Question re: Portraits

[heinecke]

I'm the photographer for the local volunteer fire department and they have asked me to take portraits of each of the firefighters. I'm used to photographing nature outdoors so I'm a little out of my league here, but I want to do the best I can with the equipment I have.

I'll be shooting with a Canon 10D and probably 70-200 zoom. I have the Sigma 500 DG Super flash and a Stofen Omnibounce. I have a flash bracket so I can get the flash higher if necessary.

These will basically be headshots, maybe a bit of upper chest area included.

My questions are mainly these:

1) White balance setting? The photos will be taken inside the fire station meeting room. It's well lit, but of course the lighting is flourescent bulbs. Background will either be the wall (a light tan color) or I may hang a sheet. Is it best to set the white balance for Auto, Flash, Flourescent or best to do a custom WB? If custom, just take a reading off the background or where? I'll be shooting RAW so I have some latitude but I would like to get it correct in camera as much as possible.

2) For the flash, using the Omnibounce, should I reduce the power any or will the diffuser do that enough already? Best to shoot the flash straight on or angle up (or even straight up and let the diffuser handle the light distribution)?

Any other tips/suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Glenn

[CaptainTom]

Shoot raw.
Av priority making sure the ISO allows the shutter speed not to exceed the flash sync speed
.
flash of full power ETTL with omnibounce pointed straigth up.
Probably 70 mm.

take a couple of test shots and check the histiogram.

White balance can be either custom if you know how, or auto. If it is off a bit you can correct in PS.

This basic technique is referred to as dragging the shutter. The flash will freeze your subjects while letting the ambient light fill in the background. This can give you a very natural effect. Try to avoid the head on bare bulb flash look. Experiment with bouncing the omni off a side wall if that is practical. Focus on your subjects eyes at all times.
There are lots of other things to try, but this is a good start.

[Tracy Hicks]

I'd use one of the trucks as a backdrop... maybe an american flag somewhere in the shot.
Firetrucks make great backdrops. Let us see what you come up with. -Tracy

[Robin Binder]

firefighters huh? we have calendars they sell at work with firefighters in houston. Nice tasteful photos of them in their garb with missing shirts. All the girls in the office buy them but we just can't hang them; office rules says that you can't hang photos of anyone unless they are family.
here is a link to the calendar I speak of...
http://www.firefighterscalendar.org/

[heinecke]

Thanks for the tips, CaptainTom. Exactly what I was looking for. The shoot is a couple of weeks away, but we have a drill tomorrow night and I'm going to take a few test shots and see how it goes.

Glenn

[bfphoto]

One more tip, I would use a tripod.

[heinecke]

Thanks, bfphoto. I was planning on using my tripod and remote release. Sharpness is not a concern. Just want to best job I can on exposure. I rarely use flash indoors. I read the link CaptainTom posted in another link. It was very informative.

Glenn