Originally posted by pentaxian_tmb Problem is that my inlaws house is an older, smaller house with poor lighting and just one huge picture window that faces a street lined by trees.....so it is a very challenging environment. I have been shooting family pictures in there--birthdays, christmas, mothers/fathers day for 15 years--both handheld candids and large group shots-- and have yet to achieve a nice nice exposure that doesn't need to be fixed in post--esp hard to get it uncluttered with group shots because I wind up with three rows of people (sitting on the floor, sitting in chairs, and standing), that are jammed between the sofa and the table by the picture window.
Here is an example of the general craptastic and challenging lighting conditions in the main room at my inlaws.
Obviously, you and your family have great fun at these events, but I think you really have to take charge, Tim, to make productive that time in the evening to take photos .
IMHO, three weeks is not enough time for you to purchase a couple of flashes with radio triggers and learn both their operation and then the photography skills to get a great shot with depth out of that group portrait. Below the setup for guests at a function is two softboxes, they overlap, but the one on the left is nearly a stop hotter.
Until you master all that, an event is not a place to learn, you're supposed to do your learning prior to that. Best not to subject your family to the fumblings!
I think you're better off for now making do by twisting the flash so it's pointing into one of the ceiling corners behind you, so that the light falls on your subjects from above and in front, and this gives you a year of preparation to 'get serious'.
Even then, you should practice for the three weeks beforehand in your own house, with your wife, neighbour, cat, whatever, until you can get it and the settings right, consistently.
With only one light, you'll have to put people smoothly into the right places based on prior experience. That guy in the back had to be moved!
Flash has to be used in your case because you exposed for the lamps and the people were too dark. Expose correctly for the people and the lamps are too bright and would best be turned off. Flash corrects the imbalance.