All this for a King 08

I had the privilege to shoot a recent event at Victory Family Church in Cranberry Twp. "All this for a King". As always, it was an amazing arrangement of music, light, and sound. One of the most challenging parts about shooting a low light or ever changing light event is capturing the proper exposure. This event was no different. However, creating creative images are an event photographers dream come true.

In the first image I used the 50mm at f/2.2, 1/40 second and ISO 1250. I set my focus point on his face [as close to his eye as possible] knowing that the area that would be in focus would be limited. When shooting in very low light you must keep the camera to your eye and watch the light change and not press the shutter until the light 'looks right'. This was shot in manual and not in aperture priority since the light was changing very fast and I knew only manual exposure was the best choice.

The second image was shot a few seconds prior to the first image. I use this image to illustrate how the light was changing but more important where the light was located. The singer was front lit [in this image] but I was behind him as he walked through the audiance toward the stage. The light position created an interesting image. The stage was to my back and I knew I had little time to capture him with 'perfect' light. The challenging part about the second photo in this blog [it was taken prior to the other image] was not to get in the path of the singer [it wouldn't look good if he tripped over me :-) ]. The second challenge was not to get in the path of the video cameraman. He was off to my left and I had to keep an eye on him to avoid getting in his path since it was a 'live' feed to the large screens at the front of the church. [It wouldn't look good if my shiny head appeared in the video instead of the singer.]

I will post a few more images from the event later in the week.

This is proof of the value of the very affordable 50mm f/1.8 lens. If you do not have one and wonder if it is worth spending $100 on a 50 mm, by the end of this week I hope I am able to prove the value of this lens through the images.

When I shoot this type of event I spend most of my time on the floor or in a very low position. This is needed to keep the attention from me and to stay out of the range of video cameras projecting the event on the big screen. I do not state this to brag on my physical ability but to praise the Lord. As I type this I am thinking back to a few years ago when I seriously hurt my back [due to doing stupid] and I had to crawl on the floor to get around because I could barely walk. The pain was nearly unbearable but through the grace and power of the Lord, I am able to walk and manuever on the floor with no pain today.

If you ever have the opportunity to shoot low light photography, I recommend that you give it a try. It is fun and provides tremendous opportunity for creativity. Before you venture out, I highly recommend you learn the controls of your camera without looking. You will need to be able to change a lens in the dark and adjust your camera settings without thinking or looking.

If you take nothing else from this post, please keep in mind the importance of learning your gear.

As always, get out and capture the beauty of life!