Dinner Party Advice

[elauderdale]

So my friend invited me to a casual little dinner party at his house this coming Sat. (Feb 6th) He also asked if I could bring my camera to take some pictures throughout the night. There will be around 26 people. He said I could have free reign on how I want to take pictures. Everyone attending is pretty easygoing and fun so I know they"ll be game for having the camera around. So my question is...does anyone have any advice on how to make it fun or any other advice to get some good or unique shots. Thanks in advance.

[Bitterman]

Hi. I'm new around here, but candids at parties are one of my favorite things to shoot.

I like to keep things lite, joke around, and try to distract people from paying too much attention to the camera on my face. If there is booze, all the better.

Nobody likes to be photographed while eating so I lay kind of low during the main course.

The biggest pain can be using a flash but my friends don't seem to notice anymore, and "new" folks adapt

I've recently started looking for a place in whoevers' house I'm in, to take couples aside if they want to get a pic together in a spot with a "clean" background. If they want I offer to give them a print for the fridge or whatever.

I use a 28-200 and just have fun.

Good luck.
Jim

[Bitterman]

Hey,I just reread my post.

If i sound like the master of the obvious that's not how i meant it.

have fun
Jim

[BCampbell]

Here's anothe rthread that covers some of the basics.

What lens are you using?

I also like to take a lot of party candids. You have two main goals, become part of the action, and get people to forget you have the camera. By participating you'll be more in touch with where the focus is and what's going to happen next, and once everyone's used to the camera, you'll get some really good natural shots.

Have fun, relax... keep your head on a swivel and pay attention to social cues. It's really more about anticipating and feeling where the shots are than hard-and-fast technique. You'll pick it up in no time.

[elauderdale]

Originally Posted by BCampbell

Here's anothe rthread that covers some of the basics.

What lens are you using?

I also like to take a lot of party candids. You have two main goals, become part of the action, and get people to forget you have the camera. By participating you'll be more in touch with where the focus is and what's going to happen next, and once everyone's used to the camera, you'll get some really good natural shots.

Have fun, relax... keep your head on a swivel and pay attention to social cues. It's really more about anticipating and feeling where the shots are than hard-and-fast technique. You'll pick it up in no time.

Thanks for the direction to that thread BCampbell. Good info in that. I think I'll bring both my lenses, but I'm going with my 50mm 1.8. It's going to be indoors probably all night so I'll just crank up my ISO and make adjustments from there. You're right though to just relax and to get people to forget about the camera in the room. Thanks again.

[elauderdale]

Originally Posted by Bitterman

Hi. I'm new around here, but candids at parties are one of my favorite things to shoot.

I like to keep things lite, joke around, and try to distract people from paying too much attention to the camera on my face. If there is booze, all the better.

Nobody likes to be photographed while eating so I lay kind of low during the main course.

The biggest pain can be using a flash but my friends don't seem to notice anymore, and "new" folks adapt

I've recently started looking for a place in whoevers' house I'm in, to take couples aside if they want to get a pic together in a spot with a "clean" background. If they want I offer to give them a print for the fridge or whatever.

I use a 28-200 and just have fun.

Good luck.
Jim

Jim,

Hey that's a great idea, to have an area set aside where if people want to have their picture taken. I asked my friend if he would mind and he was all for it. Thanks!!