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Hi Everyone, I’m a new Pro member. Great to be a part of the Tribe.
I have a family 50th next weekend and I would love some guidance/discussion on a few areas please…
1. What’s the best lens to use? I have a 15-35mm, a 50mm prime and a 85mm prime…
2. What’s the best lighting solution? It will be a typical house party. Some areas will be well lit and others darkish.
3. Aperture I guess at around f8?
4. Any other input to make party pics great are welcomeGavin
3 Comments-
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![Profile picture of Gavin Smith]()
Brilliant feedback, thxs Danie. The function will be late afternoon into the evening. The 85mm is a F/1.2. Ill definitely check the tutorial out. ill post some of pics to to show the outcome.
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![Profile picture of DPC]()
Great! The 85mm f/1.2 is an amazing lens. On an APS-C camera, it might be a little too long, but as I said, it’s fantastic for candids and those shallow DoF portraits.
If you haven’t used a speedlight before, it might be quite challenging. As long as you tell them you are still learning, they won’t expect too much. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and my one big tip is to rather take too many pictures. It’s easy in Lightroom to cull the bad pics and keep only the best. Have fun!”
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You didn’t mention when the event will be taking place. Nighttime or daytime? If indoors, consider using a speedlight and bounce flash to eliminate harsh shadows and bring light into the eye sockets. Daytiome, or evening, always ensure that people’s eye sockets aren’t dark or sunken. I’ve posted a short tutorial on bounce flash last week – do check it out on my profile.
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As for lenses, you haven’t specified which 85mm lens it is, but I’ll assume it’s an f/1.8. For portraits and group shots, the 50mm and 85mm f/1.8 lenses are ideal. For candid shots, get close to the action with a longer focal length like the 85mm. For single portraits, shoot at around f/2. For two people close together, aim for f/2.8 – f/4. For small groups or two rows of people, use the 50mm at around f/5.6 – f/8. Remember to follow the handheld rule, but if you use flash, you can afford slower shutter speeds to capture stunning ambient shots, although that’s a different topic altogether.
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I’m simplifying things a bit, and there may be other variables to consider.
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By the way, I’m hosting a two-day On-Location Lighting course on 2-3 Feb, covering on-location lighting and speedlights. More details will be on the Events calendar tomorrow.
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Good luck, and enjoy the learning journey!
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