“Thank you for the photos. You are the best photographer I’ve ever known! You captured the joy and inner strength of everyone! Thanks again, Jackie”
So read the email I just received. What a wonderful way to start my morning. An overjoyed client, happy with the photos just sent half way around the world to the them.
To set the record straight, I am not the best photographer in the world. I can only wish! Every photographer can, and will receive many emails or SMS messages similar to this over the course of their career. I have had many myself, but I never let it go to my head. Sometimes a clients expectations and the deliverables match perfectly, other times they don’t. For me they were pretty much my “bread and butter” normal photography, however for the client the exceeded expectations.
The photo shoot concerned was for the University of New Haven’s Alumni event at the Mandarin Oriental. The President Dr. Steven H. Kaplan of the university, along with the current Minister of Higher Education, Yang Berhormat Menteri Dato’ Seri Haji Idris bin Jusoh both graced the event.
- Be communicative. Enter the spirit of the day. People are there to have fun so enhance it. Talk to people.
- Control the light. Most venues have strong down lighting so panda eyes are unavoidable unless you control it. I use remote control strobes at nearly every shoot I do.
- Bring the right gear. A good 70-200mm F2.8 it is every professionals go to lens.
- Over deliver.
President of the University of New Haven Steven H. Kaplan
