NKWFPP Urban Shoot-out
dsc_0933_a, originally uploaded by pilotkip.
I recently participated in a contest in the Northern Kentucky Wedding, Fashion and Portrait Photographers Club. We weren't told where the meeting would be held until the day before the event. The deal was you could only use whatever equipment you could carry from your car to the location.
Everyone who arrived would introduce themselves and draw a number. When it was their turn to shoot, each person would have only 2 minutes to make their best picture. I was hooked! What a great environment to practice a stressful situation, and to learn from others in the same boat!
I was quite shocked when the bag of numbers worked its way around to me and I drew number 1. Funny, nobody wanted to trade numbers with me!
Everybody then had 30 minutes to scout the area for locations to shoot. I set up my gear and spent a few minutes talking to the models (a nice engaged couple who are getting married in about 40 days). One of the organizers asked me if I was okay going first. I said, "It's no different than shooting a real wedding... you can't ask the bride for 15 more minutes while you watch to see what kinds of pictures other people are going to take."
My two minutes started with the first shutter release. It doesn't sound like much time, but believe me. When you're under pressure, two minutes can be a loooong time. I ran out of ideas in under a minute and a half!
When it was over, the group went off to shooter #2's location. A few people, however, hung back to ask me questions about my set-up. The organizer said, "Kip, I was watching what you did, and I think you set the bar pretty high." Thank you!
Anyway, this is one of my favorite images from that two minutes!