Version info:

v1.8 (Mar 19, 2017)

Damian and Linda's Photography

Parties

So much to see, so little time.

Good Times!

When I had my own business I used to cover parties from time to time. Some of them were charming family affairs and some of them were altogether grander. But mostly parties were and are about people. People who haven't seen each other for a while, people out to have fun, people meeting each other.

As a situation it's rich with opportunities for great photographs. There are a few things to avoid. The most obvious one is not to photograph your own party. Get someone else to do it; the best events are packed. Packed with people you love, packed with things to do, packed with things to look at. All that effort comes and goes in the twinkling of an eye and it's only natural to want to capture some of it - but if you're not careful all other people see of you will be the front of a camera or a video lens. The sheer distraction of trying to concentrate on capturing things means you can miss out on the whole experience of being there.

So the best parties to photograph are ones you are somehow on the fringe of. This lets you concentrate on photography without seeming rude. Photograph anyone and everyone, and particularly be willing to send people pictures if they ask.

With professional photographic equipment and a ready introduction ("I'll be your paparazzo* for tonight"), guests quickly relax and enjoy the sybaritic feel of being in the limelight. If you get good pictures, people will enjoy them long after the fizz is finished. Set out to capture mirth, merriment and mood. These days the options for web galleries, multi-image frames or a bespoke "coffee-table" album are all possible, packed with all the things packed into the event - but only if you photographed them in the first place!

* Paparazzi are the photographers who follow famous people and a single one would be a paparazzo, named after Signor Paparazzo in the film La Dolce Vita.