Shooting Halloween - tips? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/26/2007 04:40:08 AM · #1

I have a Halloween party, with mostly kids, in a bar (Yes a bar, it's not that rare here in Japan.) It starts early in the day so adults are at work, parents are with me, drinks, food, etc. Anyways, I'm gonna take individual pictures of the kids with a white or black background (I will bring the clothe). As the kids start sleeping and the parents start taking them home, adults will start coming...when they do, it'll be crazy. I'll likely move to another venue where there are MORE costumes (And they go crazy here in recent years...the sexy costumes are really nice). I just wanted some types on shooting inside a club bar for individual shots where I might ask someone "Can I take your picture." What would be a good lens? Flash needed (Probably...)? Any tips?

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

10/26/2007 06:17:38 AM · #2

Hey, make sure you have a DPC worthy stuff in there... I smell 24 hour challenge coming soon :P no wait.. that wasn't 24 hour challenge

gloda

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

10/26/2007 10:00:39 AM · #3

I take pictures in night clubs quite often. I use my 17-55 2.8 IS on it's wide end a lot, usually, people will pose two or three together as soon as they spot me. The IS is important as I work with shutter speeds around 0,3" to 1/5. The flash helps me first of all with it's AF assist beam, otherwise it would be quite dark to focus and with 2.8 you have to nail it. With the long shutter you get niely lit backgrounds from the ambient light and the flash makes sure the faces don't get blurred - ideally the people stand against a bright background whilst themselves being in the background.
Examples: //gloda.net/20070923-freshersball

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

10/26/2007 02:01:54 PM · #4

At first it will be kids posing with sunlight coming through the windows (I think...). I'm not too worried about the light at that time. I've got my 3 lenses, and while I love my 50mm, I don't know that it would be ideal when in a crowded nightclub later on that evening. I plan on bringing all my lenses, but would like to work with the 50mm for the portraits during the day, then switch to a more versatile lens at night, which would be the 18-70 or the 12-24...and I'm not sure which...I just love my 50mm...

staticoy

Nikon D300

10/26/2007 02:42:12 PM · #5

from my experience, 50mm is nice, but not very good for photography in the type of situation you'll be in. Because it is a prime lens, you have to move to get a good shot, and if someone is posing (or a group of people are posing), and you are moving backwards and forwards, who knows how long they will be interested in having you take the picture. I would recommend what Gloda was talking about, low shutter speed set for the room ambient light, and use a shoe strobe!

10/26/2007 04:59:52 PM · #6

Shutter dragging :)

10/26/2007 05:01:53 PM · #7

You main lens will probably be the 12-24mm f4, most party locations don't have the space to use the 50mm, especially a bar.

fotomann_forever

10/26/2007 05:56:40 PM · #8

Originally posted by faidoi:

Shutter dragging :)

With kids? Good luck with that...lol. It might be ok for adults if the subjects and/or photographer are not too intoxicated.

Best bet is to have a nice diffuser or something to bounce flash off of.

10/26/2007 06:00:43 PM · #9

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by faidoi:
Shutter dragging :)

With kids? Good luck with that...lol. It might be ok for adults if the subjects and/or photographer are not too intoxicated.

Best bet is to have a nice diffuser or something to bounce flash off of.

I read it too fast. I didn't even noticed the kids part because of the bar part. I guess that's what I get for staying up during a Woot-Off :)

Message edited by author 2007-10-26 18:01:25.

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

10/26/2007 06:09:29 PM · #10

Kids - bring something to entertain them.

staticoy

Nikon D300

10/26/2007 08:01:35 PM · #11

you could always wear a funny hat! :)

skewsme

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens

10/26/2007 09:28:21 PM · #12

shoot it dead.

//www.juergenspecht.com/truestories/?number=1&storypage=2

10/27/2007 02:03:06 AM · #13

The kids are in elementary school, junior high...and this being Japan, they've posed for many many shots in their short little lives. I have a background to use, and I can move around for their shots to get everything I need in the shot. It's more for the later part of the evening that I'm wondering about, in clubs, no space, dark.

I'll have to make a diffuser or something to bounce flash...

fotomann_forever

10/27/2007 02:06:39 AM · #14

Originally posted by heavyj:

I'll have to make a diffuser or something to bounce flash...

10/27/2007 02:17:29 AM · #15

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Originally posted by heavyj:

I'll have to make a diffuser or something to bounce flash...

//www.juergenspecht.com/truestories/?number=1&storypage=2

DAMNIT!! That would've made a sweeet costume right there for the part if I had time. I know what my next project will be though. That should be find walking around Osaka with a flash strapped to my head...

fotomann_forever

10/27/2007 02:24:58 AM · #16

Originally posted by heavyj:

DAMNIT!! That would've made a sweeet costume right there for the part if I had time.

Never once as a child did I think it would be cool to dress up as a strobe for Halloween :-)