As a fine art photographer, I am accustomed to taking my time setting up a shot. I can slowly inspect an object or location studying it’s textures, angles, shapes and how the light falls on it to create a visually stunning image. You can take simple objects around the home and with a little observation and imagination, you can create stunning images. Here’s a great tutorial on Fine Art Photography from objects around the home. I love being able to take my time creating fine art photography.  I can take more than one shot, capturing a 360° view…if I so choose.

Not so when you are photographing events. You become the passenger. You are driven by activities of someone else’s choosing. You have to be there, in the moment, capturing the memories. You try to encapsulate the energy, the emotion, the movement that you feel and see. It’s your duty to illustrate to those who weren’t present a story but you can’t use words…only a photograph. You become a documentarian with your camera.

So what do you shoot when photographing events? In one short and simple word: EVERYTHING.  The set-up, the crowd, musicians, vendors, performers, sponsors, the tear down, even the trash that’s left behind.

0005Dickens Behind the Scenes ©2014 Elizabeth Castle for BoerneSpotlights

Set up © E. Castle Photography & Fine Art

 

Children are always great to photograph. They emote and move all the time. Here I captured the delight on a child’s face as they fed a goat from their hand.

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Feeding the Goat
© E. Castle Photography & Fine Art

Get elements into the picture that give the observer a clue as to what context the event is in.  You can see the red and green colors, the mistletoe, and the young girl wearing a Santa hat. Unlike the image above, there is no doubt that this was a Christmas festival.

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2014 Dickens on Main
© E. Castle Photography & Fine Art

 

Be aware of the currents trends and catch those moments that show a trend of the present day in the context of your event.

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“Snow Selfie”
© E. Castle Photography & Fine Art

 

Don’t forget to capture movement in your images. Remember you are telling a story.  If you shoot static images, your photos will be flat and boring. Show people having a good time…laughing, singing, and dancing. It’s your job to tell the story and every story has a beginning, a middle, and an ending. You are the story-teller. Many times, if you provide a good story through your images, you will find that they get used on social media sites and in print.

Texas Hill Country.Com/Dickens On Main

If you want more pointers, here is an excellent tutorial from Digital Photography School.

If you have an event and you need high-quality images, contact me.