After I left the school district I came back to do some photo shoots of kids and teachers - a similar sort of thing, semi-candids. These were theme based magnet schools and the shots were intended to illustrate the instructional theme and activities that went on at the buildings.
I found that i worked almost exclusively at longer focal lengths, and I used the FA 80-320 primarily on the first shoot, when I returned to cover 3 more schools a couple months later I had the Sigma 70-200, and it got a lot of use. AF really helps and it's easier to get candids from far away with a telephoto. I used a Stroboframe flip bracket and put the AF500 FTZ on it. When I could, I put a mini-soft box on the flash, but even with ISO 400 film I found myself needing more light. I used the FA28 - 70 for group shots. I think you might want to use the 28-70 with flash and some sort of diffuser - like even a bounce card. BTW - one thing to watch for is mixed lighting sources. I did a lot of shooting under florescent lights, and while the flash was the main light source you'd get the florescent color shift is shadows etc. The filter used to correct florescent to daylight would have rendered everything way too pink in the areas covered by the flash. I used an 81B filter for some shots, figuring it would help warm the lighting a bit but not look over the top with the flash, but generally corrected the colors when scanning. Have fun! - MCC At 10:46 PM 3/19/02 +0000, you wrote: >Hi, > >My workplace (a plant science research centre) is organizing a scientific >meeting in April. The Institute is being shut down in a year's time and our >pro photographer has already left. As a keen amateur (ie. I spend far too >much money on it) I've been asked if I will act as official photographer at >the poster session. This is an informal gathering where some of the >delegates present their work on posters while the others cluster round to >discuss the work. My task is to wander round the delegates taking >semi-candid shots of the delegates in animated discussion. The room in which >the poster session will be held has a high ceiling and lots of windows, and >is fairly cramped. The posters tend to be printed on large white sheets of >paper pinned to display boards. I also have to take a group photo of the >organizers and speakers. The photos will be put on display at the meeting, >and will subsequently be used in internal reports. > >I have Pentax pZ1-p and MZ-5n bodies, 50mm/f1.7 F, 28-70/f4 AL, 40mm >pancake, Cosina 19-35/f3.5, Tamron 100mm/f2.8 macro (MF), Sigma 24mm/f2.8 >(MF), plus AF500FTZ flash. I also have a Nikon Coolpix 950 and an SB28 >flash, should I want to use digital. > >Most of my photography is landscapes and macro shots of flowers and I have >little experience of photographing people, other than holiday snaps of the >family. I considered using a fast film and using available light, but I >can't rely on the light (England in April!). I'm wary of red-eye from the >flashgun, and the high ceiling means that bounce flash may not be possible. >The white posters may also reflect badly and screw up the shots. I'd like >the photos to be semi-candid, but I think there may be little room for >manoever and I may have to use wide-angle rather than short telephoto. > >Any advice would be welcome - for instance, which lens would be best? How >best to set up the flash to balance ambient and flash lighting? > >Thanks, > >Andy >- >This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, >go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to >visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - - - - - - - - - - Mark Cassino Kalamazoo, MI [EMAIL PROTECTED] - - - - - - - - - - Photos: http://www.markcassino.com - - - - - - - - - - - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
