You attend an event to photograph a family member. Great! But to capture the whole story, take note of those around you who are part of the same event and will be important to the memory.
As an example, I took this picture of a Patterson High touchdown run against Tokay High on August 17th, 2017 at the Grape Bowl in Lodi. I like it because nothing says football more than a break-away runner with a designer mouth guard. The Tokay High football gallery of that year features lots of players making great offensive and defensive plays. But there were other participants.
Bands make a huge “atmospheric” contribution to a football game. Members may concentrate more on breathing techniques than weight lifting, but they are definitely part of the memory.
Then there are the cheerleaders, dancers, pom-pom and flag girls. They are truly “unique” because they DEMAND attention. That’s OK with me because the camera loves their spirit and athletic abilities. I enjoy asking the cheerleaders to please keep the volume down. Some “get it” because they have fathers with a similar sense of humor. Some say “sorry”. Others look at me as if I must be on some list.
Other notable subjects for the camera are the coaches. They are especially good for interesting facial expressions. The crowd is another vast sea of photo opportunities with anxious parents and crazy fans with painted faces.
Don’t ignore the officials. In fact, just before the game starts I usually grab one of the young yearbook photographers and introduce them to a referee. I explain to the Ref that the student would prefer him not to block her shots … Reactions vary.
Photography Anecdotes 