 Heather L. Harmon |
Shooting Ceremonies/events I recently photographed two Graduation ceremonies. One group allowed for me to be the only one allowed to take photos during the ceremony as the other would not abide by my "no Flash Photos" request from others. The second group was very rude and encrouching on my photo shots before as well as during the ceremony. I warned them that other flash photos would inhibit my quality and ability at getting the right shot at the right time with quality because I could not know what lighting situations would be with other flashes going of. Unfortunately my photos turned out either too dark or washed out. What if any type of policies do any of you have during a once in a life-time ceremony you've been hired to photograph and or video? thank you, Frustrated
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W. |
Consistently too dark or washed out exposures cannot be blamed on others' flashes going off. Those cannot cause the photos' shortcomings. Photographer mistake can. If you screwed up then don't try to pin the blame on others. Own up and face the consequences.
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Heather L. Harmon |
Because I had someone "literally" leaning over my shoulder and one on my direct left I was continually resetting my settings and would have to constantly readjust for lighting every time I shot. When they were not taking a picture, Mine turned out perfect.
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W. |
Then it looks like it wasn't their flashlight but your nerves that threw a spanner in the works. They weren't the cause the photos bombed, you were. Pressure is the essence of event photography. You need to be able to handle all kinds of pressure to be a good event photographer. Imo it was an error of judgment to take on this gig.
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Heather L. Harmon |
Well then, tell me super positive it was me, even though they were good for the first ceremony, what would you suggest I did wrong since I have done this for several events and this was the first bad experience? What camera is that you use? And how many have you photographed with other flashes going off OVER your shoulder??????
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BetterPhoto Member |
First, were you trying to use slave flashes? Second, if you were, did you use a flash meter? If you were using slaves, they were probably tripped by the other flashes, which would cause your underexposed frames. The overexposed frames sound like improper metering. Keep trying, you'll get it. Have fun and keep shooting,
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Heather L. Harmon |
Thank you for your input. But no I was not using slave flashes. I was using a DSLR with the attached flash from 3- 10 feet away from the subjects being photographed. I was on an 800 ISO with auto flash. I tried readjusting just about everything that I could to get the right light but I would adjust and the flashes would quit. I would readjust for that and they would start again.
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Linda Buchanan |
Heather, I can't answer your question about how to stop other photographers from taking photos at the same time, but I can tell you that your lighting/flash problem has happened to me and you are correct. If someone's flash is going off too close to yours it will ruin your shots. This happened to me at my oldest son's graduation and it was my sister in law's flash competing with mine. All of the photos I took when she was standing next to me shooting at the same time were ruined. I sometimes shoot small weddings and I always insist that there are no other photographers during the formal shots. I don't use flash during the ceremony so the only chance of a competing flash is at the reception and I am much more mobile there. I don't know how you would insist on being the only photographer at a graduation unless you were able to mark off a specific area with an assistant to keep any shutterbugs out of your space. Good luck.
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W. |
The average flash duration is 1/5,000th of a second. The odds that 2 of them would fire at precisely the same instant overexposing both photos is one in 10 million. The odds that it would happen twice in one event are ZILCH.
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Jerry Frazier |
Gotta agree with W.S. here. I shoot many events, and others flash never gets in my way. NEVER. Even if someones flash does go off at exactly the same time, it typically will enhance the shot. But, I shoot in manual and have the proper settings to begin with. And, the fact that I balance ambient light with flash, a flash doesn't usually pose a huge threat to my shots. And, the odds of it happening over and over again are nil. It might happen one time during an entire event, but not over and over again. No way. Maybe your flash wasn't seated properly. If this happened, you would see over blown flash on all the shots.
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Mark Feldstein |
Bad exposures is more than likely your fault, not the camera, not the audience, not secondary flash units firing. Try being a news photographer at press conferences or sporting events with dozens of other photographers shooting at the same time. I don't worry about other flashes going off either and yes, it can helpful by providing additional lighting. My suggestion is learn how to handle low light situations more effectively and take a class in assertion training. ;>) Oh, and most of the time, I shoot concerts and so forth using available light, faster film like Tri-X at either 320 ISO or maybe just 250, and shoot with either Leica M-6's or very old Nikon F-2As and medium range telephotos or wide angles from back stage.
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Mark Feldstein |
Here's a link Heather, that might be of some use to you. As I suggested, try shooting these things without flash. http://photo.net/learn/concerts/mirarchi/concer_i M.
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Oliver Anderson |
I will take the Will, Jerry & Mark side on this as well. I shoot Nascar and at the Night Races you are faced with shooting the Paddocks, Pits & Trophy ceremonies with 150 different flashes banging. The shots are fleeting at best...ie. Carl Edwards wins his 1st race at California Speedway and does a backflip off the car to the ground. The photographers are held back but I'm VERY fast so I jump the wall adjusting the settings mid sprint and am 1 of 3 photographers that capture him in sequence doing his backflip...ChaChing!!! Knowing your settings MUST become instinctive in order to capture those once in a lifetime shots. Wedding photographers also experience crazy lighting situations, hence the reason f/2.8-1.2 lenses are so benefitial. When the trophy was handed to Carl Edwards the light was poor and flashes were popping like crazy. I usually shoot some with the flash and some without (I've got 2 cameras around my neck) to insure I'm going to capture a great photo. Manual is the only way to shoot, and when a magazine is paying you there are NO excuses. The photos that are without the flash are my favs as well since the background is lit evenly even with the noise.
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Heather L. Harmon |
Can any of you then recomend a camera that would be easier to figure out. A series of settings on my Sony DSLR-a100 never shoots the same. Or maybe recomend some books I can get to help me figure out what I am doing wrong. I am a very basic photographer but am willing to learn but need some precise direction to very helpful instruction. I have bought some books but they are very generic in the information as well as directr instruction as to how to acheive and how to adjust settings. Anything would be helpful. Thank you
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Mark Feldstein |
IMO you're on the right track. Read the generic books you already have then practice, experiment, practice and practice some more until, as Oliver said, setting your camera becomes second nature to you. Insofar as the competition at various events goes, your job is to be better a superior photographer to them, a professional who knows your equipment AND how to find a vantage point, stake it out and find others as well. Planning, planning, and paying careful attention to what's going on around you every second. In the meantime, I highly recommend against taking any gigs for pay. I just don't think you're quite ready but then there's a learning curve to everything. Without intending to sound discouragin, IMHO you just shouldn't be learning fundamentals at the expense of your clients and the work you may be producing.
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W. |
"Can any of you then recomend a camera that would be easier to figure out." It isn't your Sony a100, Heather! Nothing wrong with that camera. This isn't a problem you can solve by throwing money at it, or by ignoring. You can solve this problem only by 1) acknowledging it, by 2) putting your nose to the grindstone, and by 3) practice, practice, practice, and then practicing still more. The good news is that his problem CAN be solved, Heather. By YOU! Not by different cameras or other people. Good luck!
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Oliver Anderson |
The Canon S5 on Page 60 does have a chapter on Super Duper Great Photos....JK
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