a super sharp image. I haven't ever used the tamron though

Best of luck with it!!!

Thanks guys...

so in summary...keep it simple.
- use 50mm for 1 or 2 person shots.
- use 18-70Dx for general shooting
- buy a flash and learn to use it before the conference. (I presume use with a diffuser and 45 degree angled)
- preset WB.

Question - Would you set the preset to flash? or fluro? if using say the sb600?

cheers

i hope it doesn't turn out to be a gg event.

jyt wrote:Thanks guys...

so in summary...keep it simple.
- use 50mm for 1 or 2 person shots.
- use 18-70Dx for general shooting
- buy a flash and learn to use it before the conference. (I presume use with a diffuser and 45 degree angled)
- preset WB.

Question - Would you set the preset to flash? or fluro? if using say the sb600?

cheers

My opinion is get a Pringle cap and do the preset WB, though you're shooting in one room, hall, so the lighting is not changed much around., the SB 600 does not have the diffuser, it's a disadvantage, not always at 45 degree, depending on how you want the effects/ skin tone.
Try to play with the flash in combination with other similar scenes.
Get to the event early, while no one there yet, experiment yourself with flash, lighting and setting.

redline wrote:i hope it doesn't turn out to be a gg event.

ok...i'll bite....what is a "gg" event?

one of the most exciting and creative type of photography around......
Grip and Grin awards types

Borrow a dedicated flash like the SB800, turn it up to full power and blind the crap out of Ruddock

I'd also ensure you shoot RAW.

Geoff

Birddog114 wrote:Get to the event early, while no one there yet, experiment yourself with flash, lighting and setting.

This is very important - when I came to shoot citizenship ceremony for my girls, I found that I can not bounce flash from ceiling (because of construction and greyish-biege color), so, I have to change all the plans and settings on the fly. There is alos psychological moment involved - if you suddenly have to change your plans, something going wrong, you're getting nervous and as result it affects whole session

blinkblink wrote:

We will be having Phillip Ruddock and David Koch there

Sorry to hear this.

Same for me, but it could be worse (but not by much).


As Stubbsy suggests, grab an SB800, a spare set of batteries for it, and use at least 2 x 1GB CF cards.

Use your kit lens, a 24-120VR, or something else in that general range.

Keep fairly close during the speeches, but watch the batteries in the flashgun to make sure that you retain adequate recycle speeds while the bigwigs are yabbering away.