Shooting dancing

R

Riggs111

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2
Name
Adam
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi all I'm new to this forum, and fairly new to the DSLR world aswell still learning everyday.
I'm after some advice from you all. I have a Nikon d3100 with the kit lens and that's it.
Firstly my mum and dad do a lot of professional jiving and there's
A lot of movement, I enjoy taking pictures of them and enjoy it. When it's in the middle of the day I can't take pictures for them easily but when it starts to get darker and disco lights are on, ambient lighting I start to struggles.
I like the pictures where I can get the atmosphere there and it looking natural instead of putting the flash on and making it what I feel is harsh, I feel I lose all the atmosphere of the photo. So basically I want to keep away from the flash as that's my perseption on it. I try using the no flash mode on the camera as I feel it is the easiest but not getting the results in the evening im after, can anyone help me to point me in the right direction this is what I keep getting
riggs222
 
You might get some tips from looking through gig/nightclub photography as they would pose the same problems. I think I searched for dance stuff last year, but didn't really find anything specific.
 
Hi Adam

I can't see the picture (work internet blocks it) but what mode and settings were you using? (Shutter, aperture, ISO)

The problem is that to get the ambient light in you need to use a fairly slow shutter speed but doing this will make the subject blury.

There is a technique you can use called "dragging the shutter" where you use a slow shutter speed (1/5 - 1/20) and use 2nd curtain flash (the flash fires at the end of the exposure) which freezes the subject.

This is good for getting the ambient light in the background and keeping the subjects sharp.
 
Try these settings and adjust shutter up or down as needed.
Iso 800
Camera in manual
Shutter 1/50
Aperture f5.4
Flash in ettl, bouncing off the ceiling if possible.

These settings are a start point, the important thing is to avoid direct flash.
 
Adam I shoot dancing events on a regular basis. I use various methods depending on what look I'm going for and what I feel like trying out - I'm still learning!

I use flash, bounced and shoot from f4-f8 - shutter speeds vary depending on what effect I want. ISO usually about 400.

Getting a flash that you can angle and bounce, put a diffuser on etc really makes a difference. I use SB600s with diffuser and either straight up and bounced or slightly angled forward.

Eg here I wanted lots of ambient background light - I've shot towards the lighting set up. (Sometimes I do this and slow the shutter speed way down and 'spin' the camera to get swirly light trails and funky angles.)

(Just noticed I should have cropped that guy on the right in the background out!)

p482668697-5.jpg


In this one I've used more flash and had it bounced and angled forward a bit to show a wider shot of the room and dance floor. I've kept the shutter speed lower to get some motion blur.

p35961994-4.jpg


Last Sat I turned the flash up a bit and opened the aperture to f4 as I wanted to try a brighter set. Using flash to freeze the motion.
p409217913-4.jpg


And lastly - no flash but f2.8 and about ISO800 I think - teaching a line dancing class so overhead lights were on.

p393168911-4.jpg


Hope that helps a bit.
 
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