Shooting a fashion show on Friday night...

[dawesy]

So with less notice than I had hoped I will be shooting the runway at a small, informal, fashion show that is being run as a charity event and to promote a local dress shop. The assignment is a very low stress, help out and hope to get good shots type. My brief amounts to 'as long as we get one decent shot of each model everyone should be happy. Some guest shots would be nice'.

To the Questions:
1. I have checked out the location, done some test shots at home using my lights (2 light Poon kit) and expect I can light the area I am going to shoot the girls at somewhere between f5.6 and f8 using ISO200 (D300). What aperture should I be aiming for on these? Subjects will be only about 3 metres away and likely shot with a 24-70. Obviously I want the models crisp, but at this stage I am not sure how the backgrounds will look so looking to soften it a tad - it will only be 2 metres behind them. If 2.8 or so is better, I can always turn down the strobes, which the audience may well be thankful for.

2. Light location, I have scored space either side of the runway at the front end, so just thinking a KISS approach and having one light each side, pointing in a 45 degrees. Hoping this will light the whole area for a group shot they are hoping for at the end as well, and of the speakers further back at the beginning. If I can light it to say 5.6, I can always drop to f2.8 for the longer shots if the falloff demands it.

3. They have got the models to add a stop into their runway walk where they will pose and look straight at me. I was also thinking of one as the walk towards me off the ramp as the front foot hits the ground. Sound OK? The models are not actual models, just women who have volunteered to do so, so they don't have much experience with getting portfolio work done or anything. Which is good as I have no experience doing it!

I have 10 models, 5 outfits, two shots per walk = 100 shots. I can do that on one memory card so I am thinking have that for the show, use another for the lead up and if it fills, so be it as those shots are less in demand. It can be offloaded to a PSD during the show so I can get any post show shots needed. I think I will be primarily using the 24-70 but I have the 70-200 if I need it, and will be there during the set-up a few hours beforehand to refine all this. I also hope to set the lights up the day before for a few test exposures at the same time of night in the actual room so I can check them on a laptop before the event. I plan on having the Laptop there so I can show the shots to people on the night as well if they like.

I guess the last question is what have I not thought of?

[Alex]

Hi Dawesy,

Depending on the lighting type they will employ for this show... I suspect this will be a small club production so do not expect a good available light. However, if the lighting permits then try to avoid using flash.

For runway use 1/200 shutter or faster with iso 800 or higher (as it's D300, I guess you can go to 1600 or even higher). Do everything to avoid flash.
Forget the studio lights as due to the model moving along the runway you will need to change your studio lights settings. Save your lights for backstage shots. Just use on board flash (diffused) or bounce it off the ceiling if the ceiling allows it. If you can maintain shutterspeeds of 1/200 or higher with iso 800 to 1600 then avoid the flash altogether. As for aperture use f4 or anything up to 2.8 if the lighting is really not sufficient for f4 even at iso 1600.

Hope this helps and have fun!

[dawesy]

It all helps when you're making splashdown into the deep end!

I'm expecting nothing more than the usual room lighting, which is pretty low. I will have to get in there tonight and see what it's metering at. I'll also follow up to make sure there is no extra lighting planned.

Why the desire to avoid lights? The plan is to shoot each model as the pose in the same position so the lighting can remain static. My only concern has been the flashing annoying guests, but have not managed to get much feedback from the organisers on that issue aside from 'if we get complaints we'll just stop the shooting'.

[Alex]

I meant the lights would not be much use for runway shooting. Backstage they will be very useful if you have space/ time to set them up.
Cheers
Alex

[dawesy]

I have the space, power, time and permission to set them up, and at the working distance (only 3m or so) they should be effective. I'm not seeing the issue?

Sorry if I've completely missed the point.

[Alex]

Sorry for not being clear. There is no issue. I was talking about the runway part (catwalk) where the lights would be of no use.

If you will be shooting the models later or before the show (not on catwalk) then the lights WILL be useful.

Cheers
Alex

[gstark]

There will be many issues about using the lights.

Will there be other people around? Will they knock the lights?

Will there be other people using PHDs or whatever to take their own photos? Expect them to be using their own flashes. This will cause a number of things to happen ...

1: They will trigger your flash heads ... just a poofteenth of a second before you take your image. You won't have the flash. You will have under-exposed images.

2: Those people ... remember the ones shooting with their PHDs? The ones who triggered your flash and stopped you from getting properly exposed images? Because they tripped your flash heads - both of them - their images will be seriously overexposed. Sweet justice ... but hardly satisfactory given that you, too don;t have your images.

Maybe, and that's a big maybe, use the flash backstage. Personally, I'd leave it at home. Less to carry, less to worry about.

Did someone say KISS??

800 - 1600 ISO, 24-70 or 85 f/1.4.

Will the actual stage lighting be changing? Spot meter, set aperture and shutter speeds to manual and hope that the lighting won't be changing.

Do NOT use matrix metering: you will be engaging with a contrast range that encompasses severe shadows and areas that are brightly spotlit. Matrix metering will try to average that out. Not a good idea.

[dawesy]

1: They will trigger your flash heads ... just a poofteenth of a second before you take your image. You won't have the flash. You will have under-exposed images.

Now that I hadn't thought of... an excellent point. Don't know if there will be many snappers, but it only takes one since recycle time aint blistering. Could get one working by covering the optical sensor and relying on the wireless trigger if I get desperate for light.

800 - 1600 ISO, 24-70 or 85 f/1.4.

No 85 kicking around these parts, but looks like I'm going to be at 1600 with the 24-70... yikes

Will the actual stage lighting be changing? Spot meter, set aperture and shutter speeds to manual and hope that the lighting won't be changing.

Nope. Though lighting would be a generous term. It's in a room that is usually a lounge in the clubhouse and there is no extra lighting going in... it's going to be pretty average, though not concert dark of course.

Do NOT use matrix metering: you will be engaging with a contrast range that encompasses severe shadows and areas that are brightly spotlit. Matrix metering will try to average that out. Not a good idea.

Never do. I tend to use spot 90% of the time so can pick what is important. I'm thinking maybe the model Thankfully I won't have to deal with any spotlights though, this is a very low key thing.

Thanks for the good reply, a whopping issue I really hadn't thought of that makes all the difference to how I approach this. Good thing I have under promised!

[Alex]

Didn't realise your lighting kit is only an SU-4 slave. In that case, I agree with what Gary said.

Alex