Robert’s Photography Blog

Taking good photos in poorly lite, noisy nightclubs present a formidable challenge even with a dSLR. The first time I tried it, I came home with a compactflash card full of dark and out-of-focus shots. Robert learned fast! After shooting in many of the top clubs in Singapore, I now get a high yield of good (and sometimes great) photos. Don’t expect fine art but it’s a lot of fun!

Currently, my favorite lens for nightclub photography is the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 lens. It’s light in weight, L-series, wide-angle, sharp at f/4, and has an unobtrusive petal-shaped hood. Using the lens at wide end (17mm) with a Canon EOS 20D or Canon EOS 30D, you can easily photograph groups of up to 10 persons in limited space.

Here are some do’s and don’ts:

Do

• Use the manual mode with a shutter speed of 1/250 sec at about f/4
• Use an external flash on a bracket (either a Stroboframe or Canon’s Speedlite bracket SB-E1)
• Use a STO-FEN Omni-Bounce or equivalent
• Tilt the flash head up at about a 45° angle
• Set the flash exposure compensation to about +1.5 stops
• Use ‘all focusing points’
• Shoot 2-3 frames in case of eye blink
• Avoid ‘disc smoke’ – it messes up the autofocus

Don’t

• Don’t use the Program, Av, or Tv modes
• Mount the flash on the camera’s hotshoe
• Use a single focusing point
• Block the Speedlite’s IR beam with your hand
• Take anyone’s photo without asking their permission

Remember, with these parameters (1/250 sec at about f/4 in manual mode), all the metering is handled by the E-TTL circuitry. Be careful not to block the Speedlite’s IR beam. In low light, there is only the IR beam for the AF to lock onto.

You can shoot at ISO 400. High ISO is unnecessary as the flash provides adequate light.

One important point: Make sure that you have permission to shoot with a dSLR in the club. It’s not generally allowed in most nightclubs and security staff (some huge guy with a ponytail) will bounce you out in no time. I never take photos in a club without a media pass or security clearance.

Also, aways ask before taking anyone’s photo. If the club is noisy, get your subject’s attention and point to the camera. If they shake their head no, just walk away.

If you post the photos online, you might consider handing out cards with the gallery URL. It’s an easy way to increase traffic to your site.

Examples of nightclub photography are in my gallery.