Event Photography: Question on sitting down

[Kolen]

Hi. Although this question doesn't quite fit this forum, but as I am using D700 and D800E I just ask it here.

I have an event which is an academic conference. I was told by someone saying that one should not sit down.

The conference room is the best in the university, and hexagonal. It has 3 rows and I only plan to occasionally sitting on the peripheral to take photos. I am not planning to sit on anyway looks relaxing or lazy. But as I am work 14 hours consecutively I think it is reasonable to take a seat, no?

Thanks. If turns out the clients are really that mean expecting us not to defile their seats. May be I should just do something else that people will respect.

Thanks.

 

[em_dee_aitch]

Hi -

Your questions seems so naive that it almost seems like your joking, which is probably why nobody has responded for 12 hours. But maybe this will help you...

An event photographer who is doing his or her job properly is standing, sitting, sitting on floor, lying on things, standing on furniture that wasn't meant to be stood on, all so long as it can be done safely and without creating a spectacle. Of course you can sit down.

If you are worried about this, especially when working long shifts, add language to your contract specifying that (as in any other reasonable profession) you get periodic breaks of 10 to 15 minutes for normal human needs (snacks, coffee, restroom if you feel you have to be explicit). If they can't handle normal, short breaks then they need to be paying more to have a second shooter. Also, you can even stipulate in your contract what type of seating you get, making it clear that it is to enhance the photography. After all, your overall results will be far superior if you have a reserved aisle seat on the third row available to you at all times to come and go from as you please. And a seated photographer also blocks the view of fewer audience members than a standing one.

 

[Hawaii-geek]

Kolen wrote:

Hi. Although this question doesn't quite fit this forum, but as I am using D700 and D800E I just ask it here.

I have an event which is an academic conference. I was told by someone saying that one should not sit down.

The conference room is the best in the university, and hexagonal. It has 3 rows and I only plan to occasionally sitting on the peripheral to take photos. I am not planning to sit on anyway looks relaxing or lazy. But as I am work 14 hours consecutively I think it is reasonable to take a seat, no?

Thanks. If turns out the clients are really that mean expecting us not to defile their seats. May be I should just do something else that people will respect.

Thanks.

Kolen,

My small bit of advice is, try to take your breaks out of view.

Have a chair right outside the door of the conference room. or in the back in the dark (my preferance) when the lit stage is up front. Nowdays there always seems to be a small Video platform (or lighting/video area) in the back , which makes a great place to put down gear and sit.

Normally you get a break when everyone goes to lunch. or during room changes. maybe a schedualed networking time.

Try to sit and put your gear down "whenever" you can on a 12-14 hour event ... But, out of sight.



p.s. if you are shooting up front .. in front of the stage etc. My choice would not be, to sit on a chair that others might have paid hundreds (maybe thousands) to be there (particularly up front). Normally the floor works for me.





Hope this helps,

HG

 

[em_dee_aitch]

p.s. if you are shooting up front .. in front of the stage etc. My choice would not be, to sit on a chair that others might have paid hundreds (maybe thousands) to be there (particularly up front). Normally the floor works for me.

H Geek's advice is fine, but to be devil's advocate on this point: they are paying you hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars to be there each day, so own it! Don't feel a tinge of guilt about taking that $500 seat if it gives your client better photos for the $1000 they paid you to be there that day. Boom! ... All depends on the setup though. In some environs the higher view of being seated in a chair vs the floor might improve your shot; in some the floor might be better. Podium shots being generally boring, the best podium shot at an academic or biz event is generally a diagonal shot across the podium to pick up side background and not a dead on shot, which has critical bonus of getting the mic out of the speaker's face. Paying attention to the correct camera height (from the floor) can make or break such compositions.

 

[Hawaii-geek]

em_dee_aitch wrote:

p.s. if you are shooting up front .. in front of the stage etc. My choice would not be, to sit on a chair that others might have paid hundreds (maybe thousands) to be there (particularly up front). Normally the floor works for me.

H Geek's advice is fine, but to be devil's advocate on this point: they are paying you hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars to be there each day, so own it! Don't feel a tinge of guilt about taking that $500 seat if it gives your client better photos for the $1000 they paid you to be there that day. Boom! ... All depends on the setup though. In some environs the higher view of being seated in a chair vs the floor might improve your shot; in some the floor might be better. Podium shots being generally boring, the best podium shot at an academic or biz event is generally a diagonal shot across the podium to pick up side background and not a dead on shot, which has critical bonus of getting the mic out of the speaker's face. Paying attention to the correct camera height (from the floor) can make or break such compositions.