Orchestral Photoshoot

A grey and dismal day when we just don’t male it beyond the front door. I plan meals, order presents for G’s upcoming birthday and make pavlovas for a party we’re going to tomorrow. 


Then it’s out to the first of the local orchestra’s two Christmas concerts. I seem to have been nominated as their official photographer and have been asked to take a shot of the whole orchestra tonight to supplement those I took some weeks back. I pack up wide angle lens as well as my go-to 17-70mm and tripod, wondering just how I’m going to get a decent shot. 

I’m hoping to get a group shot pre-concert, but last minute rehearsals mitigate against this so it’s left until the end when I know everyone will want to pack up and go. And now they also want more close up performance shots, and I don’t have my 200mm lens …… 

In the end I do my best, but it’s not ideal! The venue’s just so difficult - it’s a church, there’s no raised platform, and the seats preclude a clear view. They’re so spread out, even my iPhone can’t cope. Eventually, they realise they will have to move closer together, I will have to stand on a chair and hopefully we’ll get a shot - the tripod clearly forgotten. But then there’s sheet music all over the floor, and there’s no time to move it as everyone is just wanting to go to either home or to the post-concert shindig at a local hostelry….. it’s like herding cats. 

I’m exhausted - physically and mentally - but the group photographs are better than I’ve feared.  It will take a while to edit them, but for now I’ve put one in as an extra. 

My main today is a mono of the leader playing her electric violin for one of the numbers - an arrangement of Winter from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. 

Thanks so much for your comments, stars and hearts for yesterday’s Unexpected Sky!