Lighting a school assembly in a darkened hall. Help!

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olive99

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Olivia Harris
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How do you light a school assembly in a darkened hall? The ambient light was too low to hand hold so I was forced to use manual flash.

Using ETTL metering my flash lit up the first few rows of children, the kids towards the back of the hall were visible but the lighting was very uneven. My settings were as follows ISO 500, f 9, 250 sec, manual flash EV 0

I use a canon 40D and 470EX flash. Should i have metered the background differently? Should I have set the flash zoom to 105m?

In short, how could I have better lit 15 rows of seated children with this equipment?

Many thanks
 
why were the hall lights off/curtains closed?
 
You're never going to cover that number of people with one flash, and if you do, it would have to be so powerful that you'd neet to use a large softbox and get it a suitable distance away.

Multiple flash heads and/or a reasonable amount of ambient light is the way to go.


Steve
 
Is that a typo or is it really a 470EX flash?
 
Steve, Thanks that's reassuring... sort of. Should I have metered the ambient light in a different way to achieve a more even result? Or should I have underexposed the flash, used EV-1 or similar?

In this situation there was no possibility of multiple flash heads
 
Who?, the hall curtains were closed. It was an event at a school. I arrived mid-assembly and I wasn't able to change the set up...
 
Reflect it off the ceiling, with as much compensation as you can give it..should evenly light all the kids...albeit from above! I do it at weddings sometimes using the 580EX and works a treat, except if the ceiling is waaaay too high!
 
Personally I wouldn't attempt it without multiple flash, or maybe permenant lighting.

The area you need to cover is just too large for the average flash gun, and I expect the ceiling is quite high in a school hall. Like I said before, more ambient light is your only real help if you don't have multiple lights.

Maybe a pro will be along and offer some better advice.

Steve
 
A fast lens will help, a 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 II. If you can get hold of an L series tele (maybe 2.8) that will help get a bit more light into the shot.
 
Fifteen rows of children so you want a wide rather than a long lens, used with an aperture not much more open than for your first attempt, for the depth of field.

If you don't have a tripod, improvise with a beanbag or other support and use the camera's timer release.

Don't zoom the flash to 105mm. Set the ISO much higher and the shutterspeed to 1/60 or lower. The high ISO may take the flash and camera out of their designed metering range, so you'll need to set the flash output manually with a series of test shots. The result can be acceptable with the flash in the "normal" position, but you should also try bouncing from the ceiling and/or rear wall if they are white or light in colour.

If the ambient light is registering within 3 stops underexposed its colour will contribute. With the high ISO you may prefer converting to B&W, otherwise use a white shirt or grey trousers/skirt in the scene to try and correct any cast. Ideally, you'd use a slightly orange filter over the flash and set the camera to tungsten/incandescent or a custom white balance.
 
Difficult to give more advice whithout more info on the hall (or seeing it). I'd use at least two flashes and bounce of the ceiling - only way you have a chance of even light over such a large area - then adjust ISO so you can shoot at around f8 - focus on first few rows and let the rest look after themselves. Any sort of direct flash is going to fall off rapidly and not cover the area.
 
awp said:
Any sort of direct flash is going to fall off rapidly and not cover the area.
Click to expand...

Not strictly true, it would depend how far back the OP was stood to get everyone one in. The further back he is the the lower the difference in distance between the front row to the light source and the back row to the light source. Naturally the further back you are the harder the flash has to work but the light fall off would be less noticeable.

I reckon bouncing with one flash would have been out of the question as you're asking the light to travel further and the ceiling would absorb some of it.
 
Like I said - you'd need to be there/see it. I've done shots of quite big audiences at events with one bounce flash - yes you lose a lot - but you open up and UP the ISO till you have enough light. Ambient/slow shutter is not good because of subject movement.
 
Thanks to all for their thoughts. This is the first time I've used this forum and it's great to have everyone's input.

Raising the ISO is something I must remember to consider in these flash situations. Have been investigating fast wide angle prime lenses too. The 24mm f/1.4 canon lens looks amazing but the price (900 quid) was a shocker.
 
Try an old manual focus Sigma f/2.8 for £25 - £50.
 
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