# Help with outing tomorrow



## jjd228 (Mar 28, 2014)

Hey everyone.

I'm still very new so bear with me. I'm going to a big tattoo festival tomorrow at a convention center (indoor). I'll be walking around all day taking shots at random. So I'm hoping you can help me configure my camera's settings as optimally as possible. Here is what I'm taking:

Canon t4i
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon 430-EX II Speedlite

As usual I'm (probably needlessly) obsessing over every little setting so if someone with more knowledge than me can answer these questions based on all of the above and your most educated opinion, I would seriously appreciate it 

*Mode: I'm thinking manual won't work because too much will change from one area of the venue to another so maybe Av?

Flash: Should I just leave it on full ETTL/Auto? Not use it at all?

White balance: Auto or should I use the fluorescent light setting?

ISO: Always gets me. Auto or should I leave it at 100?

Metering: Evaluative?*

These few things will give me a good start. Thanks in advance!


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## weags77 (Mar 28, 2014)

I'm fairly new as well but if it was me I would set the camera to aperture mode, ISO auto with limits set in camera. Shoot in RAW so you don't have to worry about white balance while shooting. I'd pretty much suggest never shooting anything but RAW anytime. Make sure if you are handheld to at least keep a moderately fast shutter speed. I think it should be as fast as the focal length is long. 

I'd also suggest reading Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure or at the very least your cameras manual, if you haven't already.


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## IronMaskDuval (Mar 28, 2014)

jjd228 said:


> Hey everyone.
> 
> I'm still very new so bear with me. I'm going to a big tattoo festival tomorrow at a convention center (indoor). I'll be walking around all day taking shots at random. So I'm hoping you can help me configure my camera's settings as optimally as possible. Here is what I'm taking:
> 
> ...



Are you throwing a speedlight onto your camera with a diffuser? Also, I'd still shoot in manual. Walk around with someone before the event start and figure out the best settings for each distinct area and remember them.


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## jjd228 (Mar 28, 2014)

IronMaskDuval said:


> jjd228 said:
> 
> 
> > Hey everyone.
> ...



Yup I have a diffuser.


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## Derrel (Mar 28, 2014)

I think ISO 400 is the way to go in a huge room. ISO 400 make the flash "go farther" so to speak, and means the flash also has to put out LESS light, and use LESS battery power, for each normal-range flash shot.

I would use an E-TTL flash metering mode.

I'd be tempted to shoot all my close-range flash shots at f/9, just to get decent depth of field with the 50mm lens. On longer range shots, say booths at 20 feet, use f/5.6 or so.

I don't think I would shoot to a Fluorescent White Balance. I'd shoot in RAW and let the camera use AUTO WB.


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