I’ve been doing a lot of event photography in the past few months, of all shapes and sizes, in all kinds of different places. In fact, that describes the past fifteen years of shooting events!
They’re a challenge, there’s no doubt about that. But that’s also what makes them so great to do. Every time, there’s a different location. It might be huge, tiny, awkward or easy …. but each time you have to adapt to it. The lighting could be fabulous. More often, it’s dreadful. But that’s the hand you’re dealt, and part of the point of being a professional event photographer is simply dealing with what there is. And the people – always different. You never know how people will behave. If you’re lucky, the speaker is animated, the crowd laughs a lot and everybody looks like they’re having the time of their lives. But then there’s reality …… and, to be honest, that’s why it’s such fun. Because there’s no chance to rest on your laurels. You have to work quickly, and deliver great shots. Every time.
Here’s an example from a recent local shoot I did for Jack, an excellent chap and videographer – check out his work at https://www.popsicleproductions.co.uk/
Jack was giving a talk on creating your own video content, to an audience in a small venue, California Coffee Co. in Altrincham (and, incidentally, my favourite coffee shop of the many in town). We were upstairs, in an L-shaped room, with a spiral staircase breaking up the middle of the space. Not an easy space, for either the speaker or photographer to work in! But I think we both got away with it. Jack certainly did – his talk was excellent. Give him a shout if you’re interested in him putting on another one.
Plenty more events to post in the future. What’s great is to look for the similarities and differences between the events – as, while they’re all so very different in many ways, in essence they have a lot in common.
