# Nightclub photography



## igloopants (Jun 7, 2010)

What gear do I need to do event photography in nightclubs?

A good flash I assume? I have a Nikon D90.


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## DaevidClarke (Jun 7, 2010)

what else can you get if your going to be moving around the whole time. powerful flash and i would recommend figuring out the best settings on your camera before you start taking the photos. that way youre prepared.


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## Canosonic (Jun 7, 2010)

...and a prime lens.
When I go out and I i know it'll be dark I take my flashgun , 50mm 1.8 (very wide aperture - higher shutter speeds) and Sigma 10-20 4-5.6 (since it's wide and here works the length-speed rule - handheld always shoot at least 1/x seconds , where x is the focal length. Here it is 10mm so 1/10 s. gets enough light and the quality is ok)

Settings? As I said, set it on Tv or Shutter speed priority (ok, i didn't say this), set the shutter speed to 1/(lens length) sec. and I guess ISO800-1600? WB - Fluorescent or Tungsten.

I'm not a genius photographer so I can't guarantee great shots with my help, though.


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## igloopants (Jun 7, 2010)

My Nikon came with the twin lens kit (18-55 and 55-200).

Either of these would be ok?


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## Stormchase (Jun 7, 2010)

fast glass! and a beer!


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## tirediron (Jun 7, 2010)

Stormchase said:


> fast glass! and a beer!


 
and permission!


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## mrpink (Jun 7, 2010)

I would suggest getting a firm grasp on how to use the search button on this forum- it will produce a bounty of information on this very subject- INSTANTLY.






p!nK


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## Canosonic (Jun 8, 2010)

Leave the 55-200. Someone might confuse it for a can of Guinness.


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## hankejp (Jun 8, 2010)

igloopants said:


> My Nikon came with the twin lens kit (18-55 and 55-200).
> 
> Either of these would be ok?


 

Maybe in a VERY well lit place, otherwise I'm going to say no.  I use a Tamron 28-70 2.8 which does a pretty good job of getting some good shot of the band and crowd.  I also use a SB-600.


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## ghache (Jun 8, 2010)

i did some shot of a band the other day, i was using my d90 with a 50mm 1.8 and a sb-600 + a large bounce card. i was happy with the result.

the only thing is a 2.8 zoom lens would have been better.
to get a full band shot, i had to move to the back of the place.


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## inov8ter (Jun 8, 2010)

ghache said:


> i did some shot of a band the other day, i was using my d90 with a 50mm 1.8 and a sb-600 + a large bounce card. i was happy with the result.
> 
> the only thing is a 2.8 zoom lens would have been better.
> to get a full band shot, i had to move to the back of the place.



DId you happen to posts those shots? Just wondering cause I would love to see those. I have the same setup but using a 35mm 1/8.


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## ghache (Jun 8, 2010)

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/people-photography/205527-2-local-band-live-zephods.html

there you go, nobody replyed, i guess they are bad. hahahah

the rest are on my flckr page.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42513527@N08/


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## boomer (Jun 8, 2010)

I thought this was a pretty good thread

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/people-photography/185600-nightclub-photography.html


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## igloopants (Jun 8, 2010)

Thanks guys.

So I might have to get another lens? Something quicker?

Would there be a lens that I could use in nightclubs that would also double as being good for shooting sport?


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## Bitter Jeweler (Jun 8, 2010)

Honestly, not to be rude, but have you searched the forum?

Nightclub photography, and Sports Photography are regular reoccuring questions, and there is a wealth of info to be found, from people who don't even come around anymore.

To answer your question, yes, fast glass is needed for both.


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## igloopants (Jun 9, 2010)

Bitter Jeweler said:


> To answer your question, yes, fast glass is needed for both.


 
what lens would you suggest?

Are the lens' I already have completely useless? Or could I have a crack at it with them?


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## Canosonic (Jun 10, 2010)

the long one is useless.


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## boomer (Jun 10, 2010)

igloopants said:


> Bitter Jeweler said:
> 
> 
> > To answer your question, yes, fast glass is needed for both.
> ...



Wide is always cool in the night life scene. I've used my 12-24 f/4 a few times at a night club/bar. Just shot it wide open at f/4 @ around 1/15th of a second and 800 iso. I used the SB-600 with diffuser cap while aimed up too (set flash compensation to about -1 because it was a little over powering). this setup worked really well, the flash froze the action but the background lights filled in great.


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## igloopants (Jun 15, 2010)

ok, I bought a SB-600. Cost me $400 


What would be the ultimate best lens?


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## taminder (Jun 16, 2010)

use a 50mm fixed lens. there's a cheap version and a medium-priced version for nikon (I'm guessing that's what you're using). Your first kit lens should be enough for the kind of photography you're trying to do (especially if you're using a speedlight). I suggest you get an on-flash diffuser for best indoor results.


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## SwiftTone (Jun 16, 2010)

igloopants said:


> ok, I bought a SB-600. Cost me $400
> 
> 
> What would be the ultimate best lens?



