Posted by Rob Coomer on March 22, 2006 at 12:27 PM
I've been asked to give a presentation on my photography, primarily the cave photography aspect, to a local photo club taht I'm in. They've seen very little of what I do. I'm also presenting it to my local grotto, but they have seen my work many times and many have been sherpas for me, so they are serving as test subjects. ;-) I would also like to be able to use this for other group too, such as a nature club or maybe at one of the galleries carrying my work.
As photographers, many of you have given or viewed such presentations and I want to get your opinions on what to include? I don't see this being a "how to" presentation but more of a presentation on me and how I work. What would you want to see, given the subject of cave photography? I'm looking for ideas.
I would like to keep it fun, interesting, and a little humorous. What works for you?
I find the narrative as important as the images - tell a story and sequence your images such that they add a visual aspect to the specific experiences you describe.
Guy
Posted by Scott Buckel on March 22, 2006 at 12:51 PM
I have to second Guy's comments.
Think about the narrative. It is important to link the images with words and draw interest to the images as well. I find that the images that are not great by themselves, will make important links in the story you tell. As you mentioned keep it fun and relaxed and your audience will enjoy it.
I'm in the middle of organizing some work to give a presentation in a couple of months and I will work very hard on the story first, then gather images and then work on coordinating the narrative withthe images.
I did see a camera club presentation last week that the person spent way to much time adding fancy transistions between slides, for me they used so many different ones it was very annoying. SImple fades seem to look the best to me with a different transition between major subdivisions seem to work the best for me.
I'm trying to get a grasp on a possible story / narrative idea and how it could relate to my images. Thinking out loud, the "story" of my journey from "ok" work to where I am now, 3 national awards later. Or would it work as a series of stories. A few concepts that I have in my head, include one of a big shoot I did in a huge cave with lots of sherpas, and some very old flashbulbs that didn't work right any more and several small but still frightening explosions, and how I used the 8 failed shots to one build one complete image? One of my recent award winners is a heavily manipulated image that I could show the process from the shoot, to the retouching, and on to the final print.
My biggest challenge is that I don't have many images of the "process" of a shoot. I destroyed my small point and shoot a few years ago, and my main gear is pretty well packed so that in process shots and along the way shots are kind of rare for me anymore.
I guess I could make up a "virtual" cave story showing images and telling stories about the images as I go along. We did something similar for a 1/2 hour local news channel/documentary video that I helped sherpa gear and lights for. (They won a news emmy for it) It was shot in 4 different caves, but the storyline acted as though it was one trip, and truthfully it really didn't matter. Maybe I start with packing for the shoot, getting the team together, the hotel (humorous shot), entrance shots, formations shots, big room/process shots and stories, after shots, and maybe end on a gallery of best of images, maybe set to music. That combined with having some actual gear and prints available to look at.
Story is always most important. Fantastic photos are not enough, you gotta have a hook, a tale - and humor and humanity is always appreciated in the yarn. And most of all always leave 'em hungry for more. The biggest mistake folks make is wanting to show too much stuff, drag things out, get caught up in the details - avoid that temptation
When I used to give rock climbing slide shows, I always tried to move on to the next slide before it became boring and always tried to end the show leaving the crowd wanting more.
"Here is me climbing up the rock, then here is me halfway up, then here is me on top of the rock, then here is me starting to climb down, then here is me at the bottom. What more could they actually want?
I think Mark can do a great before/after presentation - before anyone even thought it could be climbed / after Mark and Max went up it like it was a walk in the park. He can also sell "I'm all over it" mechandise at the door
Discussion
8 repliesAs photographers, many of you have given or viewed such presentations and I want to get your opinions on what to include? I don't see this being a "how to" presentation but more of a presentation on me and how I work. What would you want to see, given the subject of cave photography? I'm looking for ideas.
I would like to keep it fun, interesting, and a little humorous. What works for you?
Guy
Think about the narrative. It is important to link the images with words and draw interest to the images as well. I find that the images that are not great by themselves, will make important links in the story you tell. As you mentioned keep it fun and relaxed and your audience will enjoy it.
I'm in the middle of organizing some work to give a presentation in a couple of months and I will work very hard on the story first, then gather images and then work on coordinating the narrative withthe images.
I did see a camera club presentation last week that the person spent way to much time adding fancy transistions between slides, for me they used so many different ones it was very annoying. SImple fades seem to look the best to me with a different transition between major subdivisions seem to work the best for me.
I'm trying to get a grasp on a possible story / narrative idea and how it could relate to my images. Thinking out loud, the "story" of my journey from "ok" work to where I am now, 3 national awards later. Or would it work as a series of stories. A few concepts that I have in my head, include one of a big shoot I did in a huge cave with lots of sherpas, and some very old flashbulbs that didn't work right any more and several small but still frightening explosions, and how I used the 8 failed shots to one build one complete image? One of my recent award winners is a heavily manipulated image that I could show the process from the shoot, to the retouching, and on to the final print.
My biggest challenge is that I don't have many images of the "process" of a shoot. I destroyed my small point and shoot a few years ago, and my main gear is pretty well packed so that in process shots and along the way shots are kind of rare for me anymore.
I guess I could make up a "virtual" cave story showing images and telling stories about the images as I go along. We did something similar for a 1/2 hour local news channel/documentary video that I helped sherpa gear and lights for. (They won a news emmy for it) It was shot in 4 different caves, but the storyline acted as though it was one trip, and truthfully it really didn't matter. Maybe I start with packing for the shoot, getting the team together, the hotel (humorous shot), entrance shots, formations shots, big room/process shots and stories, after shots, and maybe end on a gallery of best of images, maybe set to music. That combined with having some actual gear and prints available to look at.
I think I like that idea. . .
Your presentation went like this?
"Here is me climbing up the rock, then here is me halfway up, then here is me on top of the rock, then here is me starting to climb down, then here is me at the bottom. What more could they actually want?
Guy