Skin Tones and Flash Settings

I often present portraits taken in artificial lighting as monochrome portraits.
It saves a lot of time trying to get skin tones exactly right.

However, I like this photo

It was taken as the Winners at the Blog Awards were
relaxing a bit. Somehow the warm reds suit the atmosphere of this
lively occasion.

Light Travels in Straight Lines...

and nowhere am I reminded of this so often as when I try
to take Night Shots.

A new lens will be needed in future, as the photos I took
at the Irish Blog Awards 2008, while varied and full of life,
could do with a bit more skill in the use of flash.

The ceiling was a mass of little spotlights which caused a sort
of metering off meltdown as I tried to play light off against dark.

Finally I resorted to playing around in the RAW controls
in my Canon software.

This I like: