How to fill flash dancers

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nickl360

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Hello all,

I've been offered the chance to get some pics at a Northern Soul night for a friend of the families birthday party. From what I gather it's a normal Northern Soul night so I guess it'll be pretty dark with disco lights etc.

I'd like to be able to get some action shots that show the movement of the dancing, my equipment is as follows:

Canon 30D
Canon 50mm f/1.8
Sigma 17(might be 18!)-55mm f/2.8
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L non IS
Canon 580EX speedlite

I'd like to be able to use the 50mm but I think the Sigma would be more flexible. I've not done any of this type of photography before but due to the standard of my camera not being great at ISO 800 or over was thinking of having a go at the rear sync flash (curtain sync?) using the speedlite in ETTL pointed at the subject with a diffuser?

Shooting in manual would I then be able to use ISO 200 and have a slow shutter speed of around 1/250 or even 1/125 with Aperture around f/4? I'd like to capture the action without too much blur, hence using the flash as the rear sync to try to freeze it.

What are your thoughts?
 
Thoughts: There's not much difference between slow sync and regular flash if you use a fast shutter speed.. 1/200 is fast for flash.

Camera settings will depend heavily on ambient light, getting the ambient exposure 1-2 stops under exposed at around 1/10 shutter speed would be a good starting point. (depends on how fast the subjects are moving)
Of course, a lot of this will depend on personal taste.
 
Do you have some example pictures you want to try and copy?

That way advise can be given as to which settings to use :)
 
HAve you got access to wireless triggers?
 
Yes, but I don't want to get too complicated. I've got 3 flashes in total but it's a normal nightclub so I don't want to leave equipment lying about and I'm sure the management won't want a trip hazard either.
 
For those sort of results you are just freezing the action. You could realistically put the camera in an auto or program mode with the flash gun on TTL and shoot away.

Practise bouncing the flash in different ways till you get the results you are happy with :-)
 
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