How do you get "the shot"?" How, how, how?

wildviper

I was asked to shoot my first "event" with full knowledge that I may not have any good shots. Not paid...just practice type event..a Baptism.

I got bailed out because the church not only allowed flash, but had somewhat white walls, ceilings I could bounce off.

However, the area of most difficulty for me was to get "the shot". With so much going on, so many people around, I found it really tough to get the right angle where the priest, the baby, the godmother, the mother were all in perfect view.

It was horrible...if the priest was doing something important to the baby, the baby was crying...the godmother was looking down to the baby trying to stop the waving of the baby's arms. And then some other people around try and interfere to calm the baby(so I get their heads in the frame). If the baby was fine, the priest was turned around or not doing the right thing.

If the conditions were right(which they weren't for 99% of the time), I get some people in the background with their tounges out or just a funny facial expression!!!!

Other times, the whole gang turns complete opposite of where I am...so now I gotta move there and the "moment" is gone.

Argggggh! My hats off to all the pros handling the wedding scene. But how do you do this?

I will post some pictures as examples when I am not sleepy.

Matthew Saville

wildviper wrote:

Argggggh! My hats off to all the pros handling the wedding scene. But how do you do this?

Wildviper, I see a Gitzo tripod and a 12-24 in your equipment list, so I'm assuming you're a landscape / outdoor photographer.

As someone who *loves* nature photography and landscapes, but shoots weddings for a living, I can definitely agree with you that it takes an ENTIRELY different skillset to photograph a wedding or even, than it does to create a beautiful landscape photo.

I won't say that some people just don't have it in them, becase if that were the case I should have quit YEARS ago and gone back to landscape photography. Seriously, I was BAD. But I took thousands and thousands of photos, in a dedicated manner of course, and re-taught myself how to photograph as a photojournalist instead of a landscape artist.

So that's all I can say to you! Practice, practice, practice. Review your photos, and critique yourself. Determine one thing that you'd like to try and be mindful of at your next chance to practice, and stick to that one thing. (Minding your background is always a good idea!) ...Eventually, it will begin to come naturally, I promise!


=Matt=

CSR Studio

I couldn't agree more Matthew. It seems to just happen after all that practice.

harvey3

I agree with event difficulty on getting "the shot".

So busy, and very distracting! rofl

I go for shot shot shot shot! the more the better! I believe in probability.

mmmatt

I find that people move somewhat rhythmically. I study the scene through my viewfinder, get the basic comp I am looking for with my actual positioning, I half press my shutter and then I wait, and wait, and wait until it comes together as I envision. I snap a few "almosts" as they come up to make sure I get something but leave the camera at my eye. Sometimes it never does really come together, but if you study the movements of the people in the scene you can often find that millisecond when it is just right. In a case with people crowded around the baby it may be best to be up on a chair or in the choir loft shooting down, or it may be best to get right in there or behind and shoot it wide. Obviously you can't disrupt what is going on... Sometimes to get 4 peoples expressions you have to take 4 different shots.

(the other) Matt

bendruckerphoto

It's really about practice and learning to see expressions and the progression and trajectory of emotions in an event. There's not one thing I could tell you that you could then go use and get "the shot".

wildviper

Hey Matt!!!!! Wow you are on here.

I met you few years back...in 2005 to be exact. I will PM you.

Anyways, here are some pictures that are not processed.

Info: D70s with a rented 28-70/2.8. Most pictures were from 2.8 to 4.

As you can see from this first picture, I cut off the mom. As soon as I recomposed (within milliseconds), the shot was gone. Second shot shows what I got.





And now I have someone's head coming out of the baby!!!!!

And then there is one:



The priest for some odd reason had to raise the book at that very instant! Arggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!! (I did jump on a chair after this shot, but lost the moment again!

I think this next picture happened right before the above picture.


I couldn't have placed myself on the opposite side since the baby's face is pointed this way. If I had moved few feet to my right, there were other people standing there.

Also, I thought with my 2.8 I would be able to blur our the background people a lot more. That doesn't seem to have happened...how come??

This ain't easy!

bendruckerphoto

wildviper wrote:

Also, I thought with my 2.8 I would be able to blur our the background people a lot more. That doesn't seem to have happened...how come??

