Meet The Team

In my job I work with great people. People who make things happen. Occasionally I get to work with a group which are amazing. And its a real privelage. Meet the team.

The hospital puts on a show for its own staff consisting of songs, often choreographed, sketches and the occasional audience participation which is always gentle, always with a great production team, accompanied by excellent live music, sound and lighting. Directed by Naomi (fifth from left front row) and produced by Naomi and Sally (first from the left front row) this year had a real buzz to it as each half of the live performance really shone with good original material and a cast that were focused on making it come alive for their audience whilst holding down their day jobs in healthcare.




Okay. Now that I've got the emotional bit over - lets talk technical.  This was a killer to photograph.



Meet the team

Nikon D700 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens @ 34mm ISO 1250 f/2.8 1/50th sec
3x SB900 Nikon flash guns.

A black backdrop and very poor illumination on stage made the term "low lighting" take on a new meaning.

Two flashguns camera left close to the cast/crew with one attached to an umbrella at six feet high angled slightly down towards the middle of the group and the other in a small soft box angled to people's waists to prevent fall off of light. The third and final flash had no modifier attached save for the small diffused attached to the flash itself. This stood slightly behind the group to camera right immediately out of camera.  Each flash was on manual and they were slaved so that they could be triggered from light from the small flash from the D700 itself.

What do you do to get people to be in the right position and to avoid blinking?
1) First I positioned the tall people to the back: mixing and matching it slightly to give it variety
2) Positioning: I will always try to say to the group - "Can you see me?"
    If they can't see me I can't see them.
3) For keeping eyes open I will often tell them that I will count to 3 and take the flash on 4. In Digital Photography Volume I Scott Kelby describes a technique where everyone closes their eyes and they open them on the countdown 3..2..1..Open and he then waits one further count and take the picture on that count. This works!