Tina;

Sounds like you're getting "first day jitters".
In many respects, at least in my experience, this type of "PR"
shooting is quite different and really not that enjoyable compared to
casual landscapes.

It would help to know exact what the requestor is looking for.  Do
they want some photos to be used in a publication?  If so, is it a
newspaper/tabloid?  Or an inhouse magazine or newsletter?  Are they
expecting a representation of the event?  Or do they want a series of
photos for record?

Once you determine what to shoot then you can plan accordinly.

If you need to shoot people receiving their awards try to find out if
there is a post award staging area where you can take posed shots with
the presenter and the recipient standing next to one another angled
inwards about 40 degrees or so both holding or passing the award but
looking at the camera.    If not then you'll have to shoot as the
award is presented (more difficult but quidker).  Determine in advance
where your best vantage point will be from the floor.   Assuming there
are tables arrange about you might find either a seat at the front
slightly off the center to the presenters side.  If there is no
available seat then position yourself in an isle (side) either
squatting or kneeling on one knee.  If you must, stand to grab your
shot and return to your low position (simple courtesy).  I'd recommend
using for short tele for this trying to fill much of the frame either
horizontally if there is a podium or verticle if there is not.  With
your gear and a normally lighted public area you most likely will not
need flash as there should be a second or two of non-body movement as
the award is received (that's the time to shoot).  Otherwise use your
flash but be aware of the distance behind the subjects.  If its too
close against a background you might get undesirable back shadows.  If
so you might have to elevate your flash, perhaps use it off-camers or
change your position (or all three).

If the expectations are for general interest then I would try to get
some shots of some people at the tables (bunched together or not,
depending on their cooperation and absolutely before the actual awards
when no one is speaking).   If there is a poster mounted somewhere
near the entrance then grab a full steady shot of it.  Same goes for
an informative program.  Usually the cover might have some uniquely
identifying information on it.  Take a close shot with it lying flat
on a table or such.  If there are any other recognizable items around
(head table, fountain, etc) grab some "fill" shots.

Finally, as you will be shooting digital frames, be sure to
post-process them to sharpen and/or crop them prior to delivering
them.  Also, I personally like to convert them to grayscale (black and
white) as for general PR use they are less technically critical and
overall look better for that purpose.

Just remember, don't get flustered, take your time, remember your
basic technical stuff (zone, focus point, depth, composition, etc)
which should be wrote by now anyway.  Relax, be courteous and polite
and you will look professional.

Good luck.  Should be a challenge but actually not that hard.  And,
also, when you are done, don't worry too much about "how you did"
because you can't change it anyway.  Do your best and make the best of
it.

Bob

Just say no.

If they are not helpful, they're not doing their job.

Yes.  Preferably brief the award recipients beforehand.

Either.  Just try to fill the frame, and keep the 'group' over an arc of
1/3 of the table or less.  Trying to get people on the 'sides' and near
side is disaster time.

If the ceiling is low enough (less than 12') and white, use it as your
main lighting source by bouncing rour flash at it (60° up).  Othewise
get a Stofen and add it to the flash and point the flash up (60°).  This
is not as difuse, but will get the flash away from the lens axis.  This
also reduces the range of the flash somewhat.  In a pinch, tape a 4x6
index card to the flash to make a reflector.

I would guess the 28-70 would be your main weapon for the table/group
shots as well as the award shots.

The 70-200 could be used BUT only if you don't shoot flash directly at
the subject... if you do use a telephoto and flash you will almost
certainly get red eye.  With he 70-200 and far enough back, you will not
get much bounce surface to avoid this.

If the print requirement is for small photos (say 5x7 or even 8x10),
then you can probably shoot at ISO 400 with no problem.

It's one of the easiest shoots that you can do.  Just pay attention to
the 'rites' wrt to people receiving their award, doing the grip-and-grin
and if they say a few words get a couple shots of that.  Time it for
best looks which usually means during a pause in their speech and a
smile directed at the crowd.  If the person is a gesticulator, and the
gestures look good, try to capture that as well.

Have fun.

Cheers,
Alan.

Bow out gracefully, it doesn't seem as if any good will come out of it for
anyone.

If you're that unsure of yourself and your abilities to satisfactorily
perform the work, regardless of the quality of the equipment you have,
then you shouldn't do it, especially if an exchange of money is
involved.  It is a perscription for disaster.

Of course, you could just "suck it up," put everything on "auto," jump
in with both feet and JUST DO IT!  Irrational fears and innate, female
insecurity, be damned!  At least with a digital camera, you can review
each shot and reshoot, if needed.

Or do a practice session a few days before using friends and family as
guinea pigs to build your confidence.

The 550 EX is an old flash originally designed for EOS film cameras and
has now been superseded. Often the only way to get "off the sensor"
printable shots with this flash is to use the idiot mode of the camera
(the green square). I had problems with the reliable exposure of this
flash last year and resorted to idiot mode to cure the problem.

Seeing as these are important but not critical photos... Try out the
idiot mode in your home, with everyone at the dinner table and then use
Av mode and see if there is any difference. If the flash continually
underexposes (most likely) then just up the flash compensation by a stop
and all will be well.

Otherwise, rush out and buy a P&S camera, they always work well enough
in idiot mode to get a picture.

Douglas

I can't give you a lot of help with how to position your subjects but I
can give you some pointers on your flash indoors.
http://www.ryadia.com/some_flash.htm

Douglas

I used to work as a freelance photographer.  Then I sometimes did a
dinner/award assignment - so I have at least some experience.

That depend on the circumstances. It may not be considered proper
to interfere with the goings-on by giving directions during the
dinner/ceremony.

I usually try to move as inconspicuous as possible during the dinner
and ceremony, and announce (or ask the EmCee to announce) that I want
the award recipients assembled for posed shots afterwards.

I always try not to interfere with people enjoying themselves.

Yes.  Direct flash gives very harsh shadows - as can seen on the shot
below.

  http://flickr.com/photos/gisleh/13295363

(But despite the ugly shadows - this image was the one that
sold - in photojournalism, the motif is often more important
than technical qualiy.)

But if the rooms allows it, try to bounce the flash against the
ceiling for softer shadows.  Beware of coloured ceilings!

The two examples below show the results of bouncing a 550EX when
I photographed a recent dinner:

  http://flickr.com/photos/gisleh/16238788
  http://flickr.com/photos/gisleh/16238787

Notice that the second is taken along a rather long table, but that
illumination is reasonable even all the way.

If the room does not allow you to use bounce flash, try to rent or
borrow at least two more 550EX (or 580EX) units, fit them with a
modifier that spreds the light around (e.g. a Stofen Omni bounce)
and set them up as slaves outside your image frame on both sides of
the podium (or area where the ceremony is going to take place).
Use the third 550EX as on-camera master on low power as fill flash.