The Art of the Photograph 5 - My life in Photos - Sunday 15th November 2015

 Events & Happening v Family Occasions

I’m very quickly discovering there’s a whole world of difference between snapping away at your holiday views for home consumption and taking photographs of meetings and important social functions involving a wide variety of others.

The most important difference to take-on-board is people’s concerns, their needs and requirements and your artistic take on the event you’re attempting to frame successfully. Taking photos of an independent external event, as opposed to trying to capture one’s own family event, is as different as chalk and cheese

Many people do not like to be photographed.  You simply have to respect their feelings and avoid capturing them altogether or attempt to photo around them, missing faces but capturing their presence in sympathetic poses.

Group shots are good when you have chosen an interesting angle and when they present a combined view of joint activity, shared enjoyment and group participation.  Such takes present the spirit of the event and capture the feel of the moment and this is what is required by the participants of the occasion.  It’s that essence of a happy moment, captured in a frame, to hold and cherish for a remembrance of a special day or particular moment in time.

Of course, the photographer also has to cope with their own emotional needs with respect to the event, the essential photo-shot required and that attachment you hold towards the participants you’re endeavouring to capture.  Whilst appreciating their needs, you’re attempting to capture a story in a scene and you want to create an image that will convey the spirit of the occasion.  You need to connect with those around you, empathise with their presence and portray their involvement.

Still-life objects remain in situ while you motivate yourself to get that “good” shot; people like to move, make hand gestures to add emphasis to their presence or conversation, are interrupted by others and small children or simply melt into the background while you attempt to frame them sympathetically.  All the while you, the camera nuisance, continues to view the encircling movement for the next shot, a better take on the children playing in the garden setting, the friends’ group and the farewell-parting shot.

Plus, even if your human prop wants to be "snapped" your need for speed is essential for the sitter will shy away the instant the ordeal is over; for that's what it is, truly, for too many folk.  An ordeal for the visage, the hair, the smile - whatever really.  For the inner anguish of doubt and misconception is onlu too real for some people who may entirely refuse the lure and fantasy of the captured image, seeing that not-so-brilliant smile or lthe imperfect nose a blemish when, in reality, they are features to be known and loved by others as a family trait or a personal facet just belonging to one special person.

To be involved yet detached but still remain connected to the occasion is exacting as you grapple with your equipment, focus your attention and keep your wits about you, remembering what you require from the occasion, and deliver that good presentation, is a further refinement of the art of the photograph….and the work of the photographer to produce it, if she can!

Thank goodness one can now take masses of takes, find the best one or two and cheerfully discard the rest! Now  I'd love to include a choice group of photos, as I normally do but I simply can't make up my mind which ones to pick.  Normal service will be resumed as soon as sometime soon!!!

Daisy xxx