Over the last year or so, the news has been full of reports about people protesting and rioting all over the world. Such events can lead to some great photographic opportunities if approached in the right way. Here are 5 tips for photographing these events:
1. Get in close
Whilst a wide shot capturing the scope of the event can be effective, it is also probably going to be one of the most seen images as film crews and civilians with compacts and camera phones will be capturing shots like that. If you want your photos to stand out, get in close and capture the people that the event is made up of. These are the photos that your audience will really want to see, as it helps create the feeling that they’re right in the moment.
2. Don’t be afraid to talk to people
When you shoot documentary and street photography, work candidly, that way you can capture events as true to life as possible without influencing or changing them. But don’t forget that whilst documenting an event, almost everyone attending, is doing so for the same reason, and are often quite friendly to others joining in with them. Because of this, you don’t have to be afraid of asking someone to take a portrait of them and getting a model release at the same time. Capturing the people attending the event is as much a part of documenting it as getting your candid shots.
3. Make sure you can change your lens quickly
You may try using a telephoto lens to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action whilst keeping you out of harm’s way, however shooting with a 70-200mm lens in a crowd can get a bit tricky if you find the crowd closing in around you, perhaps in a tighter spot. You will soon find people blocking your line of sight and taking up more of the frame of your image due to your longer focal length, so it is vital to be able to change to a shorter lens as quickly as possible.
4. Be open about your intent
If anyone asks what you are doing, especially the police, tell them. Just let them now that you are a photographer and that you are documenting whatever is happening. If you have any business cards, get them out, or simply show them some of your photos. Remember that the police are there for public safety, and will have a lot on their hands with protestors and rioters testing their nerve; try not to add to their problems. If you are friendly and open with them, they won’t cause you any problems and let you get back to doing what you do best.
5. Keep safe
Never put yourself in harm’s way. If you were making a living from your photos, then how are you going to survive if your camera gets damaged, stolen, or you end up in hospital? There’s no shame in being sensible and simply taking a few steps back if things might be getting out of hand.
