Thanks @jamesstaddon, for all the advice! Unfortunately, it was all over before I got it! 🙂 I did actually follow some of your advice though, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. 🙂
Being the perfectionist that I am, I’m not 100% happy with the results, but hopefully I’ve learned a few things that will make the next one better! What’s important is that the person who “contracted” me is happy, and so far I think that goal is attained, so that makes me feel a lot better.
So, I didn’t get to take a “practice” shot, there just wasn’t time. I did bring my tripod along, and use it, which was good, because it forced me to slow down, make sure the camera was level, and get a burst of similar shots that can be used to pick the best of the bunch. I actually had a bit more light than I expected, I was able to get by with ISO 1000, 1/100 shutter speed, and f/4.5 (for maximum sharpness and DOF) I used my camera’s live-view AF which actually is very accurate. Looking back, I probably should have tried manual focus, I think the picture could have been a tad sharper with more accurate focus.
I did briefly test my speedlights, but as I expected, they just didn’t have enough power to make a difference for the better. The “ceiling” above the group was a mess of spotlights and stage curtains, so I couldn’t bounce off the ceiling, which limited the effectiveness of the flash. I knew I didn’t want harsh straight-on lighting, so I just went with what I had available from the stage lights. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice till after the fact that they had some weird red lights shining on the very edges of the choir. If some people at the edge of the frame look like they’re really hot or embarrassed, it’s the crazy stage lighting. 🙁
One big disappointment was how soft the edges of the frame were! I expected more from that lens! 🙁 (Next time I think I’ll shoot a little wider, and crop out the blurry part.)
I did shoot RAW, and I manually set the WB so that it would be consistent throughout the sequence of photos. It was WAY too warm, but a quick adjustment in Lightroom made it neutral.
You were right, positioning of the people was one of the most important aspects of the whole photoshoot, and it was the first thing the director looked for when I sent him the final photo. I can see now how I should have paid more attention to that, there are a couple of faces that are partially hidden, and a couple of little gaps that should have been closed. I’m definitely going to put “POSITIONING” on my to-do list for next time! 🙂
I do have another question for you, @jamesstaddon. How would you crop this photo? The photo above was how I finally decided, but I’ve attached an uncropped one so you can see what I have. Since the group isn’t perfectly centered in front of the white “sound boards” (or whatever they’re called), it makes it rather difficult to decide what is best. I went with a tighter crop, because the director wanted to have the faces as visible (large) as possible.
