I Suck...How to Find Someone to Second Shoot For?

[D-B-J]

Figure out WHY you suck, and work on fixing any deficient areas through study and preparation. Maybe you need more confidence? Maybe you need more experience shooting close-in people shots? Maybe you are not using the right tools, and everything looks far away and insignificant? I dunno...event photography is a well-defined genre that has not changed appreciably in a long, long time, at least since the advent of the 35mm camera and small electronic flash.

When you say you suck, that's a pretty broad, global condemnation of your skills. It seems to me to betray a lack of confidence. I have photographed a lot of news events, sports events, and so on, and I remember what it was like to feel butterflies before an event. I know that many people are very nervous or hesitant about walking up to people and shooting photos without prior agreement, or volunteering, or consent, or are afraid to walk to the front of a room and shoot photos of a speaker or presenter for fear of being "noticed" or "in the way" or whatever. Not sure how much help can be given to help alleviate the issues suffered by a person who makes a very broad, general "I suck" kind of statement, without any additional explanation of details. So, all I can say is figure out WHY you suck, and work on the deficient areas.

I always thought of second shooting as for people who already know how to shoot a genre and are at least decent at it, not as on-the-job-training.

You nailed it on the head. It's not a lack of skill or whatever, it's a lack of confidence. I'll post some examples later this evening so we can try and see how or what I can improve.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[D-B-J]

And with landscapes, I approach a scene already knowing how to shoot. Or how and what I need to do to get the image I want. I DONT KNOW how to do that with events, and I think that's where my nerves come in. I can shoot people well, just.. Not in events.. I vow to improve and not give up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pixmedic]

That's what I need. And I'm shooting an event at the end of the month. Let's hope I do better then! I insisted I don't do it but the client was adamant that I do... So we'll see...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

if thats how it works....

what do you do when the client is adamant that you work for free?

Tell them no?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

apparently not, if your above statement is to be believed.

 

[D-B-J]

if thats how it works....

what do you do when the client is adamant that you work for free?

Tell them no?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

apparently not, if your above statement is to be believed.

It's a paid event. I think the big difference is that then I'll have an assistant with an off camera flash setup in an umbrella. That way I'll have a lot more control over the light.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[runnah]

Dude events suck. I've done many PR cut a ribbon, shake hands, dig a hole type if events and I can give you some wisdom.

1. Nothing you get from an event is going to be fine art.

2. Most all elements are out if you control. You don't get to decide where and when it's going to happen, you just have to make it happen.

3. If it's your job to be there act like it. When I have to shoot a PR event I turn into mr drill Sargent and start bossing people around. You have to take control and tell the "subjects" where to be and how to pose. Be loud and get heard.

I am sure I could expulse more wisdom but I am tired.

 

[D-B-J]

Dude events suck. I've done many PR cut a ribbon, shake hands, dig a hole type if events and I can give you some wisdom.

1. Nothing you get from an event is going to be fine art.

2. Most all elements are out if you control. You don't get to decide where and when it's going to happen, you just have to make it happen.

3. If it's your job to be there act like it. When I have to shoot a PR event I turn into mr drill Sargent and start bossing people around. You have to take control and tell the "subjects" where to be and how to pose. Be loud and get heard.

I am sure I could expulse more wisdom but I am tired.

And I'm such a soft-spoken non bossy kind of person. That's the toughest aspect for me. All in time, right?

 

[runnah]

And I'm such a soft-spoken non bossy kind of person. That's the toughest aspect for me. All in time, right?

If you are being paid it's your job to direct people where you want them. I've bossed around the president of my company and the state senator so I could get a decent photo. Gotta do what you gotta do. The people you are taking photis of for events don't know what to do so they need your direction.

 

[D-B-J]

And I'm such a soft-spoken non bossy kind of person. That's the toughest aspect for me. All in time, right?

If you are being paid it's your job to direct people where you want them. I've bossed around the president of my company and the state senator so I could get a decent photo. Gotta do what you gotta do. The people you are taking photis of for events don't know what to do so they need your direction.

Which makes perfect sense. Maybe I just need to be more confident about this whole event-dealio.

Jake

 

[runnah]

Which makes perfect sense. Maybe I just need to be more confident about this whole event-dealio. Jake

Yup and learning what to shot and not is important. More often than not I will end up using one photo from an event and trashing the rest. With thus knowledge I approach events with the mindset of getting 3-4 really good keepers and that's it.

99% of the keeper shots at events have been:
People talking at podiums
People cutting ribbons/signing/breaking ground
Group shots

 

[Light Guru]

what do you do when the client is adamant that you work for free?

Then that person would no longer be a client of mine.

 

[Light Guru]

DBJ I'm just going to throw this out there. I it's perfectly fine if you don't photograph events. You don't have to be a great photographer at all types of photography.

Let me ask this. Do you enjoy photographing events? How well you do at photographing them aside, do you enjoy photographing events?

I have learned that I don't enjoy photographing people. I have done some decent people photography, but I stopped doing it because I didn't enjoy it. I put my photo photographic efforts mainly into landscapes because that's why I enjoy.

If you don't enjoy photographing events then again there is nothing wrong with turning those jobs down.

 

[D-B-J]

DBJ I'm just going to throw this out there. I it's perfectly fine if you don't photograph events. You don't have to be a great photographer at all types of photography.

Let me ask this. Do you enjoy photographing events? How well you do at photographing them aside, do you enjoy photographing events?

I have learned that I don't enjoy photographing people. I have done some decent people photography, but I stopped doing it because I didn't enjoy it. I put my photo photographic efforts mainly into landscapes because that's why I enjoy.

If you don't enjoy photographing events then again there is nothing wrong with turning those jobs down.

I'm not sure yet. I don't enjoy them, but I think part of that is because I'm not confident enough yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TreeofLifeStairs]

Do you mind me asking what the event is?

 

[D-B-J]

Do you mind me asking what the event is?

It was a beauty brunch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tirediron]

And I'm such a soft-spoken non bossy kind of person. That's the toughest aspect for me. All in time, right?

If you are being paid it's your job to direct people where you want them. I've bossed around the president of my company and the state senator so I could get a decent photo. Gotta do what you gotta do. The people you are taking photis of for events don't know what to do so they need your direction.

Which makes perfect sense. Maybe I just need to be more confident about this whole event-dealio.

Jake

Pre-zact-ickly!

It doesn't matter how nervous you are, as long as you don't show it; in the words of that old deoderant commercial, "Never let them see you sweat!". Remember that for the most part, people are like sheep (except not as useful). They are quite willing to be told what to do and herded this way and that. You just need to crack the whip!