Tips for prom night photography

Peter69

Peter69

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It's my daughters prom night fast approaching and they have asked me to take pre & post prom photos (19:00-23:00) so I'd guess there will be poor light.
Shooting on a D7100/D5100 with a choice of 35 1.8, 85 1.8, 70-200 2.8 & 24-70 2.8, 10-20 3.5.

Any tips tricks and lens selection would be much appreciated.
 
Presuming you have been asked by the school to do this, I would imagine they want to get them arriving in cars etc. which this time of year can be done in natural light, but I would not want to do it without the aid of flash. Then some portraits of groups etc.

Do you have access to a studio flat at all and do you know how to use it? If not group shots will almost impossible to do. Without more details it is hard to offer advice really.
 
ding76uk said:
Do you have access to a studio flat at all and do you know how to use it? If not group shots will almost impossible to do. Without more details it is hard to offer advice really.
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No only strobes.
I'm just doing outside
 
Are you planning on using any soft box(es) rather than bare flashes alone? Lens wise probably the 24-70mm or the 70-200mm ? Distortion may not be flattering on some wider lenses.
 
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I have no soft boxes but I can get some (what size would be best?).
Would you recommend ttl mode given as guests want to just party?

You would go for those 2 above the 85mm?
 
I would say 24-70 is best lens to go with as parents will be crowding round with iPhones etc. and shooting a longer focal length will not be practical.

If it is just outside it will be practical to go with ettl flash as it will be a fast moving environment. No sooner will one car leave than the next arrive.

I am confused though by the post prom photos if they are not portraits in the venue. At school proms most will leave in dribs and drabs and there will be little to no "post prom" stuff to shoot.
 
I think the post element isn't going to happen - just an organisers idea (& I would be there to take daughter home)
 
More light then I expected but if your exif is right 2 hour earlier then ours.
 
not an option as budget won't allow it.
They have me and another chap who has some studio gear for shots indoors as the enter (lucky b****r - no dealing with parents and iphones)
 
Pre Party started at 5pm then into the limo at around 5.30pm, they had a ride round in the limo for 1hr & turned up at the hotel at 6.30pm, I have just upload the rest to my flick page
which you can get to via the earlier photo
 
I'm not sure I understand what it is you are aiming to capture.

I think that's because you're not clear about it either.

I'd guess that's the reason for Ryan's response above.

Try to think what needs doing alongside the other guys studio shots. Candids? Headshots? Small groups? Dancing? Will you have access for 'outside' shots? Will it be inside with normal ambient levels? Or will it just be darkened for disco lighting?
 
if your shooting outside at arrival its still going to be very light outside at 7pm. you'll probably find most people start arriving a good 30 minutes before that anyway and there will be alot of milling around outside . at my stepdaughters prom last year they had a "red carpet entrance" leading into the school but for a good 20-30 minutes the kids were all chatting outside, meeting with there friends having a sneaky fag or drink etc.
your main enemy will be other parents with there phones/ cameras etc. but you only say your daughter and friends have asked, you dont specify if its as "official" photographer or purely as a parent being asked by daughter.
I would suggest that your daughter and friends meet up just beforehand so you can get some single and group shots away from the crowds . this will give youa chance to get some better posed shots with more control before you enter the melee of the kids going into the prom where you may be better getting the more candid style shots.
I took the 85mm last year and got several inside the prom too catching the kids as they hung around waiting to be snapped by the official photographer .
This was one i grabbed while inside getting bounced around between parents and teenagers!
14648745023_cbbba2bfcd_b.jpg
 
@dean messenger & @Phil V originally it was just a request by my daughter now the school (who always want something for free) have asked me and another to take photos for them (to sell).
The plan is I am outside catching them as the arrive. The other chap will be inside with some of his stuff to get them against a school back drop.
Because it isn't at the school there isn't allowed to be loitering and there is security on the gate so should help with flow (but I know what parents are like), No parents are allowed inside the building.
I was aiming to get their ride & them by it/ in it.

