Big Job - Any Suggestions?

[drg]

Thanks for the considered response! I really appreciate it! All three photographers will be shooting with Nikon D70's (Digital SLR). At this point, we're planning on using one photographer to shoot the families with no small children, then the remaining two families will photograph the families with children. That should at least allow us to get the adults through quickly. There will be separate lines roped off with stanchions to keep the groups organized while waiting.

I've got a mini-session lined up tomorrow. I am photographing 12 families, all with children, in the same manner I plan to do on Easter Sunday. While it's a very small sample, I will at least get a realistic idea of how much time each family will require. I'll post that information after the shoot.

This shoot will be set up outdoors under tents, so there should be a lot of sunlight. I was hoping (I'll test this) to use only a Nikon SB600 for a fill light. What do you think?

Thanks again for all the advice!
Kenna

Its late and I'm trying to finish several things at one so I'll make this brief, do consider taking a notebook computer with you to evaluate the photos as you go and unload them and back them up. Have you ever shot in a tent? The fill flash may be a very good idea, or certainly take a big card you can use for custom white balance (it changes in a tent about every 3 minutes on a sunny day according to some measurements, or at least the color temp will). Other wise some beautiful egg shell Easter dresses and bonnets will be a yucky color. I'd be curious to see the output of the three D70 side by side with the same settings taking the same scen at the same time.

You can also take several Flash cards and split up the photos in to manageable sized units. By all means take multiple exposures, thats the beauty of digital event photography. Choices for the customer that don't cost you the photographer any thing but time! (or not much)

You had a separate post about backdrops. It Easter, use at least some lilies in photos!

Look forward to hearing about the test shoot, sorry it so late you may not get this until after your practice run!

-CDP

[kenna]

Thanks for the tips! Yes, I'm interested to see how consistent the output of the three d70's will be, too. I'll post a couple after the event. The test run went great! I was averaging about 20 seconds per family of four (two babies, two parents). It wasn't the best test, because I only had famililes with babies, no children, which will take longer since they walk as opposed to being carried. One idea I had was to provide "pose cards," which would basicaly be wallets of families of various sizes posing in various positions. Families could pick these up when they got in line, so when it's their turn, they know exactly how to position themselves. What do you think? Thanks again for all the info!

[Clemmie]

Sounds like an interesting shoot. I'd love to be the 'mouse in the corner', watching how it goes.

I could recommend the usual - extra bodies, batteries, and lots of memory cards........but you surely already KNOW that.

But above all - and it would certainly be fitting to the setting - I suggest a GROUP PRAYER before you begin shooting.

Good Luck!