9.01.2009
Photo-Palooza Day 3... A Night Amongst The Stars
Finally, day 3 of the photography crammed weekend…
After 2 weddings my body was aching from having 30 + pounds of camera equipment swinging from neck. I rolled out of bed like I was 80 years old. I really felt like I had been hit by a truck. You would never think that taking pictures could be so taxing on your body. It probably doesn’t help that I am not in the greatest shape, but still… maybe a tired finger from pushing the shutter release… What else could possibly wear you out???
You don’t really think about it, but photographers are up on top of things, down on the floor/ground, bending around people, and running to a spot to get the right shot. Photographers move all over the place. I would have never thought about it until I started doing it myself.
So there I was, desperately wanting to call in sick. I was tired, sore, and the nice professional side of me went out the window on the way home from the last wedding. I was tired and cranky. I wasn’t too sure on exactly what the game plan was for this Sweet 16 party I was to photograph. I just knew it was in the Chicago land area (a 1.5 hour drive) and it was going to be a 5 hour gig, and that wasn’t ideal in my opinion.
Happy go lucky photographer who is grateful to be doing a job he loves…… ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Tired cranky brat who just wanted his bed… Here I am!
So once again we load up the photography gear and head for destination Chicago. It was 2:30pm and the party was to start at 6:30pm. Plenty of time to drive to the location, check things out, and possibly have dinner before the party began. WRONG!!! Our friend LUCK decided to rear his ugly head. There I was driving along minding my business when I spotted an all too familiar Chicago trademark. Brake lights, yes lots and lots of brake lights. Just what I wanted to see, a traffic jam to try my already depleted patience. There I sat, fuming mad, and surrounded by utter annoyances. As if I want to see some 60 year old man knuckle deep in his nose tickling his brain. Or, a not so clean lady hanging her mustard yellow toes with moldy green dragon claws out the window for some air. I thought the smell that crept in the window was remnants of Gary, IN. Anyone who has ever driven through Northwest Indiana knows exactly what smell I am talking about. Well, I think I discovered the source, and she was riding shotgun in the rusted out mini-van next to me. If only I could turn the car around… If only I could take a nap… If only funky feet would take care of her screaming kids in the back seat of her van… If only I could put the car in reverse and slam into the 16 year old kid behind me. Maybe then he would turn down the stereo that is so loud it’s tickling my nose hairs. If only… Wait… a 16 year old kid behind me… and I was going to a Sweet 16 party… Great just freaking great… Don’t you just love the irony?
We arrived at the hall at 6:15pm, 15 minutes before the party was to start. YES! I said 6:15pm!!! A 1.5 hour trip took almost 4 hours. I thought to myself…”it couldn’t possibly get any worse”, and for once in my life I was right. Even though I still say I will never again book back to back or back to back to back events, things took a surprising turn for the better. Here I had spent the entire day dreading this Sweet 16 party. Only to have it turn out to be the most fun of all the weekends events. Nothing against the weddings on Friday and Saturday (they were extremely fun as well), but this Sweet 16 party took the cake. If you would have asked me what I thought about photographing a Sweet 16 party while I was sitting on I94 listening to the beats from the teen in the car behind me. You might have gotten a very ugly answer. Fortunately for me, Chantel and her entourage lit up my night. Surrounded by fun loving STARS having a night to remember made this Hollywood Party even better than the real thing…
Here are a few of my favorites from my night amongst the Stars…
After 2 weddings my body was aching from having 30 + pounds of camera equipment swinging from neck. I rolled out of bed like I was 80 years old. I really felt like I had been hit by a truck. You would never think that taking pictures could be so taxing on your body. It probably doesn’t help that I am not in the greatest shape, but still… maybe a tired finger from pushing the shutter release… What else could possibly wear you out???
You don’t really think about it, but photographers are up on top of things, down on the floor/ground, bending around people, and running to a spot to get the right shot. Photographers move all over the place. I would have never thought about it until I started doing it myself.
So there I was, desperately wanting to call in sick. I was tired, sore, and the nice professional side of me went out the window on the way home from the last wedding. I was tired and cranky. I wasn’t too sure on exactly what the game plan was for this Sweet 16 party I was to photograph. I just knew it was in the Chicago land area (a 1.5 hour drive) and it was going to be a 5 hour gig, and that wasn’t ideal in my opinion.
Happy go lucky photographer who is grateful to be doing a job he loves…… ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Tired cranky brat who just wanted his bed… Here I am!
So once again we load up the photography gear and head for destination Chicago. It was 2:30pm and the party was to start at 6:30pm. Plenty of time to drive to the location, check things out, and possibly have dinner before the party began. WRONG!!! Our friend LUCK decided to rear his ugly head. There I was driving along minding my business when I spotted an all too familiar Chicago trademark. Brake lights, yes lots and lots of brake lights. Just what I wanted to see, a traffic jam to try my already depleted patience. There I sat, fuming mad, and surrounded by utter annoyances. As if I want to see some 60 year old man knuckle deep in his nose tickling his brain. Or, a not so clean lady hanging her mustard yellow toes with moldy green dragon claws out the window for some air. I thought the smell that crept in the window was remnants of Gary, IN. Anyone who has ever driven through Northwest Indiana knows exactly what smell I am talking about. Well, I think I discovered the source, and she was riding shotgun in the rusted out mini-van next to me. If only I could turn the car around… If only I could take a nap… If only funky feet would take care of her screaming kids in the back seat of her van… If only I could put the car in reverse and slam into the 16 year old kid behind me. Maybe then he would turn down the stereo that is so loud it’s tickling my nose hairs. If only… Wait… a 16 year old kid behind me… and I was going to a Sweet 16 party… Great just freaking great… Don’t you just love the irony?
We arrived at the hall at 6:15pm, 15 minutes before the party was to start. YES! I said 6:15pm!!! A 1.5 hour trip took almost 4 hours. I thought to myself…”it couldn’t possibly get any worse”, and for once in my life I was right. Even though I still say I will never again book back to back or back to back to back events, things took a surprising turn for the better. Here I had spent the entire day dreading this Sweet 16 party. Only to have it turn out to be the most fun of all the weekends events. Nothing against the weddings on Friday and Saturday (they were extremely fun as well), but this Sweet 16 party took the cake. If you would have asked me what I thought about photographing a Sweet 16 party while I was sitting on I94 listening to the beats from the teen in the car behind me. You might have gotten a very ugly answer. Fortunately for me, Chantel and her entourage lit up my night. Surrounded by fun loving STARS having a night to remember made this Hollywood Party even better than the real thing…
Here are a few of my favorites from my night amongst the Stars…
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