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01/03/2006 11:24:43 AM · #1 |
Hi! I've been asked to photograph a Daddy-Daughter Girl Scout dance. Not just one troop, but all the troops in our region. I've been told I can expect to photograph 100 "couples."
My questions:
1)I'm using a solid black backdrop (and two strobes, I have an auto-slave but I don't think it's working or else I don't know how to use it). Any suggestions on props to dress up the setting w/o taking the focus away from the people?
2) Full body or zoomed-in shots (torso and up) to see facial features? I am not fond of full body because it's a strain to see people's faces, but maybe that's just me.
3) Poses???? Any ideas or visual examples of daddy-daughter photos? How should I set them up?
Obviously, I am very new and nervous about this; at the same time I am excited about the opportunity.
I'd appreciate advice from whomever would care to offer some!!! Thank you! |
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01/03/2006 11:30:24 AM · #2 |
Not a pro...barely an amatuer, but I do have opinions..oh yes..I do.
One of the greatest father daughter poses, is the daughter standing with her head on daddys chest and his arms around her. But this is difficult in a "dance" situation. I would think something like a cheek to cheek capture would be good. If you had a couple stools you could adjust up and down (to get them to the right level) and then place them cheek to cheek and get a shoulder up shot...that would be nice. Just a thought. |
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01/03/2006 11:36:33 AM · #3 |
Well, I'll offer what I can. Not a lot of experience with this sort of work, but I'd agree that a close-up shot would be better. As far as poses go, you could try posing them as if they were dancing - could be fun, as they could act as if they were swing dancing, ballroom, disco...whatever they liked.
Anyway, good luck!!
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01/03/2006 11:59:52 AM · #4 |
What is the expected height difference between the pair? If they are fourth graders and daughter's head is at dad's mid torso, the dancing shots might look rather stilted. For ths posed shots you might bring a chair to reverse the heights, seating dad and have the daughter posed draped over the father's sholder or back, putting the girl in the dominant position as the more active poser.
Keying in on the girls who are going to set the standard for what is too uncool, and getting them to buy into how much fun being photographed is going to be might set the tone of how many eyerolls and "god this is dumb" looks you are going to get.
For the dance, I like to shoot on a manual setting with a low flash to freeze the dancers in the foreground while getting color and motion in the backround, trying to avoid the overpowered flash that makes the backround an inky void. Second flash curtain helps alot. Capturing the sense of motion and fun is more important than freezing the action, as long as you can see who the dancers are. |
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01/03/2006 01:19:51 PM · #5 |
| I like the ideas so far - thank you! Any others out there??? So I'm thinking also, if I shoot closer up, props would only be a distraction (of course, I may need a stool for the actual positioning. |
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01/03/2006 01:22:26 PM · #6 |
| Some of the younger/smaller girls might be cute in the classic "little girl's feet on top of dad's feet" shot as they dance. Might not work for all of them but it's an idea. :) |
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01/03/2006 01:25:25 PM · #7 |
| I especially like the idea of the stool/chair for dad and positioning the daughter(s) behind or beside, hand(s) on his shoulder. Also like Laurie's idea for the littler girls! The ages range is 5-12. You guys are giving me some great ideas (and helping build my confidence)! |
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01/03/2006 02:03:49 PM · #8 |
Do you have a daughter? I assume you work with the troop...
Why not take a series of various poses with your daughter, and have them available and then let them select from your sample poses?
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01/03/2006 10:08:54 PM · #9 |
Yes, I do have two daughters. Hmmmm, I don't think my 26 year old can pass for a Girl Scout anymore (and definitely not the 29 year old!). But that doesn't mean I can't make up some samples anyway. Thanks for the good idea! Maybe I'll borrow a kid!
BTW - I decided to order a handpainted muslin backdrop. Going with a dark blue and white background instead of the black as I had originally intended. I have a coworker who is going to assist me that evening as well.
Message edited by author 2006-01-03 22:10:35. |
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01/03/2006 10:17:50 PM · #10 |
I didn't see anybody address this issue:
Originally posted by woohoopepper:
two strobes, I have an auto-slave but I don't think it's working or else I don't know how to use it |
How do you trigger the strobes? Are you using a Nikon flash (built-in or external) to trigger the strobes? Or are you using a synch cord? Or a transmitter?
Here's a guess based on the info so far: I'm guessing the strobes are being triggered by your on-camera flash. And that the on-camera flash goes off and the strobes do to, but the image you capture doesn't show the effect of the strobes.
If I'm right, then your on-camera flash is using a pre-flash to measure the light. The pre-flash is triggering the strobes. The strobes fire. Then the shutter opens and the on-camera flash does the real flash. Meanwhile you've totally missed the light coming from the strobes.
On Canon flashes this is called E-TTL. In E-TTL mode, a pre-flash is fired to measure the light. You need to disable that by putting the flash into manual mode where you set the amount of light. You would probably only want a small amount of light - enough to trigger the strobes but not enough to light the subject (you want to avoid the straight on flash that gives you flat lighting and red-eye). If using an external flash, you could point the flash at the ceiling if necessary.
Anyway, the above is a guess based on the info you provided. If I'm wrong, let us know more about what you're using and what effect you're seeing and we can try to help out. |
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01/03/2006 10:20:11 PM · #11 |
Figure out a system of getting them as they come in. Dont just set up and wait for them to come. Have lots of your cards with your website where the photos are going to be unless you have another way of showing them. Even if you are selling onsite put them on a web page and let them know where to find them. I sell photos from events from 2 years ago(lots). Be fast and know your poses(it sounds like your on top of it). Good Luck smile alot and have fun
Tim |
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01/03/2006 11:48:07 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by dwterry:
I didn't see anybody address this issue:
How do you trigger the strobes? Are you using a Nikon flash (built-in or external) to trigger the strobes? Or are you using a synch cord? Or a transmitter? |
Sync cord triggers the strobes. Not using the on-camera flash. The strobes flash, just not the AC slave flash. I might have broken it. |
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01/04/2006 08:14:34 AM · #13 |
Sorry, posting in a hurry as I dash out the door for work (not a good way to put in my first post...I know) so ignore anything that someone said before (I might have missed it in my quick glance over the responses)...anyway.
1. Shoot from just below the girls height, angled up at her face. Use a good f-stop and get that cherished look at her father so it stands out against a slightly out of focus backround
2. Get plenty of shots with fathers leading their daughters out to the floor (or the opposite)
3. Find one child...follow her around until she laughs at her dad about something..(take picture)..rinse and repeat :) Little girls laughing at grown men always makes me smile when I see it.
Thats my 2 tired cents..
Good luck! |
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