Over the past 2 years, for one of my clients, I have been the event photographer of more than 20 events. When I first worked these events for them, they used to tell me what to expect at the event and I was given direction on what they’re hoping to capture. They would request I show up a little early and maybe even give me a little direction as to how to get the shots.
That time has passed. Now I get a text asking me if I’m available and that’s it. They have complete confidence in my work and now I’m the guy when they need event photography. This is terrific! No one is asking to see the photos over my shoulder or telling me what they think they need. Of the types of photography services i offer, event photography is my favorite.
The variety of services I offer, keep me in check with good practices for professional phtography. Headshot photography keeps me working through the newest advances in editing. I used to be afraid of reshaping. I’m able to help with that now. Portrait photography (this includes modeling, acting, seniors, couples, boudoir and families), keeps me looking for more flattering and fun angles. Real Estate photography reminds me to closely monitor my settings from image to image to assure I get the most crystal clear shot possible.
All of these opportunities keeps me on my toes and makes things interesting. I love headshot photography, but if it were all I was doing, I’m sure it would become stale and my work would suffer. Event photography keeps things different every day. The event, the demands, and the expectations are different with each session. One day I’m shooting roller coaters, the next I’m photographing celebrities, and the next is a corporate break out session during a convention. The latter may seem out of place from the other two, but with each event, I’m also learning about things outside of my profession. For example, did you know tumbleweeds are incredibly dangerous? They are razor sharp and usually collect in the same spaces so they becomes incredibly dense and heavy. Just something I picked up during one of my photography sessions. I get to learn about drug epidemics, dog obedience, how to alleviate back pain, and the latest viscosity solutions in heavy machinery. I barely ever know what to expect..
With this particular event, they asked me to be at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for an hour and a half. There was no primer other than which ballroom I needed to be in. While I was parking my car, I noticed I was paying a special event price for parking. I asked the attendant what the special event was. He said, “Believe it or not, Joe Montana is here for some charity”, and that is all the preparation I recieved to photograph a charity luncheon promoting Lifetown, an organization to help children with special needs with special guest Joe Montana!
Did I lead you to believe it was OSU legend Lawrence Funderburke? I mean he is pretty great too. The first time I photographed him, he gave me a nod a smile and reached out to pound my fist when he realized I recognized him. Today though, I was surprised to photograph Joe Montana. I learned he is 67, has a soft spot for helping others, loves to see people overcome adversity, and has a tremendous sense of humor.
The photography would have been difficult to manage, had it been my first time in this situation. It was an incredibly low light venue, with some potential hotspots on stage. There was another photographer there using a flash, which might have given him a relief on the stage, but I can think of two things that would have been troublesome for me.
Whenever I photograph something on a larger scale like at the convention center, I assume it will be televised, or at the very least, recorded for a later broadcast. The flash can be disruptive to their recording.. During a wedding, it can sometimes be tolerated because they often piece video together over music without audio from the wedding day. I would not want to work with a photographer lighting up my video every 30 seconds. Something to keep in mind when networking.
The other problem with this is that speedlites can only reach a distance of about 65 feet. (Keep that in mind when you use your phone’s flash at a concert). if the other photographer relied on his speedlite for lighting, then he would not be able to get any of the large, establishing shots that I know this particular client really likes.
Without the use of any on-camera or off-camera flash, I will set my ISO to 4000 and adjust my f-stop and shutter speed accordingly. In the case of those hotspots, I may need to bring the ISO down and keep going back and forth between 4000 and whatever number works best in the spotlight. This gives me a more consistent look than using the flash only for some photos.
I sent the files to my client the next afternoon and she replied, “Your photos are amazing!!! I’m so happy you were there!“ I was too!