Advice on covering an event

[oreo5000]

Hi Guys, so this is my first post here and im pretty sure you will be able to help me in no time at all.

I have been asked to cover an event which is indoors and im not really 100% on how to approach it. The event will have a well lit main stage with a speaker and then an audience in low lighting.

I have a D200 and an SB600, I also have an 18-200mm vr and a 50mm.

I have been asked to cover the speaker and also get general people shots, im concerned that im going to struggle in the low light and im not an expert with my flash yet so any advice would really be appreciated!

Thanks for your help in advance

[8utters]

Use the flash and try and use a diffuser if you have one (diffuser isn't essential, but gives a softer light).

Make sure that the ISO isn't too low becuase then when you photograph the speaker with the flash the background will just be black, it looks rubbish, you want to try and get his/her surroundings in aswel. A lower shutter speed (say 1/10) also works very well.

Oh and keep the apatare open as far as it will go (lowest f number).

Also, if the speaker has a nice big bright spotlight on him/her, then great! Use that to your advantage and turn off your flash, put the apature wide open (lowest f number) and put the shutter to about 1/40. I'v got loads of great shots of people with spotlights on them. Just make sure your shutterspeed is fast enough to give you a crisp image.

[RogDen31]

also be aware of any strong backlighting on the stage area

[donutagain]

i think saying open the aperture as wide as it will go then use a 40 th of a second is a bit hit and miss . why not try metering first ,?

[oreo5000]

Use the flash and try and use a diffuser if you have one (diffuser isn't essential, but gives a softer light).

Make sure that the ISO isn't too low becuase then when you photograph the speaker with the flash the background will just be black, it looks rubbish, you want to try and get his/her surroundings in aswel. A lower shutter speed (say 1/10) also works very well.

Oh and keep the apatare open as far as it will go (lowest f number).

Also, if the speaker has a nice big bright spotlight on him/her, then great! Use that to your advantage and turn off your flash, put the apature wide open (lowest f number) and put the shutter to about 1/40. I'v got loads of great shots of people with spotlights on them. Just make sure your shutterspeed is fast enough to give you a crisp image.

Thanks for the reply 8utters.
I do have a diffuser, would I be better bouncing the light? I dont want the usual 'washed out face huge shadow cast effect'. Or should I simply dial it down a little?

A quick question, wont the combination of a high iso and a shutter speed of 1/10 result in noisy blurred images? I thought it was risky even at 1/30?

[oreo5000]

i think saying open the aperture as wide as it will go then use a 40 th of a second is a bit hit and miss . why not try metering first ,?
When using the flash would I meter for ambient light then use the flash to fill the subjects? Does my cameras meter still do this even when my flash is attached, or is it compensating for that?

[oreo5000]

also be aware of any strong backlighting on the stage area

Thanks for your reply man, how would you compensate for this?