I'm a stalker...
The candid photo stalker strikes when you least expect it...
That's what makes it awesome for me, :)
Generally speaking, ending the “I’m a _____” sentence with “stalker” is something that could get you thrown in jail.
Ironically, I see it as a badge of honor, :)
Here's why.
One of the best ways for a thought leader to celebrate the huge “win” of organizing and running a successful event - summit, workshop, panel, fireside chat, etc. - is to share a photo album on social that’s full of candid photos that not only tells the story, but, more importantly, captures the essence of the event:
the lessons, connections, conversations, collaborations, aha moments, and of course, the laughs, :)
In order to capture a natural, candid photo, it’s important that the attendees are not distracted by a photographer’s presence, because the moment they feel a camera pointed at them, they react accordingly.
I’ve experienced it countless times where just before I click the shutter button, the subjects spots me and they immediately adjust their posture, change their head angle, fix their hair or completely cover their faces because they don’t want their picture taken.
And that’s one reason why it’s important for your event photographer to be a straight-up stalker!
Another reason involves patience.
It’s one thing to be inconspicuous - it’s another to wait for a moment where that person, that group, that one-on-one conversation evolves and everyone looks amazingly engaged with each other.
It involves having a camera pointed at the target for what usually translates into an extremely uncomfortable amount of time.
When I first started covering events, I was extremely uncomfortable doing that.
I would essentially tiptoe around the room and hope to not be spotted.
Patience? I had none of that. If I felt like I was spotted, I would quickly turn the camera away and bounce away from those people.
Fortunately, experience and the desire to be better forced me to break out of my shell, and now, I own whatever room I’m shooting in order to capture the images that make the difference for my clients.
My clients are often delighted by all the happy, engaged and present expressions in their photos because they understand how these images positively reflect on their own brand and thought leadership.
And ultimately, that’s why I am proud to be a candid photo stalker, :)
How has your experience been with photographers covering your events? Have you been pleased with the images?
PS - For those of you who aren’t in the know, I mail out these blogs 3x a week, and lemme tell you, they’re a real party, so, if you’d like to get in on this, sign up for it here and I’ll throw in a free gift for you...because I care, :)