Group photo under floodlights

Bebop

Bebop

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I have been asked at short notice to take a group photo this evening - a presentation of a cheque with about 20ish footballers behind, under floodlights at a football pitch (no ceilings or walls). I wondered if anyone had any tips please? I'm a novice with flash and usually take photos of football. There isn't anyone else who can do it, so I'm the best option they've got :rolleyes:

My thoughts are Manual mode, ISO 1000, 1/125s f/8 on a 5div with 600ex flash on camera using ETTL. I'll try and get the group squashed together deep rather than wide, so I can get as close as possible (hence f/8) and probably use my 24-70 at the 24 end. Ideally I'd like to take it at around 35mm if I can. I do have a 16-35 too.

The 5div has an anti-flicker setting although I'm not sure I need this since I'm using flash.

I do have a Yongnuo trigger, another flashgun and a couple of stands, but knowing what the footballers are like, they won't want to hang around much whilst I fiddle setting things up.

I'll get there early, around 5.30pm but the light will be changing even as I set up. There may be 10 people or 30, but probably around 20.

Would really appreciate any tips if anyone has any.
 
I think my approach would probably be to use the floodlights to set the mood and as the main light source and to use the flash only as fill.

So, I would set the camera to AP to establish the exposure and set the shutter speed, and would have the camera/flash at a distance to stop the ISL messing up the flash contribution at the various distances.

Take someone with you for testing.
 
Bebop said:
Thanks @Garry Edwards What is ISL please?
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Inverse Square Law -the basis for everything that involves the use of light.

In this case, as an example, if your flash is 2m distant from the guy with the cheque and the farthest away footballer is 2m behind him then rhe furthest away guy will only get 1/4 of the light from the flash. Use a longer lens and start with the flash 8m away and the furthest away guy will get almost as much flash as the front guy - all about the light travel distance, nothing to do with the lens.
 
I searched back to a photo similar to your intended subject.....Just to give you some idea, this was 1/200 sec @f/4 iso 800 with a 50mm lens. It was under floodlights with FOUR 600EX flashes
p1565959129-4.jpg
 
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I was able to check back in here en-route to the venue so thank you all for your thoughts...

Inverse Square Law - thank you @Garry Edwards. I do understand that, but the abbreviation caught me out.... although it is probably in your book and I should know better! Very good point about fall off and just the sort of tip I needed, thank you. It made a difference!

Many thanks @Canon Bob for that. FOUR!! Quite a bit darker than my situation - luckily I was just after sundown. The fact that you went down to f/4 gave me a little more confidence to go for a slightly wider aperture than f/8 and to keep the ISO up.

@riddell Completely agree that I can't guess beforehand. I meant just as a starting point really, but also thought there may have been some nuggets of information as I know there is a wealth of experience on here. I also knew I would be under time pressure so useful tips were appreciated.

In the event I'm happy with my shot. It's good enough. I did feel pressured. Another team was on the pitch beforehand, so very little time to prepare. Literally about 30 seconds to do some test shots after the official stuff, and 26 people. Floodlights had not yet warmed up and half of them were out. The test shot I took 10 minutes before the presentation was of no use as the light had changed so much. Ended up on 1/100s, f/6.3 and ISO 1000 at 38mm. I think I got away with it!
 
Canon brook said:
Be nice to see the result if possible.....how far away from the subject did you end up...?
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After the presentation, I moved the group into the best lit spot I could see on the pitch. Whilst they assembled I fired off a few test shots and tried to mark my spot in the Astro turf. Maybe 15-20m? Perhaps more. Hard to guess.

I don’t really want to share publicly, but I’ll pm you the picture when I’m on my computer, although it may well end up in the public domain.
 
Bebop said:
After the presentation, I moved the group into the best lit spot I could see on the pitch. Whilst they assembled I fired off a few test shots and tried to mark my spot in the Astro turf. Maybe 15-20m? Perhaps more. Hard to guess.

I don’t really want to share publicly, but I’ll pm you the picture when I’m on my computer, although it may well end up in the public domain.
Click to expand...

That would be great thanks......[emoji106]
 
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