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If any of you were wondering about yesterdays shot, and the story behind it, read on. I was approached a few weeks ago to photograph a talent show being ran by a few people at work in aid of the corporate charity and so found myself, on Saturday night, standing back stage laden with camera equipment and wondering what I had got myself into.

The first hurdle was to try and find somewhere to set up the studio flash, but it soon became apparent that this would be impossible. So on to plan B, hand held flash, with freshly charged rechargeable batteries, that refused to work. So plan C, I used the little on camera flash and hoped it would be strong enough. Next a back drop, this was just as hard as the flash and the only solution was to use the stage before the show started. All this stress and I had yet to take a picture, or see an artist.

That point was the low point of the evening, all my preconceived plans for a totally controlled little studio in a quiet corner with loads of light and a nice back drop had changed into a busy stage, a black curtain and a tiny flash, oh well.

Then I met the talent and thing improved tremendously. For a start they were all lovely and a lot more nervous than I was (which is saying something). Even though they had a lot on their minds they gave me all the time I asked for, I also had access to the whole place, back stage, wing, dressing rooms, and front of stage and free rain to shoot what ever I wanted.

Waiting back stage with the artists was a privilege; the atmosphere was tense and so exciting, and as the time for the first person to perform approached it got almost unbearable, until she stepped on stage and launched into a fantastic song that set the standard for the whole event.

My own job now got harder, action shots in nearly no light, with moving subjects and slow lenses. More tomorrow.

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