Military Ball Lighting

[andrew_davis3]

<p>Hello all. I have been selected to take "portrait style" pics at a military ball. I have a couple of questions. Most pictures will be of couples. Lighting at the ball will most likely be low ambient type of lighting. The background will consist of an american flag and marine flag. I will most likely use a black or reddish background. The shots will be full body depending on what the customer wants.<br>

I currently have a D90 with a 70-200mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens. I own a SB 800 and 600 w/plans on buying another 600.</p>

<p>1. Will my strobes (with umbrellas) handle 100-200 shots over a 3 hour period?<br>

2. Is my lens OK for this type of photography? I also have a 50mm Nikkor 1.8.<br>

3. Do I have enough light and do I have to buy the other 600 or will a long reflector do the work.<br>

4. I plan to have SB800 45 degrees of subject and SB 600 on the other side. The other 600 will be for the background/hair. Do you believe this setup is OK? If not, what kind of lighting should I use?</p>

<p>Please make me feel more at ease about this shoot. I have done a Judo shoot before, but I don't want to get beat up by a bunch of marines! Thanks!!!</p>

[markus maurer]

<p>The 50mm will be fine for headshots but for the full body or groups you need something wider like a 35mm depending on the room and distance you have. Two flashes should be fine and for 200-300 shots you want to exchange batteries during a break for faster recycle times, bring plenty of spares and change memory cards during the sessions often. You should have a backup body if it is a paid shooting. I like a black or neutral background, not sure about the reddish. I would use the flashes and camera in manual mode, you set the exposure once in advance and have consistent lighting for all the photos. Good luck.</p>

[alec_myers]

<p>Hire a couple of monobloc studio strobes, stands and umbrellas, you'll be more comfortable knowing the kit won't fail, and you'll look more professional too.</p>

[nathan_stiles]

<p>Coincidently, I'll be attending a military ball soon at the joint operation base in Tampa.</p>

<p>Unless I'm mistaken, the SB's are speedlights/flashes and not strobes. I guess there is no hard rule as to what to call these things, but in general most people I talk to in my area and on the internet use the terms to seperate hotshoe flashes from AC/DC powered strobes that are measured in watt-seconds, instead of guide numbers. I don't use speedlights, so I can't comment on them.</p>

<p>2.<br>

I agree w/ Markus about your lenses. On a 1.5 crop camera, I've used a 43mm for full length pictures in doors, but only when I had a lot of room. Your lenses would be fine outdoors, but you probably want to be able to shoot 28-35mm for full length.</p>

<p>Also as Markus said, I'd avoid reddish-- may not flatter the dress colors of some of your subjects. Stick to something more neutral.</p>

<p>4. I personally dislike the / dual 45 \ set up, as the lighting is fakey and hard to control. I'd put on not quite at 45 (b/c you need to light two people standing on the same plane), and the other above the camera axis. Note that you really don't have a large enough light source for full body shots, IMO.</p>

<p>If your background is black, then a hair light will be important for every dark hair/complexion subject.</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>I think you need to do some black on black illumination tests. Regardless of what equipment you use, those Marine dress uniforms will have black coats. The enlisted will have red trim on some key features, but the officer dress will be largely black.</p>

<p>Another point to consider will be reflections from "brass", any shiny metal object worn on the uniform. Unfortunately for you, key pieces will be on the subject's shoulders, collar and chest. So, watch those angles.</p>

<p>Exposure problems will be similar to that of other formal occasions, like weddings, except you can add in plenty of shiny metal to contend with. So I would guess.</p>

<p>If you want to find out if your setup will cut it, set up. Do a rehearsal. It's easy; you will probably start figuring out quite a few answers in the first 20 minutes.</p>

<p>If I'm not mistaken, a clamshell portrait setup with backdrop at these events is common; but will often be supplemented by journalistic-type recording photos of the events. If you are not familiar with military societies, then you should get a quick cue on what the events will be. Punchbowl ceremonies and certain other events may be on the list; I guess to the average person, these may not look like much, but they will be an entertainment focus for the participants.</p>

<p>Sometimes there will be a panel-like table of VIPs at one end of the hall, with another table opposite. "Mister Vice," will be there; this will be a serviceman playing the role of court jester; often creating a roast-like atmosphere with some polite, but genuinely funny, things to say. Almost every military unit has their own specific traditions, so your event may be different from someone else's experience. Invariably, there was someone "blessed" with being in charge of the thing; find that person and pick his brain about what's going to happen when in the evening, if you haven't already.</p>

<p>If you are not aware of these kinds of things, you may just see a room full of people at tables. Get an old sergeant to clue you in before things kick off so that you understand the basic plan. Going to a military ball without understanding the flow of events would be like going to a wedding without knowing what the ceremony might be.</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>I don't know this for a fact, because I have never photographed those events, but the positioning of brass on a uniform inclines me to believe that this might be a situation where you will want to consider polarizing the light. Maybe a polarizing filter on the strobes, or on the lens. Really, I suspect, but do not know, that you will want a polarizing gel on at least one of those flashes. </p>

<p>Do a test setup with some black cloth and shiny metal. it's the only way to de-bug this thing before you get there. You want to have a solution in pocket when you arrive.</p>

<p>By the way, I know I went on about the chain of events up there; I meant, but did not say, that this was because what happens might affect what you want to record, and, in turn, affect your lighting preparations. Good luck! J.</p>

[alonzo_e]

<p>For the most part you cannot do anything about medals but make sure the lighting is at a 45 degree angle (both sides) from the camera. Also, make sure you have good composition (male on your right with the female slightly in front) and you'll be fine. I would consider hiring a couple of monolights, tho..<br>

One other thing to watch for is glasses. The glare from certain glasses can blank out one's eyes..<br>

You may want to consider a dye sub printer to print pics on the spot. $20 a sheet you could make a killing!!</p>

[nathan_stiles]

<blockquote>

<p>make sure the lighting is at a 45 degree angle (both sides) from the camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Seriously, as mentioned above, avoid this. It's a bad habit, and an error I made for the first two years of using strobes. If you have both lights to the sides of the camera in this configuration, neither is a fill. One may be weaker, but it's not a fill light.</p>

<p>This is a commonly found on the Internet, bad light setup. It is not as obviously bad for one person, but the mistake is compounded as you add subjects. The main reason is your fill is not striking the subject evenly. It's not filling the far area. And the areas most forward-- the woman's nose, for example, will receive much more light (full strike from both lights) than anything else-- most people don't want their nose to be the highlight of the picture.</p>

[gertle]

<p>Along with seconding the lens advice given by Marcus and Nathan I would also recommend the neutral background. With the red, white and blue of the American flag, and the massive red in the Marine Corps flag a red background probably isn't the way to go.<br>

Also, if memory serves me correctly, the Marine dress jacket is blue so it should stand out from a black background but not a lot. These are sharp looking uniforms, let them pop.<br>

For lighting arrangements perhaps one light at 45 and another over the camera but with reduced power to fill in. If this is for their "birthday ball" you've got about 6 weeks to try some stuff out. And see if you can get in contact with the event coordinator as was previously suggested.</p>