Advice and question on flash rental?

[marktuma]

Hi All,

A friend has asked if I will consider shooting some group shots of her extended family in December. If I do it it will be a one-time kind of event, as people will be converging from different continents. The location will be a hall which is not amazingly bright, so I told her that ambient light would make for long exposures, which is when she said one of the group is a nine month old baby. So, if I do it I'm guessing I'll need to use at least one flash, but I don't actually own one.

I think there'll be about ten people in the group, and I'll be using my A100 and CZ1680 lens. I can also get access to a couple of 1,000 W continuous light softboxes, but from experience with doing video interviews I think these are more useful for a single subject.

Now, to my questions:
1) What would I need to add to do this well, but on a budget? Would a single flash work well enough, or will actually need multiple units?
2) Is there anywhere in the UK that will rent me some flash units for the weekend?

Thanks,
Mark

[David Kilpatrick]

There are many places which will rent you a flash outfit. The most obvious choice is The Flash Centre (London 0207 837 5649/Birmingham 0121 327 9220/Leeds 0113 247 0937), just ask for a two head Elinchrom kit with two 1m white umbrellas - you don't really benefit much from softboxes for a group. If you do need them, then ask for two Octas - big ones. They do groups superbly. TFC will tell you if they have a retailer closer to you doing rental.

David

[marktuma]

Thanks for the info David. Am I to take it from your reply that a single HVL-F42 or 58 is not going to do the job adequately then?

Cheers,
Mark

[David Kilpatrick]

You used the word 'hall'. Often that means a ceiling too high for effective bounce flash. If it is a large room, with a white ceiling around 10-12ft, a single 58 will do the job using bounce flash - for a group up to as many as 20 people. But if it's a wooden ceiling, a vault, a church-style hall etc - you would need the mains flash, or maybe a couple of 42/58 remotes with some brackets and brollies or diffusers added - not always the easiest thing to rig up.

David

[marktuma]

Thanks again David, if I end up doing this shoot I'll let you the forum know how it goes