Need tips/help with Night Portraits and Flash!

[Shutterbug]

Some friends have asked me to take some photos at a special event Friday night. Its outdoors at night with holiday lights as a back drop.

I tried to tell them I really haven't done portraits or even own a flash( I usually only work available light) but they have said if I dont take pics then they probably end up with pics from someones camera phone or some P&S.

They said they understand that portraits and flash are things I really dont do but they still want me to do it. So its up to me and I want to do the best job I can.

One other thing...NO TRIPODS or MONOPODS are allowed on the grounds. So no long exposures.

I have ordered a 430EX II which will arrive Thursday( yeah I know..not enough time to really practice)

Here is my arsenal:
40D
50mm 1.8
17-50mm 2.8

They have said they would like to get some portraits but still have lights in the background. I have been reading and seeing that most when using flash use manual mode but what am I metering? the background or the people?

The only other choice I have is to pump up the ISO and use reflected light.
I scouted out the location and there are some areas that would work. Though the places they want to take pics I really have to use flash.

Any help or pointed in a direction would help

 

[Bill_AZ]

Hi. I've started a similar thread and would also be interested in the responses here.

 

[NLD]

Flash pictures are two exposures: the exposure for the ambient light/background, and the exposure for the flash. For me it's easiest to manually set the exposure for the ambient/background, and then let TTL metering work its magic and automatically set the flash exposure.

So...

Camera in manual mode. Meter for the background but you can let it underexpose the background--how much you let it underexpose is up to you and the look you want to create.

Flash in TTL automatic, so that it exposes for the people. You might have to use the flash exposure compensation to get the look you want / the right amount of flash. If you can bounce it off a nearby surface, you can do that. Or you can get the flash off-camera. Or you can keep the flash on-camera and point it straight at them.

I don't know Canon systems but am assuming the flash you mentioned is a Canon flash and you'll have TTL metering capability with that flash and your camera.

 

[mabas9395]

Google "dragging the shutter". You will find much better answers than I will be able to explain.

Basically you set the shutter speed as slow as you can hand hold, so a lens with IS is helpful, like around 1/8 - 1/30. That slow shutter speed will allow the background lights to be exposed. Then you use the flash to properly expose your subjects. The ETTL on the flash should do a fine job with the exposure most of the time. Since the burst of light from your flash is only about 1/10,000 of a second, it freezes your subject and you don't get as much motion blur as you would expect with the slow shutter speeds. Set your aperture to whatever you need to get the DOF you want (but not too small). And set your ISO as high as you can and still avoid noise. Expect to take a few test shots to get everything to balance out.

 

[ThurlFan]

Would this be an appropriate time to use second curtain flash?

 

[photo_chick]

Would this be an appropriate time to use second curtain flash?

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Shutterbug]

The place they are going to be at, I just happened to be last weekend to take pics for myself. So I should use the same settings I used for the pictures that came out and then the flash unit will expose the people properly automatically?
Most of the shots I had to shoot at 1600 ISO, so even at that ISO they wont be blown out?

What about distance from the camera to the people. Say for instance the lights are far off say 50 yards and the subjects are only 5 yards?
Is that were flash exposure compensation comes in? Back the power down say for instance?

Would this be an appropriate time to use second curtain flash?

I thought about that too and I have read that the 40D does support it as long as I am using the 430 or 580.

 

[denise]

One other thing...NO TRIPODS or MONOPODS are allowed on the grounds. So no long exposures.

is that true for all parks? California too?

 

[Shutterbug]

is that true for all parks? California too?

This is a private estate not any of Disney parks
But to answer your question tripod are allowed at disney parks

 

[mabas9395]

Would this be an appropriate time to use second curtain flash?

Actually, my flash is always set to 2nd curtain flash. When you have a fast shutter speed it doesn't have an effect. And I always use it for slower shutter speeds. So it just makes sense to just leave it on.