GEARS MATTER

I am a photographer that doesn't really mind what type or brand of camera I am using but for my experience, gear does not matter but it Matters.  

What I am saying is, gear does not matter most of the times, but it matters. To elaborate what I am talking about, last March 25, 2023 I was hired to cover Ironkids 2023 Davao City Swim and Run. Should I worry? No, because covering events like this is no stranger to me... but I am worried because our Nikon cameras which I have the proper lenses for this type of events, ended. Devastating! 

But the photographer's instinct in me kept pushing me. So, I took a look on our available gears. My wife's Canon camera and my Sony camera do not have a telephoto lens because we are using these cams for portraits sessions. Aside from the  kit lenses, we have portrait lenses. 85mm is our longest. This is a prime lens and it can't zoom in or zoom out!

I can still nail some shots during the events with this lens. That's for sure so, I brought with me my Sony  + the 85mm and a defective (problem with focus) Nikon with a wide to telephoto lens matching with a speed light.

During the event, I did manage capturing the moments but for group shots, I had a problem. My Nikon won't capture sharp images (for 15-20 shots, I got 3 or 4 sharp images only). So, I slid it back inside my bag. I am left with the 85mm. 

Nothing is wrong with my gears per se, but when it comes for group shots, I have to move very far away from my subjects yet I still can't capture the whole background to tell a story. A Story that these pictures, these images are from the Ironkids 2023 Davao City. Gears matter! 

Look at this picture of Ms. Glaiza Lagura Morilla from her Facebook shared to ALVEO IRONMAN 70.3 Facebook page, taken from a cellphone camera, story wise, I think this is a better picture than my shot (pic above).

 

 

Covering an event should include the venue, the background, the slogans, the banners in your images. Photographs must not always be in bokeh. Events like this must be captured in details. Images of the people who are in this event love to see their pictures that tell them, their family,m their friends, and other viewers immediately that this is from Ironkids 2023 Davao City. 

 There were angles that I managed to include the background if I have enough space.

Buying new lenses for our available cameras will take a while though... I already sold one of Nikon lenses but can't still afford to buy a new lenses. Praying for more bookings and shoots to save extra money so we can upgrade our gears.

Anyways, thank you for reading this post! Cheers!