Red Carpet Type Event Photography

I have been asked to cover a red carpet event in a few weeks. This

will be my first, so needless to say, not sure about the rules of the

road and best choice for equipment. By rules I mean, Do I jockey for

best position (survival of the fittest and rudest?) or is there some

sort of protocal to follow. Should I find a spot, dial in my settings

and not move the rest of the evening? Also with so many flash units

going off, what are typical settings (speed, apeture)...I also shoot

film, prefer using chromes but are print films better for this

situation because of film speeds? Can I get away with a standard on

camera hot shoe flash, or should I try to use something that allows

me move the flash off camera? I generally shoot portraits so am not

too sure what constitutes a good red carpet event picture? Is it when

someone is posed, at their best, at their worst? Am I better off

using a 35mm with a medium zoom lense (70-200), or a MF with a 80mm

lense to capture everything and crop later? I am doing this as a

favor for a friend who couldn't cover the event but needs to produce

images for a paper. Any advice greatly appreciated. Regards. Alex

When I worked for a newspaper, the main rule was to make sure the people in the photo were clearly identifiable--and <i>identified clearly</i>. Find out from your friend if you also need to jot down the names of the people you're photographing for ID purposes when they make it to print.<P><P>

I tend to try to make the people I photograph look their best, but that's more vanity on my part than any hard-and-fast rule I know of. The papparazzi get people looking their worst, and look at the respect they garner from the general public.<P><P>

Find out what format the paper your friend shoots for prefers, and choose your equipment accordingly. I've used on-camera flash with good effect, though I prefer to mount everything on a stroboframe flip bracket when possible; it's also a convenient way to carry the whole shebang. That's just my preference, but it certainly made it easier for me to get my flash off the camera, but keep my hands free to work the camera.<P><P>

Good luck!

<p>Hey Alex<br>

So after your shoot, do you have any comment that you can give back? I have my first red carpet event this weekend.<br>

Which lense worked best for you? What did the other flashes do to your quality? <br>

I have a eye for extreme detail. Will this be a good thing? Should I rather look at the big picture?<br>

Thanks for any help you can give.<br>

Norma</p>