I've got a job, and I need help!!!

[Chris101]

This and next Friday I will be photographing awards ceremonies at a couple colleges. Now I know the getting the award and shaking the hands is a mandatory shot (kinda like cutting the cake in a wedding.) But I also want to get something different.

I've always shunned those kind of meetings in the past, but I'll be totally excited by them tomorrow evening. So if you've ever done this, or been to such a meeting or even can imagine what I'm talking about ... HELP!!!

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Make sure your flash goes off...have spare batteries and don't get drunk until all the important festivities are over. That should be it!

 

[Chris101]

... have spare batteries ...

Check.

It's on the college premises, so no alcohol at all...
And I'm not expecting any hot chicks either.

The one NEXT Friday however has a Jazz theme, so it might be more visually interesting.

 

[Bob the Spiderman]

Chris. I am sure that your photographic expertise will tell you what is a good photo. I have found that it is the reportage type of unposed shot that is the one most appreciated. Of course people want the a record of their presentation, but it is the other aspects of the event that seem to remain in the memory and in many instances make people laugh.

Good luck my friend. Bob F.

 

[Chris101]

Thanks for your vote of confidence Bob.

I usually figure out what the best photos would have been about an hour after a shoot. For that reason I usually imagine a photo well before I take it. In this case, things will be proceeding according to a schedule so the trick is anticipating the right place at the right time. This week's gig will be good practice for next week's much bigger affair.

A question: are those speeches really like Vogon poetry?

 

[Bob the Spiderman]

I do not know ask the BABEL FISH!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

BW. Bob F.

 

[Steve S]

Chris, just make sure to wear your running shoes,

then be prepared to hustle yourself over to the most appropriate spot when you see the action happening. Of course, going there 1/2 or so beforhand to scope out the strategic photographic spots at the venue wouldn't be a bad idea either

 

[GMolotsky]

I agree with Steve. Get there early and scope out the place. And definitely don't be afraid to 'push' your way into the best location for the pictures. That's what your there for.
Good Luck and Happy Shooting.

Gregg

 

[Flew]

Chris,

I'm totally inexperienced with this type of shooting, but I think that you will do just fine. I might suggest that in addition to getting there early, you might want to take some 'warm-up' shots before the festivities start of some of the folks that will be getting awards, just to get yourself and the subjects relaxed. These could include the folks coming into the hall, finding tables, and getting seated. These may turn out to be usable shots, as the pressure won't be there.

Good luck. Take plenty of spare batteries and CF cards.

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[Scott Sherman]

I'm not speaking from experience here, but it seems that a friend acting as an assistant to coordinate people behind the scenes and direct them to where you want them in some sort of orderly manner or possibly direct ou to another area that you might have missed could make a difference. Also equipment gets heavy and help is always welcome.

 

[Joe_Lorenzini]

I agree with Paul! Get your settings all straight first and then shoot everything! Once you get going you'll figure out where the prime location is, best background, etc...

If you have confidence in your settings, you'll do great!

_/oe

 

[Uncle Frank]

Get the posed shots over with, and then treat the event in photo-journalistic style. And make sure to catch shots of the proud parents, since they'll be the ones laying out the money to buy your pictures .

 

[Robin Horlock]

If I can make a suggestion, We call these "grip and grins" for a reason.
When the award is handed off to the recipient and the handshake is being
made that is when you want both the parties looking at the camera.

Two ways of doing this, and you might have to do both. First , speak with
the person giving the awards away. Ask him that after each award during
the handshake to get the person to look over at you. Sometimes this
works the best (if you have a good MC). After the first few, most people
will realize that they must must look at the camera for a shot before they
leave. (Most MC's will help you, they have done this before)

The other way is a little more obnoxious, but you are there to do a job.
Don't let anyone leave the stage without getting the shot. This is a real
balance act! If the MC won't help you don't be afraid to ask the people
to look over at you when they are getting the award. The balance comes
in the fact that you don't want to be to obnoxious or you won't get the job
again, so be quick and efficient, but if you don't get the shots you won't get
the job again either.

Also, don't be afraid to politely say, "excuse me sir please look over here
for a photograph".

Remember, the reason that alot of people think that photography is easy
is because the photographer makes it look easy, in actions, words and mannerisms.
So relax and have some fun. After all is that not why you want to do
this in the first place? (f8 and be there!)

Cheers,
Robin

 

[tweber]

Chris,

Take two shots of every recipient when they get their award. The first right as they reach out for the handshake, then when they receive it.

If necessary have them pause for a quick reshoot. This will cut down on the odds of getting a closed eye picture or a bad luck gawd awful expression.

Tom

 

[Chris101]

Wow!!!

Thanks y'all for such a wealth of tips, tricks and things I'll wish I had done once it's over!!

Jonathan, Steve, Gregg, Frank, Scott and Tom: Ok, so - I'll take batteries, get there early, wear sneakers, be pushy yet polite, find the best location and background (hear that Chris BACKGROUND!!!), take more than one shot of each official encounter, suck up to the MC, bring my assistant (wish I could, but she's not available this week) and , ... get the color right.

Paul and Joe: Arrrggghhhh! The Color !!! (Panicking, looks around) maybe I can do it in black and white - (sweating, eyes clear slightly) no, it's in a lecture hall with mixed fluorescent and sunlight, but the blinds will probably be closed. I'll set custom color off the white 'dry-erase' board behind the lecture stand. And I'll take a little gray card!

Robin, "Grip and Grin". I love it - you seem to have done this before, so thanks for your wisdom. I'm buds with the only recipient, who will help me get shots with all the speakers and hand shakers.

Frank - they make a lovely couple. She's a blond, Mexican-American college President who stands five foot nothing and he's a six and a half foot athlete, a thinner 'Mike Ditka', who's also chair of the Faculty Association. She never smiles, he never stops. And of course I'll get the part where the new 'Distinguished Teacher of the Year' tosses the eraser into the crowd of next years hopefuls.

Thank you all! I'm off to get ready, check my camera, buy batteries and get myself in place. This rally has got me pumped! I'll be all over that event.

 

[Ken-L]

Watch your shutter speed if you are shooting indoors with flash.

 

[Chris101]

Ok, I'm done! I found myself with some family duties so I couldn't start processing until 10:30 last evening. It took nearly 5 hours of processing!

I am not thrilled with the results, but I can make them work. The lighting was, as I suspected mixed fluorscent and daylight, combined with my puny (sb50) flash. It works great on a person or two, but although the room wasn't that big, I had a heck-of-a-time getting coverage of groups.

So everybody had a different color cast depending on their distance from the camera. Other problems were clutter and camera shyness. Eddie (the recipient of the distinguished teacher award) is very humble and somewhat embarassed about the attention, and so did not cooperate in the least.

As I said, I really didn't like any of the pictures, at least until I started looking at them in black and white. Not only did it fix the mixed light problem, but it also seemed to mellow out the clutter that seemed inescapable in every background.

I'll work with their web designer and help put together a monochrome presentation. I'm estimating about a quarter of the 152 exposures I made can be massaged into a 600 pixel webshot with recognizable faces, but they'll only use ten or twenty.

...

Oh yeah, the pictures... Here they are!

I'm doing something similar (only bigger) next Friday, I'll be analysing the dificulties I had with this shoot and working toward improvement. Your comments and photo critiques will be ever so helpful.

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[Chris101]

Blunt is good Paul. There are no award and hand over shots. The award was mailed and this was more of a reception. I was misinformed as to it's nature, but figured it out when they all went directly into mingle and regale mode.

I played and played wih the color, and just couldn't get it to behave! I'm looking forward to your comments 'over there'.