Shooting an indoor exhibition

[Mike Hoyer]

I'll be at the Autosport show in a couple of weeks, and I'm looking for some advice. Mainly the static exhibitions of cars. I'm not looking to do anything particularly artistic, just decently exposed shots of the various people and exhibitions.

I'm thinking aperture priority and TTL flash as a starting point. Any tips?

(I've done the event before but not always been happy with some of the results. I think some of that was down to inexperience though...)

[Gary Parravani]

(I've done the event before but not always been happy with some of the results. I think some of that was down to inexperience though...)

ditto!

are you shooting for Paddock.net?

[Mike Hoyer]

Them and others, yeah.

[Dennis Murray]

With flash indoors, I tend to be happier using Manual mode, setting an aperture and shutter speed, and then using TTL flash.

If you are shooting for web only, you could probably use ISO 800 or 1000, f4, 1/60 or 1/100 (there or about) and let the flash do the rest. Aperture priority either will set you to the sync shutter speed automatically or a lower shutter speed. I'm guessing you will be shooting with a fairly wide lens (like a 17-40 or 20mm prime) so DOF isn't much of an issue once you back up about 6'.

Working with manual mode it lets you select (in a roundabout way) how much light the flash contributes to the image and help create a more natural fall off of light behind the subject.

[Jacob Leveton]

no flash unless it's in your hand and highlighting darker areas like interiors or engine bays.

apature priority, i'd suggest F8 or F11 for most of the stuff. Use a tripod. Check your histogram, especially on dark or light cars.

i really really really hate flash photography from a single camera-mounted flash on cars, especially at events. it tends to create unsightly hot spots.

[John Jovic]

try to get in before the crowds become difficult. use a tripod and flash for fill, about 1 and third stops under the ambient light. use an apature that will give you reasonable depth of field, ie 8 or 11 and whatever shutter speed results (hence the tripod). iso depends on the results your camera cam deliver, the higher the better. I have a 20d for this kind of thing and it never sees 800asa, my 1dsmk2 hardly ever sees 400asa. use manual or apature priority. shooting girls obviously means a shorter shutter speed and full flash exposure rather than just fill. you also need crowd/people shots so the event looks like it is popular.

good luck

jj

[Mike Hoyer]

Crowd shouldn't be a major problem. I'm going on the press/trade days - there's plenty of people there, but not a crush. Thanks for the advice!

If I may, a few examples from Sutton - how do you think they were shot?

http://www.suttonimages.com/fotoweb/FWbin/preview.dll/dmc0612ja39.jpg? (Example 1)
I'd say longish exposure on a tripod. Ironically I'm pretty sure that's me, blurred in the dark blue shirt. Don't ask me how, but sometimes you recognise yourself even like t hat!

http://www.suttonimages.com/fotoweb/FWbin/preview.dll/dgb0612jan456.j.jpg? (Example 2)
Shorter exposure + flash?

http://www.suttonimages.com/fotoweb/FWbin/preview.dll/dgb0612jan173.j.jpg? (Example 3)
Similar thing as above?

These things are always a bit of a lottery to shoot I think, probably best to arrive early and find out what works best for a few situations and stick to it. Then try the arty stuff later!

[Mark Scheuern]

These things are hard to shoot. Lots of mixed lighting, crowds, tight spaces, bad backgrounds... . You just have to do what you can to make the most of it. I agree with the advice to use a tripod if you can. Long exposures and flash just for fill, or off-camera flash. A few of mine from some past North American International Autho Shows, here (http://www.photoshelter.com/gallery-show/G0000GsdnW1rJUKg).

The Sutton links aren't working for me.

[Steve Allen]

Hi Guys, well I recently went to the San Francisco Moto Show, I took my new NIKKOR 17-55 f2.8 lens and my SB800 flash. I got there on a weekday early so there were no crowds, and after playing about for a couple dozen shots, I figured out what to do.....

http://bevelheaven.com/misc/fotos/lexus.jpg

here are the stats; aperture priority f2.8, 26mm focal length, 1/125 sec exposure, ISO 320, pattern metering mode, flash bumped +0.3 step and the most important thing in reality is that the flash is pointing straight up.

The ceiling is around 50+ feet up, poor lighting etc, the shot is hand held - I didn't feel the need to bring bring a tripod with this lens and didn't need it ultimately either. *I love this lens BTW* This photo is straight out of the camera, just reduced and compressed - no PP here.

I like that there is no flash hot spot, things look lit in the background etc.... There is a bright spot on the driver door but that turns out to be one of the huge halogen [?] lights in the ceiling, it can be fixed in PP no problem.

[Paddy McGrath]

Flying into autosport on Friday morning but won'be allowed bring a monopod, let alone a tripod. I'll be shooting 2.8 & 1.8 glass with the odd 10-20 thrown in aswell. Going to try get a 580 from a friend and leave the 430 at home!