This ain't easy!

F/2.8 on a wide angle lens does not produce that short of a DOF when you're subject to camera is not close and subject to background distance is not far. You really need to get over 100mm to get isolation like you want if your background is that close to the subject.

bmoreshooter

The first thing to understand is that occasionally you won't get "the shot". Things just happen. That being said, you will find that with more practice you will gain a confidence that allows you to help direct the scenes to enable you to get your shots. In a case such as yours everything could not be handled as a PJ or grab shot. Sometimes you'll need to set up or stage some photos or shoot "formal". There is a lot of frustration when dealing with event photos but that's just part of the job. Totally different from Landscapes where you can sometimes wait hours for the sun to be in the right position.

wildviper

I am beginning to realize that it is "okay" to stage the scene or direct the people. That is what I did not do here. My thought was that I do not want to disturb the proceedings.

However, on hindsight, the moments are never coming back and I better tell them to hit "pause".

Is that what most wedding photographers actually do?

heatherfeather

wildviper wrote:

I am beginning to realize that it is "okay" to stage the scene or direct the people. That is what I did not do here. My thought was that I do not want to disturb the proceedings.

However, on hindsight, the moments are never coming back and I better tell them to hit "pause".

Is that what most wedding photographers actually do?

No, not during ceremonies... My job during those times is to be as unobtrusive as possible and do my best to get the shot. If I miss it, bummer, but I put in my contract that they will not hold me liable. But for the most part, wedding ceremonies are so straight forward you should be able to get them no problem. If it is just a few people doing something like signing a marriage license, then yes perhaps I'll do a bit of moving folks around. But usually no, I leave their positioning up to themselves.

Art Scott

wildviper wrote:

I am beginning to realize that it is "okay" to stage the scene or direct the people. That is what I did not do here. My thought was that I do not want to disturb the proceedings.

However, on hindsight, the moments are never coming back and I better tell them to hit "pause".

Is that what most wedding photographers actually do?

Nervious were You?????:D
Me too the first few times out.......practice being assertive and try running the show.......nicely.....I would suggest the next baptism getting in touch with officiate and seeing how things will be done....ask to have a good solid step ladder to shoot from......bring an assistant to try to keep people cleared out of your view......
If all else fails......re-enact the baptism.......

And as MR. SEVILLE STATED..............PRACTICE ...............

zoomer

Make sure you are in the right place to begin with, control your angle and background. Shoot a lot, some will work some won't. If you anticipate and your timing is good you will get some good shots. Someday's you get THE shot, somedays you don't. Our job as the PRO is to get a good consistent record of the days events.

Mishka

I agree with everyone else here...practice, practice, practice, read the scene, position yourself well, etc...but I must say that sometimes you just get lucky. I've gotten some great shots by just happening to press the shutter at a moment something unanticipated unfolds.

bmoreshooter

There are ways to control a scene without getting in the way. The first thing I do when I get to an event like this or a wedding, I talk to the couple and try to explain to them what I need to get a good shot. I have never found anyone who didn't want their photos to turn out well. Let them tell the others where to stand and what to do. A few words prior to the event can get you that money shot that you are looking for. A christening without a clear picture of the baby does'nt say much. At a wedding I explain that if they are facing the officiant all I can get is a photo of their back but if they turn a bit sideways not only can I get a picture, but all of their guest will be able to see them as well. Most people like the idea. If they don't then you won't have to explain why you could'nt get a picture.

bmoreshooter

I also do not beleive in the theory of shoot as many frames as possible and hope for the best. That's not going to bring you more jobs. An important part of being a professional photographer is being in control. There are plenty of spectators out there just fireing away with their point and shoot trying to get lucky. You are being paid to get results.

Memories by Melinda

I had to squeeze in between a couple of choir members. It helps that they are used to seeing me taking photos there. I didn't want to get in the way and did the best I could with the angle/location I had to work with.

1. I almost had one with the water actually pouring out but the choir member to my left blocked it with her arm. **The one I gave the church was straightened.


2.


3. I love how he was reaching for the candle.


4. His introduction to the congregation.


This was an impromptu shoot.