Sunday, October 3, 2010

A working lunch

Things are progressing along nicely. The last of the items I needed to work away at my bromoils has arrived and I can get started working my butt off on them on Monday. I've shot three friends so far and need to get the film all developed. Bit of a backlog there, as I still have film to develop from my workshop in Oregon, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper doing it yourself then taking it all to a lab. And right now, that's got to be a priority. It all comes down to "what can I get away with making do on?" and what can I cobble together. Some things it only pays to get new, such as clean trays to avoid contamination rather than buying used, but many things when you are starting out definitely end up being DYI. For example, an excellent film drying cabinet can be made from an $11 hanging closet from IKEA and grandmother's old bonnet style hair dryer.

In terms of progress, I had a chance to do some event photography last week for a great charity. While ideally one doesn't work for free, there are times when doing so can bring you a lot of benefits. I got to support an important charity, practise my photography, make some great contacts and even got a free, delicious lunch out of it. At this stage in my career simply getting a chance to shoot for someone is important and the means less so, especially when it brings tangible benefits, and those don't only have to be monetary.

As a first shoot for someone other than friends, paid or not, it's still a little nerve wracking, because, more than anything else, you want to perform well, and get the shots you need and that will make the client happy. While some would tell you I generally don't lack confidence, anything but really, the first time for anything can bring a few butterflies. I am really happy with the photos, they capture the event well I think, have all the important bits, tell the story and show the spirit of the people. That's what you really want out of good event photography.

The charity, which does some great work with BC women is The Minerva Foundation for BC Women. They provide women and girls with programs in education, leadership development and economic security amongst others. Programs such as helping women re-enter the workforce are vital, especially in our current economy. Well worth checking out and supporting.


So here's a sampling from their Education Donor Awards Luncheon.