You paid $400 for a SB-600? That's double of what you go for new!

The 35mm f/1.8 is pretty good glass, they're $200. If you can go used, there's someone in the classified section selling one for $160 with a Hoya filter, which is an excellent deal.


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## igloopants (Jun 21, 2010)

I'm in Australia, that's what they cost here (in AUD).

Would 35mm or 50mm be best for indoor nightclub photography?


And is AF-S better than AF? (sorry don't know the difference?)


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## igloopants (Jun 21, 2010)

And what's the difference between Nikon 50mm F/1.8D AF and F/1.8G AFS ?

And is the Nikon 50mm F1.4D better than both of those anyway?


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## fokker (Jun 21, 2010)

Go for the 35mm over the 50mm

Just a note on shutter speeds etc - if using a flash you don't really need fast glass. It is nice, but you don't need it. You can either freeze all of the action using the flash, but the better option (using your 18-55 kit lens) would be to set the camera in Av mode and 'drag the shutter'. That way you get a nice crisp, well exposed subject but with exposure times as long as a couple of seconds to expose the background you can get some crazy cool effects which work really well in the nightclub/band photography scene. Just sayin, it's not always best to try and completely stop the action.

this is what I'm talking about:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tUcYWorwx30/Sa7-Du6fPbI/AAAAAAAAAx0/Acr95ONV__k/s400/471-KSDD-D009.jpg

http://www.beirutnightlife.com/wp-content/uploads/cache/5789_NpAdvHover.jpg

(not really the best examples but just quickly pulled outta google images)


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## igloopants (Jun 21, 2010)

yea I love those effects.

So you think it'd be possible to get good shots utilising the 18-55 I have and the sb-600 anyway?


But other than that, this would be a good lens to get?

https://www.camerasdirect.com.au/in...lenses/nikon-35mm-f1.8g-dx-af-s-in-stock.html


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## fokker (Jun 21, 2010)

Yeah you can certainly get those kind of effects with your kit lens and SB-600. As a starter for settings try camera on Av mode with ISO400 and f/5.6, flash compensation set to about -1 you might want spot or centre-weighted metering as well. Adjust as necessary from there.

Remember when using a flash you are actually creating 2 exposures in one - the flash exposure and the ambient exposure. f/number, ISO and flash power control your flash exposure; f/number, ISO and shutter speed control the ambient exposure (anything that is not lit by the flash, typically the background as it is too far away to get lit by the flash). You  can easily adjust the balance between ambient and flash exposure, for example if the flash-lit part of the shot is too bright turn down the flash power (flash exposure compensation) or increase the shutter speed and narrow the aperture to give the same ambient exposure but less flash exposure.


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## igloopants (Jun 21, 2010)

Wow, thanks for that info, I'll have a bit of a play around before I go out and cover anything to see what I get to work with.

I really won't know until I get out there and start snapping. At least I know I can manage to get something half decent without buying a new lens just yet.

But is the lens I posted previously a good one to get?


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## AlexL (Jun 21, 2010)

I would imagine a fast and wide lens? 50mm might be a little long depending on the distances you stand. But in a nightclub, your are probably going to be close by.


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## igloopants (Jun 21, 2010)

Something that you could suggest from here:

https://www.camerasdirect.com.au/index.php/lenses/for-nikon/prime/standard.html

https://www.camerasdirect.com.au/index.php/lenses/for-nikon/prime-lenses/wide-angle.html

Hoping to spend under $500 (AUD - the site is AUD too)


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## igloopants (Jun 22, 2010)

What's the difference between G And D and DX and F2D, AF and AF-S?

Which is the best to be looking for, for my D90? For nightclub photography?


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## igloopants (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm looking at the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF - good choice yes?


Sorry about triple posts.


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## myfotoguy (Jun 22, 2010)

igloopants said:


> I'm looking at the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF - good choice yes?
> 
> 
> Sorry about triple posts.


 
I would think that at a club 50mm might be a bit on the long side if you are shooting from within the action. A Tamron 17-50 2.8 would be a flexible choice. larger 2.8 aperture to help isolate the subjects. I am guessing around f/4 might be ideal, but it depends on where you are standing in relation to the action and what focal length you are at. May not be needed though. I would try with your 18-55 and take it from there.



Some of this may have been mentioned already:

Set the flash to slow-rear sync.
Manual mode, aperture to f/5.6
shutter at 1/30, dial shutter speed up or down to get the effect you're after.
ISO 400-800. Higher ISO will let in more ambient, but may not be needed with shutter speeds at 1/30 or below.
Track with the moving subjects, panning with them as the exposure is taking place. This will take some practice, so I would do a combination of that and standing still shots.
As mentioned, you may want to dial in neg flash compensation, you can do that right on the speedlight.
Nikon lens naming convention: Nikon Lens Naming Convention


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## igloopants (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks


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