Dec 06 2007
Photographing a Small Event
Events are very transient things. Each moment is gone in an instant, and you can’t recreate it. I photographed a small event last night and was reminded how you can’t plan for all contingencies, such as a fusing electrical street cable!
When going to photograph at a location I have never previously been, I always try to get there early. Essentially, my role is to capture the evening, which is as much about the staff, as it is about the guests.
So, photographing the set up process is a nice way to not only ease into things, and get to know who is responsible for what, but also to provide the staff with a memory of what it took to get their ’show’ running smoothly.
Some people really don’t like to be photographed, so don’t push it - unless they’re a dignatory, in which case they’ll probably want their photo taken anyway… If someone really strongly objects though, it’s better just to leave it.
I always try to go for a mix of candid and posed shots. Have that camera poised at all times, as anything can, and does happen.
Last night, as the perfect example, an overhead street electrical cable decided to start fusing. The light was pretty bright and resembled fireworks. It was quite a show, and lasted a good 30 minutes. It generated quite a few conversations and interesting expressions on people’s faces.
The one person I never miss photographing is the organiser. He, or she, has gone to a lot of effort to put the event together and it’s nice to recognise this ‘on film’.
Lighting is a tricky issue. Mood and lighting generally aren’t friends of photography, so I take my Canon Speedlite 580 EX flash to give me a hand. It’s a pretty bright light and may momentarily blind my subjects, but it’s better than having murky images that you can’t see.
Last night there were a few demonstrations and presentations - great ‘action’ subjects. They give the photos of the event more variety and dimension.
Mingling is also a good way to put people at ease, so they don’t freeze as soon as they see you coming with a big camera, and an even bigger flash!
Have fun, and the photos will reflect this, and you can capture your subjects having fun as well!
