Let me start with the client’s email to me the morning after the event. Yes, I deliver quickly.
The pictures are great. I really love the clarity; especially those that are up close. Please send me an invoice so I can submit payment.
thanks again!!
When I cover a party, I have a mental shot list. As I work through the list, I notice that I become increasingly relaxed as I tick off each item.
I have learned over time to cover an event in phases, which allows me to ensure I have the “safe” shots, and then I can gradually add the photos that enhance the package.
Phase One
Arrive early and start taking photos of the location. Most likely, the hosts have spent a little money on the food, and the caterer has done their best within the budget to present their best.
Arriving early also allows you to have more space to work. No one is there, and this gives you the ability to back up, move closer, and change your angle to get what you like for representing the food.
All the food shots I took were done with available light. I am not trying to be on the cover of Southern Living Cookbook, so I am not shooting the photos at the lowest ISO and lighting the food to make it look its very best. My purpose is to show the food as it looked for the event.
I try to use available light as much as feasible. All the food shots were done with available light.
Phase Two
I work the room, trying to get photos of the people interacting. During this time, I might use some flash to fill in the shadows. I want to be sure the images are solid and not me pushing the limits of the situation, which might not work.
As you can see, this is where I might have the guest pose for a photo. I am encouraging them to get closer to one another. Now, if they do not want to get too close, I capture them with a bit of space, or when they want to show a true friendship, you might see them holding on to each other.
I try to shoot these just a little loose for two reasons. First, if you shoot too tight and they want an 8×10 print, then they may not have enough excess to crop the photo from the long side. The same can be true for a 5×7, except in this case, there isn’t enough from the short side to crop. Keeping it loose allows for different dimension prints.
Second, I like to show the environment. I believe this is one of the most significant mistakes made by amateurs. They come in so close that the pictures no longer have any context. Whose party are they attending anyway?
Why Flash?
During the second phase, I occasionally shoot available light and then quickly add a flash. The reason is that the flash will help fill in the shadows. With darker skin, there is a tendency to lose the facial details if you are not careful. Notice the difference in the skin tones of the lady’s face, and you will see how the lower photograph is technically superior. I prefer the expression in the first photo and wish I had had the flash on for that shot; then it would have been perfect for my taste.
As one who is always advocating for removing the flash from the camera, unless the budget allowed for a photo assistant to walk around with my flash, the guests would most likely bump into a light stand and possibly get hurt, or damage my gear. I used a camera flash for this event. However, I did bounce it and never shot with it directly pointed at the subjects.
Notice in these two photos that I have switched to an ultra-wide-angle lens, the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8. I love shooting with this lens to help give context and put the viewer in the scene, as if they are standing right there on the porch and part of the conversation.
Notice in the photo below that I went just a little wider than the one above. The one above is shot at 24mm, and the one below is shot at 19mm. I love seeing the three women in the back in three different conversations. You can tell everyone is enjoying themselves and having moments of their own.
Using the 28-300mm lens, I can zoom in, as I have done below with the photo of the person listening to another. This was zoomed to 300mm, allowing me to look across the room, just like you would if you were there to catch glimpses of others enjoying conversations.
You need some overall shots to capture the number of people who attended the event. This is everyone gathering for a few comments at the cocktail party. I shot it with the Nikon 14-24mm @ 14mm to capture as much of the room as possible. I am holding the camera as high as I can above my head and angling it down to show the room, almost as if it were a security camera positioned in the corner of a room.
Phase Three
Usually, there is a point at which I have photographed most everyone in the room a few times. I have the event covered if I were to stop working. This is where I am now free to start looking for more interesting photos.
Now in Phase Two, I did some of these photos, but this is where I look for moments and may push the limits of the situation. A good example is shooting with the Nikon 28-300mm zoomed to 300mm, shooting available light. Even at ISO 12800, you may need to use a slow shutter speed indoors.
I did this, but I had to discard a lot of the photos because of camera movement or because the subject moved. It would be common for the subject to start laughing and toss their head back in the process, and I get a blur and nothing is sharp. This is why I often wait to do these shots in Phase Three, but I might mix a few in Phase Two.
Since I had pretty much everything the client needed, it was easier to meet the chef’s request for a photo of himself towards the end. I could have done this in Phase One, but he was swamped at the time.
With the photo of the man in the center and the people around the table, I moved a little back and forth until I used him to block the light behind him. This is the president of Georgia Tech talking to the new tenured professors.
In the photo below, you can see the dining room from above. Hopefully, this gives you a reason to arrive early to take pictures of the food. Where do you stand on getting those photos now?
In the following two photos, notice the slow shutter speeds and high ISO settings. The top photo was shot at 250mm and the lower one at 210mm. Either of these would generally be shot at a minimum shutter speed of 1/250 to ensure there is no camera movement. In the lower photo, I am shooting at a shutter speed of 1/40. While I can do everything to capture this moment, ideally, all it takes is for the lady to move slightly, and it becomes a blur. This is why I shoot this type of photo without a flash and ISO 12800 in Phase Three. I am taking larger risks. If I did this in Phase Two, the number of photos I would be giving the customer would shrink drastically.
The Seasoned Pro
It takes years to master this technique truly. Besides dividing up types of photos, I am also pushing the limits of the flash and available light.
Notice I am shooting inside at really high ISOs and using flash. Why would I do that? Read this early blog post of mine to answer that question here.
Shooting the way I did for this event is quite complex, but the results, I think, speak for themselves. I guess I capture genuine moments with minimal intrusion. This is why clients hire me – not just because they need a photographer. They need a photographer who will come in and not complain about the lack of light, thereby creating problems.
Before my client even saw these photos, they were excited to invite me back. They liked how I worked; that’s what they commented to me as I left. If it is that evident that they see a difference in how I work compared to other photographers, and they haven’t even seen the results, then I know it is my years of experience showing in how I carry myself.
