Advice - Photography tips for awards ceremonies

© 2000 Annie at NativeCelebs:

I am a photographer, and occasionally I get the urge to dispense some free advice. 

A friend recently showed me some photos. She'd just bought a new camera and wondered why her snaps were so grey and unclear. Well, in this case she'd bought a camera with a flash that only delivered good results up close. She'd get photos of groups of people indoors, but they'd be grey and a bit hazy. They were what we photographers would call underexposed. You'll get prints, but they won't have the natural saturated colors you expected. 

If you plan on snapping people on stage at the awards (don't know if it's even allowed), you need to understand that the results won't be what you see with your eyes. If they've got good lighting, you're likely to get an image on film, but it'll be yellowish and not clear (movement will blur the image). The flash won't make much of a difference unless you get up close (you may become unpopular if you try?). Quite often a photographer who'll work without flash gets hired, so as not to disturb the TV-cameras. 

Your best bet is to take photos towards a medium tone wall. Get up close enough so your flash will cope with it. 

Those with 'thinking' cameras can get away with a multitude of sins, but even those beauties can let you down sometimes. It pays to know your craft - or listen to someone who does...