great pic Dean
 
if your " official" i would see if you can get some kind of pass/ ID from the school beforehand so you dont have to deal with security or other arising issues ( even a hi vis of some kind ) anything that makes it clear you are there in official capacity.
then check out the location where they will be arriving. maybe see if you can plonk yourself just inside the gate .its a tricky one as catching them getting out of the cars/ limos is never going to be easy as they wont be aware of you/ paying attention and all rather excited so you will end up with the risk of alot of missed shots/ unflattering images/ heads, bums, legs etc etc.

if theres any way you can set up outside the building entrance just off to one side, giving them time to see you there and pose. but also be able to catch candids of them arriving too.
llight shouldnt be to much of a problem at that time of the eveving in terms of shutter speed/ iso .
like alot of these kind of things prepartion beforehand is going to be key.
 
Peter69 said:
@dean messenger & @Phil V originally it was just a request by my daughter now the school (who always want something for free) have asked me and another to take photos for them (to sell).
The plan is I am outside catching them as the arrive. The other chap will be inside with some of his stuff to get them against a school back drop.
Because it isn't at the school there isn't allowed to be loitering and there is security on the gate so should help with flow (but I know what parents are like), No parents are allowed inside the building.
I was aiming to get their ride & them by it/ in it.

great pic Dean
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The 24-70 will do for the outside shots with the cars, but that's only a short job. Later when everyone is inside you'll want to do something else. At which point you'll probably need a flashgun. Later you can catch some dancing shots, face the lights, long shutter speeds and camera movement will make these interesting.
 
Thanks @Phil V
I'm not sure if I will be doing inside, I haven't been asked (and to be honest I'm not volunteering as daughter won't like it).
Incase I am asked I presume I need a defuser of some sort (you have mentioned on my raw flash photos previously with hotspots).
 
Peter69 said:
Thanks @Phil V
I'm not sure if I will be doing inside, I haven't been asked (and to be honest I'm not volunteering as daughter won't like it).
Incase I am asked I presume I need a defuser of some sort (you have mentioned on my raw flash photos previously with hotspots).
Click to expand...
Bounce, bounce, bounce.
 
Peter69 said:
@dean messenger & @Phil V originally it was just a request by my daughter now the school (who always want something for free) have asked me and another to take photos for them (to sell).
The plan is I am outside catching them as the arrive. The other chap will be inside with some of his stuff to get them against a school back drop.
Because it isn't at the school there isn't allowed to be loitering and there is security on the gate so should help with flow (but I know what parents are like), No parents are allowed inside the building.
I was aiming to get their ride & them by it/ in it.

great pic Dean
Click to expand...

Something I just thought of. You MUST check with the school if any pupils will be attending who are unable to be photographed for any reason, this can lead to legal ramifications in extreme circumstances. Do you have insurance? again, what happens if you catch someone when photographing or they trip over your bag. If they are selling your photos, the effect of this is that you are being employed to take photos, whether paid or not. Some schools are very good at using this type of help, but if something happens they wash their hands and leave people out to dry.

Not trying to frighten you off, but just want your eyes to be open. Also the venue may want to see the other guys insurance if he is setting up on their premises.
 
Thanks for the tip. I do have liability insurance.
Why could you not take anyone's photograph? I know some don't like it (especially toe rags up to no good)
 
Therses a lot of attention around 'safeguarding' at the moment, so it might be a question worth asking - even if its just a notification to parents that all attendees will be liable to be photography by X Y Z so they are aware. sounds silly but there might be someone who takes umbridge and makes a hoo haa.
 
Hire an FX nikon and hike up the ISO and forget flash and use the 24-70
 
I used to shoot in pubs/clubs ! Bounce the flash off the ceiling and shoot at about 15th second then you won't get a black background and bright spots on faces......
 
Peter69 said:
Thanks for the tip. I do have liability insurance.
Why could you not take anyone's photograph? I know some don't like it (especially toe rags up to no good)
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Its up to the school to let you know if any pupils can't be photogrpahed.. I do a lot of school work (this morning even) ..if the school dont say anything then your OK... wouldn't worry too much about that :)
 
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