Camera/flash setting for low light setting

[eye4animage]

<p>I was asked to attend a mother/daughter banquet at our church this evening with my camera and need some guidelines on what settings to use for the low-light situation. Most of my images are taken in natural lighting situations outdoors so this is somewhat new to me.</p>

<p>It will be held in the basement of the church which is very small and dark with only a few fluorescent lights off to the side. I have an external speed light flash, rogue reflector, soft box attachment, flash diffuser, and umbrellas with slave flashes that I am prepared to use if need be. </p>

<p>I have been shooting in AV mode with the RAW+JPEG setting. I know most experienced photographers shoot in complete Manual mode and I was hoping that someone could tell me what settings would be typical for the low-light indoor setting in Manual mode so I can get it set up before this evening. My camera is a Canon EOS 30D, my lenses are Canon IS USM 28-105 and Canon EF-S 55-250, and the hot shoe flash is a YN560 Speedlite made by Yongnuo Digital (the slave flashes are TT560 Speedlite by Neewer).</p>

<p>Any information would be helpful! Thanks in advance!</p>

[JosvanEekelen]

A bit late to learn the trick of the trade and/or test your system. Use P and bounce the flash if you have a white wall or

ceiling. Next step would be to use M, 1/30 and f/8. Shoot RAW so you have plenty of room for corrections.

Read all about Canon flashes on www.photonotes.org and start experimenting with the other flashes tomorrow so you

can use them next time.

[frank_skomial]

<p>Bounce the flash. Use ISO=800. Use F-5.6 or F-4.<br>

Leave 55-250 lens at home.</p>

 

[eye4animage]

<p>Thank you guys!</p>

[jcuknz]

<p>Since you sound as if you don't know what you are doing with flash I would suggest that you simply take the camera with the 28-105 lens and let the camera do the thinking for you. The camera has a flash range of 12 metres when shooting at 100 ISO so should handle everything in the indoor situation.<br>

The location sounds like a dark hole quite unsuited for bounce flash but I am guessing there.<br>

Bear in mind that light falls off at the inverse square of the distance so organise your subject in 'flat' composition as much as possible and accept that people and things behind the main subjects will be dark. The YN sitting on the camera will cast bigger shadows than the on-board flash so personally I prefer the on-board for simplicity of operation. It is flat and uninteresting from a photographers point of view but at least you get a good result which may not be the case when experimenting with other set-ups. <br>

There is one main drawback with color in that if the people are looking at the camera you will get the 'red eye ' problem so it is worth shooting in 'red-eye reduction' flash mode. Bear in mind as you shoot that the first flashes are to get the subject's eyes to close thier eyes pupils and the camera hasn't taken the photo until the final flash goes off.<br>

The wonderful thing about digital is that one can make a stab at exposure, look at the picture and adjust from there... if it is dark you need to open up the aperture and remember that so long as the shutter speed is slower than the 'sync speed' of the camera, probably around 1/160, read the manual,, it has no effect on exposure. If you use a faster speed the flash will only illuminate part of the frame.<br>

Going on a 'job' with gear you do not understand is a big NO NO in my book. I hope that I am mis reading the situation if you have got all the gear with slave flashes etc I hope you are beyond the level I am suggesting for ... good luck :-)</p>

[eye4animage]

<p>Thank you as well, JC. <br>

I was surprised to find that the actual banquet was held in the sanctuary rather than the basement where most other luncheons are held. This did provide for more overhead lighting as well as ambient light from the windows. <br>

I did take Frank's advice on this and set my camera at 800 speed and F-5.6 as well as bouncing the external flash with the built in reflector. Most of the images had adequate lighting for proper exposure. The only trouble I did have was when taking a photo of the subject too far away and there not being enough flash to reach them, so these ended up being a little under exposed, out of focus, and grainy...nothing I couldn't fix on the computer.<br>

So, thank you all for your advice.<br>

This is all a learning process for me...that's why it's posted in the beginner's forum. Some things that might seem like common sense are simply not so until one can learn the complete mechanics of the equipment. I am learning, asking for advice, and learning some more. Your time is appreciated.</p>

[eye4animage]

<p><img src="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=184612311696443&l=2ef39c8c6a" alt="" /><br>

Here is an image from Saturday night at the banquet.</p><div></div>