Auditorium Photography My lil one is Graduating

<p>Good Morning..</p>

<p>Can anyone please give me the best advise for me to take some nice shoot of my daughter graduation<br>

is going to be on a college Auditorium and im planing to bring with following with me. and i will like to know if anyone can tell me what setting to use and what we be the best choice to bring with on this date.</p>

<p>I Got the Following equipment<br>

Nikon D80 & D3000<br>

lenses: 18-55 & 18-105 kit lens also i got a 50mm 1.4 all nikon<br>

Flash SB600</p>

<p>Thank You... excuse my english writting</p>

<p>Can you check out the auditorium before the ceremony to test? For manual or AV mode, ISO 800 with 5.6 or so.<br>

I would use the 50mm 1.4 if you can get close enough or the 18-105 if you need the reach. Leave the SB600 on TTL/Auto and you should be fine. If this is too advanced, just go with "P" (for Professional :P) and hope for the best.<br>

Again, shoot some test shots when you get there, and you will probably be fine.</p>

<p>Are you likely to be sitting close enough that the flash will be at all effective? It seems less than likely unless the auditorium is particularly small. It seems more likely you're going to need a longer lens with a larger aperture, something that you could rent.</p>

<p>I think the two key questions are how close can you get and how is the stage lit. I assume what you're trying to get is a shot of her being presented with her diploma on stage since you can make as many posed shots of her, her with family, etc., as you want afterwards.<br />I would use the 18-105 with the flash and forget about the other two lenses. Both the 18-55 and the 18-105 are too slow to easily shoot without flash, but the 50 is too short to be of any use unless you're about 10 feet away. Up that close, the flash will be close enough to let you shoot at say f/8 or bettter without any problem regardless of which lens you use. My first choice would be to get as close up front as you can. That can mean getting their early and getting a seat in the first row or two, assuming seating is first come first served. Or you try to sit on an aisle and when it gets close to your daughter's turn you simply get up, walk down front, make your shot (preferably two or three shots in case she blinks), then head back to your seat. Don't be shy. Unless they are being very strict, nobody is likely to stop you, or you'll already have your shot before they can. You don't have to stand there for the whole ceremony. If you can't move from your seat, crank the ISO up to about 1600. If the light is really good you might be able to get by with 800 but I would plan on 1600. If you're more than about 20-30 feet I wouldn't both with the flash. Definitely a good idea to try some test shots of other students while waiting for your daughter's turn. That will give you a chance to see what's working or not and get it right before it's her turn.</p>

If your daughter is going to be to the right of the presenter,walks up from right to left, position yourself off to the left side so you can get a better angle shot of her face. A shot of her receiving the diploma and another immediate shot of her turning to face the camera with a proud smile would be good but I think she would be nervous enough without having to remember to do that.

 

My congratulations to your daughter. Well done!

<p>As others have indicated, you have not provided enough information. At my son's high school graduation, front rows were all the students, followed by faculty and staff. There was nowhere to shoot from other than seats, the far back, and the sides starting about half way back. That's the kind of thing you have to know about before you can figure out what it will take to get a shot. Because the students came up through the center aisle, depending on seating, it could be very tough to get a clear shot from many of the seats. I settled for one from my seat of him in his seat. You might think of ways to take a shot other than on the stage receiving the diploma.</p>

<p><img src="http://spirer.com/images/zgrad3.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /></p>

<p> </p>

<p>trying for a close up in a large room, possibly one with dark walls will be hard.<br>

tend to rely on a longer lens and some camera that has spot or zone metering.<br>

the flash will provide only a little help<br>

less than a Fill Flash in olden film days.<br>

if there are low stage lights - I hope there are- it will make your job easier.<br>

as far as walking up to get closer- it may not be possible or permitted.<br>

as everybody will want to do the same.<br>

if you can- fine. But plan on shooting from your seat and that someone does not stand up in front of you.<br>

In their eagerness to capture the moment, common sense goes away.<br>

like the man who used an Instamatic to take a photo of a movie.<br>

Do not even attempt to borrow a long lens that will ADAPT to your camera.<br>

Unless it works like the lenses you are used to, it may slow you down.<br>

Without a long lens for a dslr, it may be easier to use a older film camera with a long lens and use the stage lights. Even if you need a second shooter.</p>

<p>Since you don't know how far away you'll be or what the lighting is like I'd bring the D80, the 18-105 VR, the 50mm f/1.4, and the flash. If you're close enough to use the 50mm use it even if you'll have to crop a little. If you're too far away for the 50mm use the 18-105 VR. If you have a clear shot (no heads in the way) try using the flash. Raising the ISO increases the range of the flash. Do some practice shots before your daughter comes up for her diploma to see if you're within range of the flash.</p>

<p>Set the ISO to Auto and the camera to P. The camera will then pick an ISO, an aperture, and a shutter speed according to the available light. You could also set the camera to A, set the lens wide open, and the ISO to Auto. If you use the 18-105 VR the VR will help steady the lens for a slow shutter speed, but if your daughter is moving she may still blur so try shooting when she is not moving.</p>

<p>Good luck and let us know how the pictures come out.</p>