Nightclub lighting help

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jimmy83

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James
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Ive been shooting some nightclubs lately, but I think ive been pretty unlucky as the two I normally shoot in has very poor light. They have a lazer and minimal ambient lighting! Add a smoke machine to that...and well it can be hard-work!

I experimented with the wireless trigger 603 ones and managed some good results.

Can anyone tell me what the best way is to focus when using triggers? I ended up using manual but then I struggled to know if the subject was in focus or not due to the bad light-so some of that was guess work! Plus I can't zoom in or out with the lens as I have one hand holding the flash and the other the camera! :eek:
 
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TBH I wouldn't bother with OCF in nightclubs it can cause more probs than it's worth.
 
Mitch38 said:
TBH I wouldn't bother with OCF in nightclubs it can cause more probs than it's worth.
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Personally I think it works really well. But yeah it isn't easy. How come you are against it?
 
jimmy83 said:
How come you are against it?
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Not against, I just found it impractical for the enviroment
jimmy83 said:
I ended up using manual but then I struggled to know if the subject was in focus or not due to the bad light-so some of that was guess work! Plus I can't zoom in or out with the lens as I have one hand holding the flash and the other the camera! :eek:
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I use on camera flash in ettl mode, I guess that makes me a lighting heretic.:)
I have the head tilted up maybe 20/30 degrees. I used to use a stofen diffuser, I found the effect minimal and not worth the power loss.

I get flashgun’s AF assist beam kicking in if I can’t focus. What lens and flash are you using ?
 
Mitch38 said:
Not against, I just found it impractical for the enviroment


I use on camera flash in ettl mode, I guess that makes me a lighting heretic.:)
I have the head tilted up maybe 20/30 degrees. I used to use a stofen diffuser, I found the effect minimal and not worth the power loss.

I get flashgun’s AF assist beam kicking in if I can’t focus. What lens and flash are you using ?
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430ii and pretty much always use 24-105 L f4 lens although I do have a Tamron 17 - 55 f2.8
 
Mitch38 said:
TBH I wouldn't bother with OCF in nightclubs it can cause more probs than it's worth.
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Same here.

The standard mix:
Wide angle zoom, ~f5.6, ISO and shutter so you capture the ambient and a TTL flash on camera to light up the faces. Most clubs have either black or high ceilings so angling it upwards doesn't really do anything (unless you don't want their legs lit).

edit: Ringflash works as well, but that might throw off your TTL metering if it is an adapter.
 
Cistron said:
Same here.

The standard mix:
Wide angle zoom, ~f5.6, ISO and shutter so you capture the ambient and a TTL flash on camera to light up the faces. Most clubs have either black or high ceilings so angling it upwards doesn't really do anything (unless you don't want their legs lit).

edit: Ringflash works as well, but that might throw off your TTL metering if it is an adapter.
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Thanks I main reason I used OCF really was just due to the poor lighting in the club. But really did like the results so would like to try it again! Will post up some examples.
 
Jimmy, If you're getting results you like stick with the OCF I'm not trying to talk you out of it :)

These are all on camera flash, I try to do a mix of shutter draging 2nd curtain sync and 2.8 ISO 800 1/30 ish. These aren't anything special, hopefully they are better than most punters could do with their phone

cam manual + ettl flash

1

IMG_6098 by mitch snapper, on Flickr

2

IMG_1127 by mitch snapper, on Flickr

3

Andy C by mitch snapper, on Flickr
 
OCF

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8655133011_bc054863a4_c.jpg


8656237358_de02c2a1ed_c.jpg


Kind of an idea of the lack of lighting I had to deal with

8656245762_249a66c752_c.jpg


8656340460_b57de09019_c.jpg
 
Scout n' About said:
Tried slowing the shutter with onboard rear flash? :)
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Yes I tried as low as one second exposure but couldn't get any photos in focus :(

What do you mean by rear flash? Point it behind the subject when I fire it?
 
jimmy83 said:
Yes I tried as low as one second exposure but couldn't get any photos in focus :(

What do you mean by rear flash? Point it behind the subject when I fire it?
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I'm guessing rear curtain sync, same thing as second curtain sync. Has upsides and downsides.
 
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