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Archive 2015 · Prom pictures advice

  
 
gqllc007
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Prom pictures advice


I will be taking prom pics of my son and his 9 other friends and I am sure a few of just couples.
I will be using my 5DMk3 and 24-70 2.8 Mk2 and 70-200 2.8 Mk2.
Shooting in RAW
I will have an on bracket flash for fill and catch lights.
I will try for open shade.
I planned on using expodisc to set custom white balance but I would be setting it when the flash isn't firing as I have no place to bounce the fill to set it. Will that screw things up and would I be better off in AWB?
My other question is DOF related
When I am doing couples I will shoot at 2.8 for blurred background.
What should I shoot for group pics? 4?, 5.6? 8?
I dont want anyone out of focus but I also dont want a sharp background..
any other hints greatly appreciated as well.
I normally shoot +2/3 compensation at 160 but with the fill flash I did some practice shots and those were overexposed so I knocked the exp compensation to zero.



May 02, 2015 at 08:25 AM
mitchel674
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Prom pictures advice


Just did this last week for my son and a few friends.

You've got most things covered. Open shade, fill light (i used an alien bee in a large beauty dish), shoot in RAW.

I shot a grey card instead of expodisc. The lighting changes through the evening pretty quickly.

I shot almost everything with my 70-200mm.

Most individual shots were at f2.8. Most couples shots were at f4. You don't want to risk anyone being OOF. Make sure they are on the same focal plane if your are wide open. My group shots were f4 or higher.

My son
http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/School/Berkeley-Prom-2015/i-jzFhpVk/0/XL/42515-4-XL.jpg


The whole gang at f4
http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/School/Berkeley-Prom-2015/i-PCRjk59/0/XL/42515-30-XL.jpg


Is there still snow up in Albany? I moved to Florida 20 years ago after living in Albany for 13 years for school.



May 02, 2015 at 08:42 AM
gqllc007
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Prom pictures advice


We had a dusting last week! I use to live in Sarasota and moved back...clearly I am a moron
Great photos!
So you think the 70-200 would be better than the 24-70?



May 02, 2015 at 08:49 AM
mitchel674
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Prom pictures advice


It's hectic shooting all these kids. We were also hosting the pre-prom party. I had my 24-70mm and my 85mm, f1.4 with me but never used them. Just too much for me to start switching lenses.

For the group photos I just backed up as needed. The 70-200mm is great for candid shots.



May 02, 2015 at 08:58 AM
gqllc007
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Prom pictures advice


Ok that is what I figured I would do...bring the 24-70 but try to do everything with 70-200


May 02, 2015 at 09:02 AM
mitchel674
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Prom pictures advice


Did my daughter's friends 2 years ago. Twelve couples and shot all the formal portraits with my 85mm. Came out nice, but a zoom is easier to work with. Again, never used my 24-70mm even for the larger groups.

The 70-200mm gives your great flexibility.



May 02, 2015 at 09:09 AM
Steve Wylie
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Prom pictures advice


It's hectic shooting all these kids In my experience, this is the most important point. During my daughter's four years of high school, I shot all of her formal pix, and all were made with a bunch of kids, and a huge parental scrum, everybody jostling for location and attention. Accordingly, it's likely that your best plans will quickly go in the toilet, and you'll be scrambling. In that case, I'd simply put your speed light on the bracket, shoot RAW, set your white balance to the best choice for the ambient condition, and reduce your flash to fill as needed. As for white balance, remember that your white balance choice should be dictated by the strongest source of light in your photo, which probably will be the ambient. When your flash is the strongest, most predominate light source, choose flash as your white balance setting. Good luck!


May 02, 2015 at 08:42 PM
mmbma
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Prom pictures advice


i'd bring a smaller and more discrete camera/lens combo.

5dm3 plus 70-200 is huge. you don't want to make your son feel awkward in front of his date and his friends.



May 03, 2015 at 09:24 PM
RichCoyle
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Prom pictures advice


You don't even need to shoot at f4.0 for a shallow DOF if you're using the 70-200. Instead, shoot at 5.6 and leave a good distance between the subjects and the background; the subjects will be much sharper than at 2.8 or 4.0 and the background will be blurred because of the lens compression.


May 06, 2015 at 01:37 PM





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