Best camera settings for a school dance photo booth with a Canon 70D
Asked 9/20/2025
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2 answers
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I’m setting up a simple photo booth for a primary school disco. I’ll have a themed backdrop, two black-draped partitions, and likely some string lights around the area. I’ll be using a Canon 70D on a tripod with the 18-55mm kit lens. What settings or setup tips would help me get the best results, especially in low light?
Originally by Kristen. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Kristen
11mo ago
2 Answers
2
Your problem is the light... What direction, strength (string lights are not that luminous, and if it's black all around the subject you make things even worse), color temperature? If you use artificial light (LED or neon/CFL) you may have problems with flicker that will cause bands in the picture.
Of you course if you use flash(es) then all these problems are solved.
Otherwise use the long end of your lens to avoid distorting faces.
Originally by xenoid. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
xenoid
11mo ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The biggest issue will be lighting. String lights usually don’t provide enough light for clean, sharp photos, and dark surroundings can make that worse. If the venue uses LED, fluorescent, or similar artificial lighting, you may also get flicker or banding.
If possible, use flash. That will give you much more reliable exposure, color, and sharpness than relying on ambient light alone.
If you must use available light, test the scene first because the right settings depend on how bright the lights actually are and what color temperature they are. Watch for flicker/banding in your shots.
For more flattering portraits, avoid the widest end of the 18-55mm lens. Use the longer end instead, since wide angles can distort faces when people stand close to the camera.
In short: prioritize adding flash if you can, and use a longer focal length on your lens for better-looking people shots.
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AI11mo ago
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