Shooting fashion show - tips please

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Guys,

 

My kids local school have asked me to shoot their 6th form fashion show tomorrow night to raise funds for a school in Zambia. I will have my DMR, 28-90 asph, MZ54 flash and my M6 with me.

1) Is it normal to shoot with flash or do most guys shoot available light?

2) Is the 28-90 a reasnable lens to shoot with. I'll be right up next to the runway.

 

Thanks

 

Charlie

[erl]

Lot of variables Charlie. Up close to runway is good, but you will primarily use W/A I suspect. 35 or 24mm on M6 would probably be my call, but always, you need to sus the location. DMR for longer shots as the walk towards you, then switch to M6 with focus pre-set for closer. Lighting is the other big variable. I would, if possible, shoot available light with the M6 using 400 or 800 ISO colour neg. Probably use the flash on the DMR unless the light is very good. You may find the DMR a bit slow to pull focus AND zoom with for that sort of show (as I envisage it). My fall fall back would always be the the M6 (& my my first choice).

 

Be prepared to be flexible because of the crowd you will probably encounter and work with only one camera if you can cover all bases with it.

 

Good luck.

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[richardkw]

I used reasonably high ASA (800 -1200) Canon 1D MKII, Flash with Quantum Battery

 

and 70 - 200 f2.8 IS lens reasonably open (maybe f4) for the flash to reach. If this is not a pro show ask to be seated in front of the stage off to the right or left (I prefer the right as most kids looked to the right). Catch the kids at the height of each pose, fix redeye later in PS. The Leica M may be too slow to focus properly for any fast motion.

 

 

the show starts at about frame 22

 

20060403 Fox Chapel H S Fashion Show A Night in NYC

 

 

Rich Weiss

 

 

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[andybarton]

With the DMR you probably won't want to go above 200 ISO, which means that available light indoors is a real challenge.

 

I shot a brass band inside a church on Wednesday evening and even though they were static and posing, the available light was only good enough at ISO 200 to get maybe 1/30th and less. A moving fashion show in a school is going to be interesting unless they have some decent lighting rigs set up.

 

WB is also going to be interesting, especially if they are going to be using a variety of coloured lights in their set.

[erl]

Subject to your lens availability, I still put my money on the M6. Ideal for C/U to runway is 24mm wide open. Prefocus works very fast and use fast film - 800C/N. No waiting for flashes to recycle, especially if the batts run low. Always have a back up option.