Annual dinner / Dim light / big bollroom / need advice

[shma el]

I'll have to photograph VIP during Annual dinner event in a large hotel

bollroom.

I have 5D, 55oEX, L lenses and two 'Profoto" strobes (600 w/s each)

Need help from photogrphers who had such an experience.

Thank you.

[markonestudios]

Which 'L' lenses do you have?

[savagesax]

Rent 2 more mono lights. Put 2 at one end and 2 at the other end of the room.

[bdp]

When you say big ballroom, how big is BIG? You may have enough with you depending on the size of the room.

[shma el]

To Mark: 35,135, 28 - 70, 70 - 200 = all L. + 24,50,85,100macro,TC1.4

To Bob : It is Downtown Meriot hotel ballroom. (600-700 people)

Thank you.<div></div>

[conraderb]

shmil - I woudl put your two lights at the opposite ends of the ballroom, put them on pocketwizards or radio slaves and crank them up as much as possible, bouncing them toward the middle of the ceiling as long as you avoid getting the ceiling in the picture (shouldn't be hard), this should give you nice background lighting which you will combine with diffused on camera flash.

 

OTOH, if you turn up your ISO to 800 or 1600, and shoot around 1/30th of a second, you might be able to do just fine with on camera flash. remember to diffuse it somehow. even an index card and a rubber band works well.

[bruce_rubenstein___nyc]

Unless you have to light up the entire room at once there is no need for the Profotos. For individuals and groups the 550 with the built in bounce card is enough. With the 5D there's no reason not to shoot at 1600 to get ambient light. If you're at 1600 and f4, or larger, I would wouldn't use a low shutter speed, because any subject movement will show up as ghosting, or "soft" pictures.

 

(and who knew El Carib did Glatt? They're about 15 minutes from where I live, but never shot there.)

[picturesque]

You haven't said what kind of images you need to produce. Candids, award type "grip and grin" shots, speeches, set up portraits of couples, what? Makes a difference in the kind of lighting you use.

[shma el]

Conrad, Bruce Nadin thank you all for your responds. __To Conrad : Today I went to B&H and bought two Pocketwizards Plus II (one for on camera and other for one Strobe. I hope second strobe will fier using optical slave.???) and 580EX II for my camera. I will place strobes us you sed at opposite ends. I will use small on flush soft box to diffuse light-hope this will halp. ??? Conserning shutter speed 1/30 I would agry with Bruce. It create soft pictures. (from my own experience).<div></div>

[shma el]

Ooops.....<div></div>

[shma el]

Yes, Nadine. I have to produce all images you manshen above. Now,I need your halp.<div></div>

[shma el]

To Bruce: yes El Caribe did Glatt.<div></div>

[picturesque]

From your pictures and your comment re the 1/30th shutter speed, I think you aren't putting shutter drag to use to freeze motion. Research the concept if you aren't familiar with it. Your sample images show very orange, which tells me that you're shooting at an EV too close to the ambient light. Look at Robert Watcher's linked site with sample images in the following post. He lists his exact settings, and the discussion in the post is also useful to you, I think.

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00NCiO

 

Setting up the Profoto strobes is one way to help light up the ballroom, but Bruce brings up a valid point--unless you need to light up the whole place, you don't necessarily need them. This kind of lighting pattern is usually used for wedding receptions where there will be dancing, etc. You might set them up and use them for general wide shots, but when it comes to specfic shots, like speeches at the podium etc., aim one of them as key light. Here is a tutorial by Neil Cowley.

 

http://makelightreal.com/lighting/room_light.html

 

Are you going to need to do portrait type shots?

[shma el]

Nadine, thanks a lot. It is very nice of you. I will come back to the forum on monday. Have a good weekend.<div></div>