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paulgriffin_0411
September 10, 2015
Karaoke in the local pub, using Nikon D50 and on camera 3rd pary flash
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken in our local Pub; The Swan in the village of Iver in Buckinghamshire.Time
It was an evening Karaoke on a Friday night. As is typical with Karaoke evenings, nobody initially wants to have a go and then when they've had a little drinkie and their mates are willing them on there is a queue! That's when the fun starts. In this shot all the girls wanted to have a go at the same time and they organiser ran out of microphones so the group shot naturally formed...no help or organisation form me!Lighting
It was the first time I'd used a very old and borrowed speedlight as opposed to the in-built flash. I left it on what I thought was the right setting, angled the head away from the girls faces to bounce the light off the wall and hoped for the best. I can't say I expected the shot to come out as well as it did. I was very delighted with the result!Equipment
No tripod, just my old D50 and the borrowed speedlight. I think I was using the kit 18-55 lens. I'm an advocate of keeping things simple - it's how my mind works!Inspiration
I had been taking some photos of the restaurant for the the pub's new website and was invited to stay for a drink. After a while it occurred to me that there might be a few shots to be had as quite a few people began to arrive for a night out. I probably shot 200 frames that evening and had a few that I liked including this one.Editing
No, none. I am neither competent nor a fan of post-processing other than the occasional crop.In my camera bag
If I am going on a full shoot I tend to now take the D50 and a D3200 with speedlight and LED panel, lenses would include my favourite 18-105, a 50mm prime and a 300mm in case there is a candid shot to be had from a distance. I have a Hama tripod which is better than nothing but I'd love to get a Manfroto at some point. I work with a studio that has all the lights and lenses I could want so I do get to borrow lots of kit if I need it for portrait or studio work.Feedback
You need to have an eye for a pic and that can't be taught but don't be afraid to 'test' your settings and adjust speed or aperture away from the main action. Play with ISO instead of always strapping on a flash as modern cameras have amazing low-light capabilities, albeit with a little 'noise' sometimes. Having the camera set right will give you the confidence to relax and look for 'the' shot. I don't advocate using the Auto setting unless you are caught off-guard and need a quick shot for some reason. I leave the cameras set on Auto just in case...