How do i take this photo...

jpay

jpay

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Jay
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I have been asked to take pictures in the sensory room where i work...
The challenge i face is too be able to get good pictures of the sensory equipment... (lights, bubble tubes, led's, disco balls) so for best results need a longer exposure, but then i need the students facial response to this equipment which if i was shooting seperatly would use high lighting and quick shutter speed.

How do i compromise to create the best picture in this awkward situation!!

Obviously a tripod would be best but again i dont have time to create a situation where by i can get the best results... i will need to move around and capture the picture in the moment!

Am i fighting a loosing battle!?
 
Not necessarily. Of course it depends on your camera / lens combination. If you are not going to use flash then a combination of a fast lens ( f2.8 or bigger) wide aperture and high iso should give you what you want.
Check your cameras high iso performance then keep it as high as you can while keeping the noise under control.
Allan
 
I have a nikon D60 and standard kit lens 18=55...

Still same principles. i want to know what im doing roughly before i go otherwise i might waste the time learning rather than producing photos

Thanks
 
There is a guide on here to nightclub photography that someone has written which may give you a bit of an insight.
 
With a D60 in those circumstances you may struggle, especially with the kit lens.

It was my first camera, and it struggles over ISO 400. You could hit ISO800 but any more isn't worth it. You'll need to have the aperture as far open as you can get it and keep the shutter speed over 1/60, set the ISO to as low as possible to get these and see what happens.

I am picturing a kids face quite close to a brightly light tube, no idea if this is accurate, but if you can get the kids close enough the light from the items should suffice :) But, if its at work, as if you can get in there for 30 mins and practice!
 
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I've not used a D60, but the way I would look at shooting this would be with my SB800 flash off camera directed at the students. The flash will freeze the students yet the slightly long exposure would let the led's, lights, disco balls be exposed without losing their colours... it's hard to say without being there and trying trial and error... i usually know what i'm after, but requires a few takes til i get the shot/exposure i need... .. once it's set, if the lighting it the same throughout the room, that setting should cover you for the whole shoot...

Hope i haven't confused you too much...

Moey!
 
You'd have to be very specific with the flash as not to destroy the overall feel of the room, and doing this "in the moment might" not be possible anyway.
 
Not knowing the exact circumstances, this is how I would try and do it, along the same lines as Moey. Quite easy in theory.

Basically slow-sync flash. Set the shutter speed so the LEDs look right, and balance the flash power with it. Try and get the faces against a dark area, to minimise burn through and ghosting if there is any movement
 
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