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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Does anyone else have to shoot marching band competition?
Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 12:45 PM on 10.25.09 |
->> Hey everyone, I am required to shoot our local marching bands during fall competition. There are only two and one has been eliminated. The other moved on to the state finals after Saturday's competition.
I've shot two contests and to be honest, I'm running out of ideas. The newspaper management wants as many faces as possible. I would enjoy more abstract work, in part because it would give me more variety and help reduce photos with crappy backgrounds. Everywhere I looked yesterday there was clutter. CHeck my member page.
If anyone else has to do this, I would enjoy hearing how they go about shooting bands and perhaps some unique ways of doing so. Thanks in advance. |
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Brad Camp, Photographer
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Bainbridge Island | wa | USA | Posted: 1:37 PM on 10.25.09 |
->> I had to do this last year locally. I shot a lot at f2.8, lots of low angles/sky ratio (had nice clouds that day) and got high in the stands to shoot down angles. Basically, got high, low and shallow (story of my life) :-0
BRAD |
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Diana Porter, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 1:45 PM on 10.25.09 |
| ->> I do this too. Look for cool reflections in tubas and shoot with a fish eye, look for star bursts on instruments. Don't forget the color guard. The flag shots are interesting if you have some girls who aren't moving at the time - slow the shutter speed way down and blur the flag as it goes around them, etc. |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 2:12 PM on 10.25.09 |
| ->> Diana, I have done the rear-curtain sync work that came out real nice especially with the flag corp. I've shot from the top of the bleachers on Saturday and such. Like I said, I've done a lot of different things to try and mix things up, high, low, reflections, etc. I guess I'm resigned to just get good, clear images that show the kids' faces. |
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Max Lashin, Photographer, Assistant
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Fort Lauderdale | FL | United States | Posted: 3:24 PM on 10.25.09 |
| ->> I have a personal favorite. Its a bit out there but if you put a fisheye on and then throw your camera on a monopod with a remote (wired or pw) it can create some unique shots. I personally liked it when I held it up behind the drum majors (?) on the stands and framed them with their hands up and the band in front of them. Sounds weird I guess, if you wanna see some examples shoot me a message and I'll try and dig up some shots I did this year |
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Bradley Leeb, Photographer
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Champaign | IL | USA | Posted: 9:34 AM on 10.26.09 |
->> Jeff,
As a marching band director myself, my advice is that many of the great moments of the day won't necessarily come while the band is on the field. Be with them when the buses and equipment truck rolls in and while they get prepared for their performance. You'll get a lot of the great camaraderie of marching band during this time.
Hang out with them during their warm-up time when they are trying to get themselves focused and intense for their competition. This is where a lot of the great emotion takes place as perhaps it's the senior kids last performance. Maybe they have a ritual they go through to get "psyched", perhaps they have certain drills that they practice to get properly warmed up.
During the show, as with sports, look away from the action on the field. Focus your attention perhaps on the "pit dads" who are helping set up and tear down equipment or props, look towards the stands to those proud parents and catch their reactions to the performance.
After the band leaves the field and they return to their buses, just as in sports, you'll see the "tears and cheers". If they nailed it, kids may be rejoicing and hugging each other, they may be crying from how they exceeded their personal best. As I said earlier, if it is their last performance, you'll see plenty of emotion. Those kids put countless hours and all of their soul into their band for four years, and that last time they'll don the uniform is a special one.
Hope this helps, and if you have any questions or want me to elaborate, please let me know. |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 10:19 AM on 10.26.09 |
| ->> Brad, I sent you an email through SS and it bounced back to me. Email me through here, please. Thanks |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 10:19 AM on 10.26.09 |
| ->> Oooops, sorry. I meant to say, Bradley Leeb |
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