"Paul Furman" wrote

I've been asked to photograph a company retirement party (paid) which will
be about 20 people in a restaurant under candlelight at a few tables.

What is the destination of the pics: Xeroxed company newsletter;
4x6" momento prints for the participants; www (how big); framed
8x10's in the company lobby?

If it's a same-old-same-old for the company newsletter
then nobody cares - I would bow to tradition and take the
pictures with an Instamatic 104 and a flash cube.

If it's the framed 8x10 end of the quality spectrum then I would
visit the restaurant a few days before hand, scope out the
lighting and duplicate it at home/studio. It doesn't have
to be exact but sorta should have the same mix of candles &
incandescent and maybe the same color-range(ish) of wall
coverings. Then find something that works - on your own
time.

If they are paying then they should get a professional job:
you walk in, take the shots, walk out. No farting with cables
and laptops. Either during cocktails or just after desert.

Using flash will just add to the color balance mish-mash,
see flash-cube, above.

Set up - Me it would be a 4x5 and b&w, er, the 20D, 35mm
normalish lens, tall tripod and possibly one of those
collapsible light reflectors. Bring my own step stool if
the chairs are fancy. Bokeh be damned.

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.darkroomautomation.com/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com