Help with photographing fashion runway shows

07/07/2005 10:44:59 AM · #1

I need some help with effective shooting at a runway show. You can see by my feeble attempt, I have a way to go. I have the opportunity but not the knowledge, so if anyone can give me some advice, as in settings, which lens to use, etc...I would appreciate it.

Here is a few examples of my previous attempts:

Thanks in advance!

Cheryl

"Having a positive attitude may not solve all your problems but might just irritate enough people to make the effort worth while!"

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

07/07/2005 10:47:32 AM · #2

They look pretty good on my work monitor. What lens were you using and at what ISO?

kosmikkreeper

Nikon D300s

07/07/2005 10:51:56 AM · #3

Yes, what's your current equipment. That way we'll be in a better position to help. :-)

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

07/07/2005 11:36:46 AM · #4

you can generally use flash at runway shows right? Or I think anyway..if so that'd be great. If not, then you're hooped! Kidding...

These shots are pretty good, a little flat but a slightly higher ISO might make a big difference..to get the colors to pop. It's about the clothes remember.

Good luck and have fun :-)

07/07/2005 01:01:44 PM · #5

I have a Canon Digital Rebel 300, not the newer one. I generally use my Canon 75-300 lens at these shows and when I shot this show, I didn't understand F-stops, ISOs and the like so I set it on automatic or sport mode, for no flash. Now I understand exposures, underexposures and overexposures, etc. I am still learning but when someone says "I use this f-stop and this ISO and this...." I understand and try to do the same thing and see how it works. My next purchace is a light meter so I can check my settings.

I guess what I would like to know, if someone can help, what works best for the lighting and rapid movement of a runway show? You are dealing with a brightly lit stage and dark audience and quick moving models, not to mention generally shooting over the heads of those in the audience.

Here's another:

Isn't she lovely? That is my daughter and please feel free to visit her web site at //www.kristinroberts.info

Once again, thanks for helping the newbie out! I feel so fortunate to have such a great group of people as a resource and wealth of information!

Cheryl

07/07/2005 01:09:47 PM · #6

Your 75-300 lens has quite a small aperture (f/4.5 - f/5.6 I believe). This means not much light can get in the lens so you the camera makes the shutter longer. This introduces camera shake and leaves the pics looking a little 'soft' (eg. not sharply focused).

Sports mode actually made a lot of sense, because it will increase the ISO to 400 or 800, which will make the camera more sensitive to light and reduce the shutter length.

Your sample pics are generally good, and can pretty easily be made into good shots. If you adjust the levels in your editor you can brighten up the model and reduce the shadows. At the moment the model is darker than the background, which you want to fix.

Other than that you made a very good effort; don't be too hard on yourself.

07/07/2005 01:16:25 PM · #7

Here's an example edit:

In this case I used the Wand tool to select the background, then inverted the selection (to be the model), then used the Levels adjustment to brighen up just the model. I then used auto-contrast to marry up the background with the model to make sure the contrast was natural looking. It was only a quick edit, so I'm sure you can do better with a bit of time.

07/07/2005 01:36:15 PM · #8

That's amazing!

I took a class on Photoshop Elements at a local school for photography but I still have a way to go. Frankly, I think I paid too much and got too little but that is another story.

I will try that technique with my other images at home. Thanks!

As far as getting a better image "out of the camera" I think I hear:

1. Higher ISO
2. Faster shutter speed
3. and larger aperture?

Message edited by author 2005-07-07 13:37:36.

07/07/2005 02:58:29 PM · #9

Originally posted by madison461:

As far as getting a better image "out of the camera" I think I hear:

1. Higher ISO
2. Faster shutter speed
3. and larger aperture?

Really you have to balance all three.

Higher ISO - Pro: Faster shutter, Con: Noisier image, and looks unattractive on skin
Faster Shutter - Pro: Crisper shot, Con: Requires faster shutters and/or wider apertures
Wider aperture - Pro: Faster shutter, Con: small DOF (more chance of being out of focus)

For the kind of thing you're doing I would try and use f/4, ISO 400, and I would hope to get a shutter of 1/160 - 1/320. If I got slower shutters, getting below about 1/160, I would try opening up the aperture to compensate and be more careful about focus.

In my example I mention apertures of f/4. Your lens starts at f/4.5 at 75mm, and goes up to f/5.6 at 300mm. Really the lens wasn't designed for indoor work so you will struggle. In your shots they seem a little soft, so the shutter was most likely a little longer than it should have been.

art-inept

Olympus C-5060WZ

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

07/07/2005 03:00:59 PM · #10

are you allowed to use a flash on runway shows?

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/07/2005 03:39:05 PM · #11

Originally posted by art-inept:

are you allowed to use a flash on runway shows?

Yes, a flash is ok. I don't have the experience with a flash to get a result I like. One show I photographed, the flash bounced off the audience's heads. I haven't had any flash training yet. That is coming in my final week of class, which I am missing because of a family vacation in Bonaire, NA (yes! we leave in 9 days for a week in the caribbean!)

I like the settings PaulMdx is suggesting and will give those a shot. I obviously need to get that $600 Canon lens and a light meter, right?

I do have a flash that I can "bounce" but need to read something or have some instruction on using it. Any recommendations on a "How to" book?

Message edited by author 2005-07-07 15:40:34.

Gil P

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

07/07/2005 03:44:25 PM · #12

I shoot well lit runways regularly...

and what I can tell you is that even on the best lit runways, using my 580flash... I NEVER shoot under iso500...@ 1/125th using AI-servo

Message edited by author 2005-07-07 15:50:30.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/07/2005 03:57:40 PM · #13

Originally posted by Gil P:

I shoot well lit runways regularly...

and what I can tell you is that even on the best lit runways, using my 580flash... I NEVER shoot under iso500...@ 1/125th using AI-servo

Nice work Gil!

Hair shows are always so colorful and over the top!

BTW, pardon my ignorance, what is AI-servo?

Thanks for the advice!

Cheryl

Gil P

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

07/07/2005 04:47:57 PM · #14

AI-Serve is a function which "tracks" a subject and adjusts focus as the object comes closer or further away....a VERY important tool for runway shots! This way I can chose a subject, press halfway on the shutter and then compose my shot, all while the AI is controlling the focus and adjusting it.

as for Hairshows....well more than 80% of our business is built around L'Oreal so...Hair and cosmetics are pretty all I do!!