Last-Minute party event

[PlatinumWeaver]

So I'm sort of shooting a 50th Birthday party in about 2.5hrs and was wondering if anyone had any last minute ideas that might be helpful.

It's quite informal ( the job, not the party - cocktail ) so if I stuff up a little it wont matter too much, but I'd like to be able to do the best with the gear I have..

Any advices? ( Remember, this is in 2.5hrs time.. I will not be buying equipment beforehand )

[mudder]

Do you need anything to borrow? 50F1.8, SB800 etc?

Best advice, don't get plastered BEFORE you take the shots

[Link]

1/ Make sure your battery has enough charge
2/ Make sure your CF card is inside and has enough space for your shoot

I know it sounds obvious, but it's easy to forget a CF card in the computer when packing gears in a rush!

Link.

[PlatinumWeaver]

Battery 1 charging, Battery 2 fully charged and in camera.
Card 1 empty in camera, Card 2 in camera case.

Damn mudder.. I wish you hadn't offered.. I don't know how to use the flash.. erm.. ahh.. oh bother..

[redline]

i've heard getting plastered helps with creative block!!!

[PlatinumWeaver]

Party went well.. took lots of shots.. SB-800.. damn that thing gives smooth light. Couldn't work out 9/10ths of it's features though, manually adjusting it went okay.

Red-eye reduction does about 50 pre-flashes then an exposure, then the same again.. very odd..

One problem, everyone seems very rosy cheeked. I don't know if it was because of the cold last night, or the gas heater outside or what but I may need to touch up a few of these shots before they get passed on..

Thanks Mudder for the equipment, hope your morning shoot went well!

[mudder]

Party went well.. took lots of shots.. SB-800.. damn that thing gives smooth light. Couldn't work out 9/10ths of it's features though, manually adjusting it went okay.

Red-eye reduction does about 50 pre-flashes then an exposure, then the same again.. very odd..

One problem, everyone seems very rosy cheeked. I don't know if it was because of the cold last night, or the gas heater outside or what but I may need to touch up a few of these shots before they get passed on..

Thanks Mudder for the equipment, hope your morning shoot went well!

G'day mate,
The red-eye pre-flashes are a bugger, the second exposure though haven't seen that had before but I ain't a flash guru that's for sure... Used it primarily in either TTL or TTL-BL but never had a second exposure, hmmm...

Sounds like you had fun and it would have been good experience too...

Cheers mate.