As in any job, a photographer is constantly put in new situations where experience is key, and if you don’t have it, you can be left feeling a bit of a plum. Cue my first formal engagement at City Hall where the new Mayor was being sworn in and ‘robed’. The brief was simple enough. Get in there, get some pictures, and get them to the picture editor as soon as possible. Easy. Well, not quite so easy. I will share my experience with you here in the hope that you can learn from my mistakes.

After parking my bike outside I went into City Hall for the first time. In part, this was the first mistake. If possible, always visit a venue before you photograph it. Had I done so, I could probably have spoken with the press officer at length about the order of play and where the media was allowed to operate during the ceremony. The consequence of this was me wondering around at the beginning like a lost lamb. Appropriately, I’m wearing my communist party T-shirt. I hope this lot have a sense of humour.

It did afford me, however, the opportunity to shoot some of the first pictures with my new 16-35mm f/2.8 wide lens that I bought on Thursday. I’d been after this beast for about a year, and when I finally had enough cash to buy it, the consequences placed upon the photographic industry that the Japan Tsunami created meant that everywhere I looked was out of stock. A week and a half wait was, considering the circumstances, a small price to pay. It should also be known that I will always avoid using flash unless I literally have no other choice. This is a personal choice, and many photographers will think I’m barmy, but it’s integral to my style. I also think that adjusting the light in this way isn’t truthful to the documentary standard. There are consequences though. In low light I need to use a ridiculously high ISO setting, so when I metered up inside the Marble Chamber I was shocked to find that I was going to have to shoot at 1/160 @ f/2.8 with an ISO of 2000/2500. Ouch. However, one of the reasons I bought the Canon 5D Mark II was for its ability to cope with these sorts of ISO’s, so this article can be seen as a range of ‘test bed’ images.

There’s a trade off as well. Without the use of a tripod, I’m going to have to shoot the whole event with minimal depth of field. At f/2.8 with the aperture wide open, I’ll need to use it to my advantage. It will mean that there won’t be much range, so my plan of action is to focus in on individuals and expressions, that hopefully in themselves tell some kind of story.

The next problem was the fact that I had no idea what was going to happen, when it was going to happen, and where I was allowed to go. This was a miserable feeling. I was ready to chastise myself for not doing the ground work, when, thankfully, the press officer showed up and introduced herself to me. By this point I was too embarrassed to ask for a break down of events, so instead I took the opportunity to ask her where I should, and shouldn’t be during the evening. She explained that I should avoid getting in the way of the audience, and picked a spot for me by the side of the room that was fairly close to the stage. I was immediately relieved to have been assigned a position and I took it up with relish. Right up until the speaker announced the entrance of Mayor & co, and this happened…

What are they doing?! How did they know know they were going to come from that direction, and why wasn’t I told that I could stray from my perch in the corner right into the middle of the ceremony? They’re in full view of the stage – surely that isn’t allowed? As fast as they appeared, they disappeared. It was a lightening quick assault on the incoming posh folk, and they had the first picture. Clearly there was some kind of conspiracy going on here. They’ve back-handed the press officer a wad, and that’s how I find myself stuffed in a corner taking a picture of the photographers instead of the subject of the article. Of course, this is nonsense. They had two things on their side. Preparation and experience – two things I didn’t possess. I spent the next little while getting photographs of the event whilst paying close attention to what the other photographers were doing from my little cubby hole. If I was going to outgunned and outpaced then I sure as hell was going to learn something from it.

Now, two things are bugging me. First, the position I’ve taken is limiting the type of shots I’m getting. This is compounded by my second problem, which is a lack of telephoto zoom. I either need 400mm from somewhere or I’m going to have to shove my camera right in the face of the mayor from point blank range. Neither of these choices is an option, so it’s time to make like a stealth bomber and ‘move about’ like the other photographers. I’ve been watching them closely. They make their move to a new position right at the end of any speech, or generally whenever there’s a round of applause. They also do so by crouching and walking. Crouch and walk. Right, got it. Time to step out from the badgers den.

Right, surely that’s just taking the piss now. Not only does she have an insanely expensive telephoto lens, but she’s balancing it in the shoulder of the speaker. Note to self: “perfect your charming smile before you attempt to do anything like this.” Now, next task, get over the other side of the hall. Turns out to be easier than expected as the Mayors move to another room to swap robes. I secretly wonder whether they wear gold embossed underpants too. As they leave, I make a move across the floor with my wide lens attached, and I catch this quick shot on my way through.

I’m now over the other side but there’s a new problem. The rapid changing of lenses results in leaving my 24-70mm on the other side of the room. I look at the lady photographer and she’s wearing a lens belt. Of course she is. I simmer in a putrid pool of inadequacy and resentment. Too late now, the men are reappearing. Just make the best of what you have.

It proves to be a stupidly difficult position from which to try and photograph with a wide lens. I switch to the 50mm portrait lens in the hope that the extra 15mm will prove once and for all that size really does matter. Heads up – the former mayor is about to take off his monster necklace and place it on the new guy. This is an important shot for the news. Must get a shot of his face.

God hates me. I wonder where the other photographers are.

Well I suppose there is this – I’m in the right place to get a shot of the new mayor’s face as he realises he’s put his hat on the wrong way round. He’s my kind of ma

I’m in the wrong position again, I don’t have the equipment or experience to do the job properly, and to top it off, I’m bored out of my brains. There’s only so many speeches you can take before your mind starts to wander, and I’m finding myself increasingly losing concentration and missing photo opportunities. I’m also running out of memory. For the last half hour I’ve been having to go through and delete unwanted images from my card just to free up space. This is never a good idea because it’s almost impossible to see the merits of a photograph on a two inch wide LCD screen on the back of a camera. I start thinking about the front door and an escape route. I go over to the other side of the room in between speeches. I can’t leave, I just can’t. Come on, muscle up, pretend they’re all naked and covered in jelly or something. This immediately wakes me up. I get a few more formal photos

He looks as bored as I am.

Wake up woman!

That’s it! With a final hand shake the ceremony, along with my embarrassment, finishes. All that’s left is a group shot downstairs. I wait for the official photographer to set everyone up and like a true goal poacher I grab a shot or two and leg it.

See the article here and the image gallery here.

ambassador bowen cardiff centre citizen city civic cllr councillor cowan current delme deputy dianne first functions hyde jayne keith lead lord mayor professor rees