Enjoying Special Events
by Margaret Stegner
Welcome to July…almost August! Our travel season is just winding down, so I thought I better get back at it before it ramps up again this fall. Being retired we usually travel in the off-peak season and take longer trips. Getting ready to leave on a trip, long or short, can be very stressful. I am always afraid of forgetting something, so I have found a packing list very helpful! Before every trip I open the spread sheet containing my packing list and start collecting the things I will need. I have worked on refining it for several years, but I still find myself making adjustments to it! I have it broken down into categories like clothing, hiking gear, personal care, park passes and travel needs, electronics, etc. I include anything I have wanted on past trips. Now, this doesn’t mean every trip I take every item, but the list reminds me to consider it. Most things can be packed well ahead of our departure, but there are things such as our IDs and phones that cannot. These items are in a separate category and get checked off right before we walk out the door! There is one special section on the list that allows me to add things specific to a particular trip. I like to include a gift if we are visiting friends, or perhaps homemade fudge on a trip to see one of our children! Getting ready to leave the house for a week, or a month is challenging, and a list can really help reduce that stress!
One of the things I love to do while traveling is photograph the uniqueness of the places we visit! That is why my camera is at the top of my packing list! Whether it is a field of wildflowers, a grizzly with her cubs, a spectacular sunset, or my husband walking along a tree lined path, I am there with my camera to capture the moment. I snap thousands of photos! Yes, thousands! I take so many pictures that the task of sorting through them when I get home is daunting…but that is a subject for a different post! On the plus side, each photograph helps me remember a moment in time I will never experience again! Recently Alyssa and I returned from a trip to Texas. The purpose was to attend the wedding of one of her dearest friends, but we thought we’d combine it with other fun picture taking adventures in the Austin area. As it turns out, when it is over 100 degrees, and the humidity makes you feel like you are swimming through the day, heading outside with your camera holds little appeal. We arrived home having taken ZERO pictures with our cameras. Yes ZERO! As unimaginable as that is, when we started talking about all the fun we had at the wedding, we realized that between the two of us we had taken exactly 5 pictures at the event! That includes those taken with that fantastic little camera most of us carry everywhere. We were so busy having fun and socializing that we didn’t even think about taking pictures, which is how it should be. It’s a good thing there was a professional on duty to capture the magic of the day!
Our experience at that wedding got me thinking about events I have planned and/or attended. Looking back, I find I either don’t have many photos, or I didn’t really enjoy the event because I was too busy trying to make sure I had plenty of pictures to remember how much fun I was having! Every year we have a family reunion. It is the one day all year when we are all together. I get so wrapped up talking with my siblings and their families that I forget about taking pictures. Sadly, we have now lost the two oldest, and I have very few pictures celebrating the time we spent together. Having a professional photographer on duty to capture our family gatherings would have given me a visual reminder of the good times we shared.
I spoke with Alyssa to get her thoughts on hiring a photographer for special events.
Q. How important do you think it is to hire a photographer for family events?
A. I think it’s a great idea. Hiring someone to take pictures allows those attending the event to fully enjoy the activities. At a wedding people expect to see a photographer. They wouldn’t expect the couple, or one of their mothers to be taking pictures. They expect a professional to be there so everyone attending can kick back and celebrate! The same holds true for other family events like a birthday party, family reunion, graduation party, anniversary party, baby shower, retirement party, and any other gathering.
Q. Really? I should hire a photographer for my child’s birthday party?
A. Yes! But not necessarily every birthday. Think about the milestones. What parent or guest wants to be behind the camera when a one year old is adorably smashing their way through their first cake, or watching the expression of that sixteen year old as they see that brand new bright red sports car waiting for them in the driveway!
Q. Okay. Wait…What?
A. (laughing) Yeah, I didn’t get anything close to a new car on my sixteenth birthday, but I hear it happens! They might not be getting a spectacular gift like a car, but making sure you have great pictures of those milestone events in your child’s life is priceless!
Q. I love looking at pictures from when my children were young! It brings back a lot of fun memories.
A. And it shouldn’t just be about our children. There are lots of things in our adult lives that we should celebrate. I think as we age we forget that our birthdays are important, too. Plus, there are other things like a baby shower, or wedding anniversary, even your retirement party. Those are great moments that you will want to remember.
Q. Okay, I am convinced hiring a professional photographer for these events is a good idea. What kinds of pictures should I expect from the photographer?
A. That’s a great question! Before hiring a photographer for any event, have a conversation with her. Talk about your event and discuss what is important to you. Do you want candids, or organized group shots? Will there be games you want photographed, or are you honoring someone? Maybe it’s a surprise party and you want the moment the person arrives! When I do an event, I have ideas about what to capture, but I always want to hear my client’s ideas. Getting the shots you want is truly a collaboration between the photographer and the client, and communication is the key.
Q. Do you have a favorite type of event to photograph?
A. I’ve done corporate things like grand openings, marketing events, and festivals. Those are always fun. There is plenty of activity and action to capture. I’ve also done personal events like birthday parties. Watching a little one dive into their cake, and of course getting some great shots of that, is so fun. I was at one baby shower and loved seeing how the guest of honor connected with all of her friends. I got some great candids of her chatting with people, and then finding a quiet moment to relax. I loved getting to be part of that. So, I guess to answer your question, no, I don’t really have a favorite because each one is different. I just love helping people to tell their stories! My Mom always reminds me that when wonderful things happen, we believe we will never forget them, but we will. As time goes on, our memories fade. Having a photographer capture the event allows you to live the moment and still have great pictures for reminiscing.
Q. Wow, your Mom is pretty wise, isn’t she?
A. Yeah, but don’t tell her I said so.
Everyone’s got a dream and it’s my dream to capture your memories!
Contact Alyssa for more information on booking a session:
