Taking portraits at a ball

[Cocohoney]

I need to take photos of people at a fundraising ball the PTA are holding in a couple of months.
I usually take candid pictures and have little idea where to start with this! We thought we could raise a bit more for the school by taking pics of people as they arrive in their finery (!) in a fairly formal way- like they often do at proms nowadays.
I have a D60, a D90, an 18-200, a 35mm prime, a 55-200, a 360afd flashgun and a tripod. The ball will be in a marquee and part of a beautiful old farmhouse. I guess it will be pretty much dark so although the grounds are lovely that's not much help.

I am really still new to this, (I have been taking lots of photos since I got my D60 just over a year ago, my first DSLR so a steep learning curve!).
I have taken pictures at a handful of events now which people have loved (hence being asked this time), but I haven't done anything formal and I'm wondering how to go about it.
I would really appreciate some advice on where to start with this, in both the equipment and the composition sense.
Many thanks

 

[Cocohoney]

bump, ok, I know it's probably a crap question....anyone who can advise a keen but simple gal?

 

[sezzi]

Hi CoCo,

If you want to maximise the profits for the school, I would look at offering onsite printing & using portable studio flash, this could be done with a local event professional on a %...

Where in the world are you as I may know someone local to you ?

Al'

 

[Cocohoney]

Thanks for the suggestion- we did consider this but most people didn't want to pay the prices this would inevitably mean. Doing it ourselves means we can keep the cost right down (although obviously the standard too....)

I was more looking for advice on how to do my best with this.

 

[chivers67]

Bounce the flash and use a reflector though you're going to go through so many batteries you really could do with a mains flash of some sorts as it may take a while to recycle.

Have you got an area already in your mind with a good background or are you going to use somekind of collapsable set up or drape some material?

I'd use just the prime lens for extra quality for full lenght portraits and probably wouldn't bother with the tripod as it might slow you down if people come in quick but there again your flash might take a while to let you take them quickly. Is there somewhere where you can test it and take similar shots such as the school hall with other PTA members present as models?