Post #251434 by Sabina on Tue, Aug 29, 2006 1:19 PM

Good grief!

First of all- our pix- his and the ones I and OakTiki took, compliment each other REALLY well- he got lots of the afternoon and hot rod shots that I didn't and I got some of the way late on into the evening ones that he didn't.

Secondly- and this is one of those things you'd have to know by knowing me- I'm small- under 5'. This makes it a HELL of a lot easier to get in close to the stage to get pix- some of the time, as you can see in one of the pix in my Largo's set, some of us were kneeling or sitting down front so we could get the shots we did. I also try to do things like stand to the side, near a doorway, where I'm not blocking, but getting somewhat of close in- just not dead center on- pix. Being a small sized human, and female, I should add, tends to make getting pix like those much easier- people cut me slack in part, because they realize I'm not going to block THEIR views. I've also, as a result of our Tiki travels had some practice at this and learned at least of a little of what works and what doesn't.

(The core of my advice to beginners? Run digital, carry a spare card, and extra batteries, take about 4 times as many pix as you think you should, get lots of pix that serve as connective tissue between interesting shots, and have a laptop and cable to download along for the ride. That is if you don't want to run digital video- which I also have lots of experience with. Which is part of the reason much of my still photography sucks- I'm more comfortable running video.)

Me? I'm always interested in what the same events looked like from many different angles- AND with and without flash- the venue and event can look completely different camera to camera. Mainly, I just appreciate as many pix from an event as possible- everyone sees things other people don't catch. For example- I like to try to document how a somewhat more 'pirate' venue like Largo's was one night only Tikified due to the addition of bits like Chiselslinger's fantastic Tikis. This is important, because many places that may someday host events feel they can't because they don't have a Mai Kai in their neck of the woods. I'm trying to show how cities work with what they've got, and how what may at first glance appear an 'unTiki' venue can be morphed with some hard work, some good people, and a little creativity. Largo's turned out to be a really GREAT venue for the event- and, just one of those little details that can make or break the mood, the drinks were damn fine!

What I'm really waiting for, though, is someone to have snapped some shots of speedcult display of all the metalwork and their incredible Tiki truck. 'Cause once upon a time, about a million years ago, I was an art school babe with a blow torch in hand- and seeing what the folks were doing was COMPLETELY inspiring. And I've got no pix of them at all.

So, narping at photographers- and making pointless and stupid narping comparisons is not only petty armchair quarterbacking- but well, just my humble opinion here- dumb. 'Cause from where I sit, every person documenting an event is bringing back pieces of Tiki history to TC. And I'm grateful for all of it!

[ Edited by: Sabina 2006-08-29 13:23 ]

[ Edited by: Sabina 2006-08-29 13:29 ]