A general question about covering an opening ceremony

[Dave Humphries]

Hi "snowshine",

Please don't be shy, give us a first name

Looking at your first picture reminded me of one of the things I qyuickly discovered shooting posed groups at events - it really doesn't work when they are looking at the 'other' camera.

Now I'm not suggesting that you keeping diverting the subject's attention on a shot by shot basis from any other 'togs shooting, particularly if they are the official/pro photographer - that certainly won't help anyone.

In my limited experience, I found that if I kept close, but quiet and not in the way, when the other 'tog had finished, I stepped forward and the subjects let me have a go too; I got their eye contact and the shots were far better for it.

You seem to have already done this in the shot of the mayor across the flower bed, so maybe I didn't need to say that, but it may help someone else reading this in the future, who knows.

'Hanging back' also means you can observe the pro at work, see how they communicate with the subject, what poses they request, etc. and either copy those and/or develop from them, to get something original the pro didn't - not as impossible as it sounds, particularly if you know one or more of the subjects personally, you might be able to say something that gets a response that makes a picture.

I also appreciate that with something like a ribbon cutting, once that's done, the moment has passed, perhaps why you couldn't do it on this occasion.

I'll stop babbling, shall I?

Cheers,

[Colin Southern]

@Colin:I should have been clearer: Yes Colin, It is the Mac program Aperture I was referring to.

Thought so. Although it worked out OK this time, I think that the highlight detail around the silver hair would have been pretty close to being blown ... so always better to get the exposure closer "in camera" if at all possible.

[snowshine]

@Dave:Hi Dave,
My first name is Arun.
Yes, You are correct on all account. I have a lot to learn.

Thanking you

Regards
Arun