Tips for Prom Pictures 2016

Nikon D4, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, 2 - Alienbees B1600, Pocketwizard TTL system, ISO 250, ƒ/5.6, 1/200

Location

First pick a location before you do anything else. This was the location my daughter and her friends had picked out, which was a public park.

Many years ago I did her brother's prom pictures [2008] in one of the families backyard. Just look at how much location impacts your photos.

Nikon D3S, 14-24mm, ISO 200, ƒ/9, 1/60

At the time of these proms spring isn't in full swing.  Look for a place with evergreens in the background or a nice building.

This was from her oldest brother's prom pictures in front of Bulloch Hall Plantation. [2006]

Arrive Early

I recommend getting there long before the kids are to show up. I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes, but believe me an hour goes by quickly when you are doing all your test shots.

This is me setting up my lights. After a couple test shots I moved the lights again.

My wife, who filled in as the test subject, took this of me setting up. I like to make this super simple and where I can just crank the people through. You know they always are running behind and they have dinner reservations which require you to move quickly.

Keep it simple.

USE STROBES!!!!!

I cannot emphasize it enough that the addition of off camera flash makes a HUGE difference. One major way it helps is being sure you don't have raccoon eyes due to the sun overhead. Now on this day it was overcast, which can be good without flashes. I chose to use the flash to give a good color temperature to be sure all those outfits that they spent time picking out looked their absolute best.

Here you can see me working.

I suggest taking test shots and try your best to use the lowest ISO setting where you can capture some of the available light and still use your strobes. I recommend that you are about -1 stop underexposed and use your strobes to make up the difference on the subjects to give you a great exposure.

Use a Tripod

All the photos were taken with a tripod as well. It helped me to keep the camera pretty level and also in group photos if everyone is great in a photo except for one person, then because I am taking multiple shots, on a tripod, I can then take the one person and clone them into the other photo with ease.

Nikon D4, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, 2 - Alienbees B1600, Pocketwizard TTL system, ISO 400, ƒ/5.6, 1/200

One more great reason to use a tripod is you can set everything up in get into the picture if you need to, as I did here with my wife and daughter. Now I can tell you the most cherished photos are the ones with the parents and their kids. This is huge for them. I now know why as a very proud papa myself. Wow where has all the time gone.

Shoot Loose

This is the photo I was taking when my wife captured me shooting. I intentionally shot these a little loose for cropping later purposes.

5x7 Crop Marks

Now you can see with the photo here for 5x7 and the 8x10 below that what size you might get as a print can affect what is included in the photograph.

8x10 Crop Marks

Put Photos Online

Put your photos online for people to download, buy prints and whatever else they may need.

When people click to order offer them many options, because you shot the photo loose for that reason.

Make it easy for people to download as I have here:

Business Cards & Take Email Addresses

We gave out my business card to everyone and we took down their email so we could send them an email with the link to the gallery, directions on how to use the online system [with screen shots] and ability now to have made my name known to the community. In case we cannot read the email address or some other reason it no longer works they can reach out to us with my contact information.

I did this for free for my daughter and her friends. They were given a password to download the images for free. I also did make it if they want to order prints online then I would then make some money to offset some of my time, but they could get the photos totally for free, no strings attached.

There you have it. Remember these points for your Prom Pictures:

1. Location
2. Arrive Early
3. Use Strobes
4. Use Tripod
5. Shoot Loose
6. Put Photos Online
7. Give out your information and take their information

Create that triangle with your flash, camera and subject to improve your photos outside

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, Pocketwizard TTL system with Nikon SB-900 ISO 100, ƒ/ 2.8, 1/3200

Photographing this year at the Fort Worth Stockyards I encountered noon day sun combination with cowboy hats.

The hats are suppose to shade which means you don't see their faces unless you add some flash. I added the off camera flash to fill under those hats as done here to make the faces pop out.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, Pocketwizard TTL system with Nikon SB-900, ISO 100, ƒ/ 2.8, 1/2000

Now to get an idea of how much light difference it is, just look at the cowboy in the background on the other horse. You cannot really see his face like the buy in front.

Here is an earlier post going over the technique. Get the camera, flash and the subject to form a triangle. Here the flash is held to the far left off the camera and zoomed to 200mm to create a shaft of light to just light the cowboy's face.

Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, Pocketwizard TTL system with Nikon SB-900, ISO 100, ƒ/ 4, 1/1600

This is a great way to just improve the photo of the cowboys, because now I see their faces.

Creating Nighttime during the Daytime

Nikon D4, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 200, ƒ/1.4, 1/640–Alienbee B1600 with CTO +1 triggered with Pocketwizard TT1 and TT5 system

If you need to create a night time scene the easiest way to do this it so turn your color temperature to 3200º Kelvin or even lower. Then the daylight will appear blue.

Next warm up your subject with an Color Temperature Orange filter over your flash. This will make their skin appear more neutral in color.

Nikon D4, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 200, ƒ/1.4, 1/400–Alienbee B1600 with CTO +1 triggered with Pocketwizard TT1 and TT5 system

How bright it is outside is controlled with your shutter speed. The proper exposure for the subject is more about ISO and Aperture.

Nikon D4, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 200, ƒ/1.4, 1/1000–Alienbee B1600 with CTO +1 triggered with Pocketwizard TT1 and TT5 system

As you can see the 1/1000th of a second darkens the available light as compared to the 1/400th exposure.

Just experiment and see what you like the best. By the way you need to be able to shoot with High Shutter Speed Sync to make this work with a wide aperture of ƒ/1.4 like I did here.

To do this I am shooting with the Pocketwizard Flex TT5 system and using the AC9 plugged into the Pocketwizard and then plugged into the telephone cord slot of my Alienbees B1600 flash I can shoot HSS and also control the flash from the camera. Very cool!

These are all test shots. I will later add a smoke machine and have the people in costume–so stay tuned for more photos outside during the daytime that look like nighttime.

TTL Nikon Off Camera Flash Kit

Total package cost $1,067.01
Prices based on July 5, 2013

This is just a list of what I recommend for those wanting to do off camera flash with the Nikon TTL system and using Pocketwizard radio system to fire the flashes.

You can substitute another Nikon TTL or off brand if you wish to lower the price.

$10.17 on Amazon
CowboyStudio Flashlight /Hot Shoe/Umbrella Holder with Swivel/Tilt Bracket

Here is another metal bracket option.  I own both of these and find they work equally well.

$22.49 on Amazon
Interfit Metal Umbrella Bracket with Adjustable Flash Shoe

$57.68 on Amazon
Manfrotto 5001B Nano Black Light Stand - 6.2' (1.9m)
I chose this light stand because of how small it folds up [19.3" (49cm)] for easy travel through airports.

$16.23 on Amazon
CowboyStudio 43-Inch Black and White Umbrella for Photography and Video Lighting Reflective

$418 on Amazon
PocketWizard MiniTT1 Radio Transmitter, FlexTT5 Transceiver and AC3 Zone Controller Bundle - Nikon
The AC3 helps you control the flash power from the camera and attaches to the Mini TT1 on the camera. The TT5 fits on the flash and the light stand.

$546.95 on Amazon
Nikon 4809 SB-910 Speedlight

$17.98 on Amazon
External Flash Battery Power Pack for SD-9A Nikon Speed light SB910
Whenever you shoot with Nikon Speedlights you cannot shoot continuously forever. You need to shoot in small bursts of under 10 frames at a time to let the flash cool.  If you do not you will be sending it to Nikon for repair. The external battery will just give you more flashes is how I use it rather than to shoot faster.