Beginner Indoor exhibition photography

[KarlP]

Hi folks I am after some advice, I've always been into photography and last couple of years I've started to get more into the technical side of things and have a basic understanding of most things but I'd like to improve my photos from indoor exhibitions, I go to most of the comic cons and car shows here in the UK and would like to get better results, currently I have the following

nikon d7000
Nikon 35mm 1.8
Nikon 16-85 5.6
Nikon speedlight sb700 ( a friend lent me this for a show this weekend)

So I'm just after some advice on what set up I should use? If I take the flash any tips on setting up as i've never used one, would I need a different lens?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Karl

 

[Alastair]

It would help to see some of your shots - it's hard to suggest improvements if we can't see what you're achieving now.. ..

 

[KarlP]

Yeah why didn't I think of that huh

Hopefully these links will work if not I'll sort them out when I'm home.

 

[droj]

Your subjects need more isolation. I won't comment on lighting except to mention that the overall ambient on both subject and cluttered background adds to the confusion. You could try kneeling to get a lower viewpoint which would frame your subjects' heads and shoulders more against the upper reaches of the building than against the crowds etc.

 

[Alastair]

Karl, they're pretty average shots - neither particularly good nor particularly bad. Things that could improve them:

• Fix the white balance. An easy fix for a big difference, can be done with almost any basic editing software. There are plenty of reference whits points in each image.
• A faster aperture would reduce the depth of field and make the clutter of the background less obvious. Your 35mm at c.f/2 for example.
• Think about your view point. To my eyes the first shot is about right, but the other two would benefit from the camera being at least 12" lowerto avoid looking down at the subject. I'm guessing you're (like me) 6'+ and these are taken from your eye level.
• These are rather obviously spontaneous record shots. Not a bad thing, but I don't think you'll get a shot you'll want to hang on the wall with this approach. Two alternative approaches come to mind. The first is to pull your subjects out of the hall and into somewhere with a cleaner or more sympathetic background, but this will be disruptive and they're no doubt getting pushed-pulled about by guys with cameras all dayandwill begin to resent that. The second is a documentary approach acknowledging Con around the attendees and looking for the odd interactions.