Yesterday I had the great pleasure to photograph an event at the Harvard Club of New York City.
The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church organized its Annual Stewardship & Mistletoe Gala. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidoforos graced the event with his presence.
The purpose of this fund event was mainly to raise money for a major construction project of the church.
Fr Sotirios wanted to raise awareness about this specific issue and build community engagement and loyalty among supporters.
My photographing engagement was from 8pm until 10pm. I typically arrive 30-60 minutes before the beginning of photographic coverage and start making a few architectural images. In order to eliminate any distortion caused by ultra wide focal lengths, if I have the time, I prefer to create a multi row panorama using a longer focal length (either a 50mm or even a 100mm lens).
The following image was created using a Zeiss Otus 100mm 1.4 lens. It consists of about 16 images stitched together.
I also make a few images of the table decor and details. A similar multi row panorama technique was implemented. I was satisfied with the final rendering and the 3D effect.
Cocktail Hour
During the cocktail hour I enjoy walking around the room and capturing candid moments in an unobtrusive way. Zoom lenses (even with an f/2 aperture) may be excellent and highly convenient but sometimes I need the extra sensitivity of a prime lens with an f/1.2 aperture. In order to be discreet and respond fast to facial expressions and moments of joy, I avoid using flash. In addition I appreciate the smaller size of a prime lens compared to the size of a professional f/2 zoom lens.
Reception
During the second part of the event, there were a number of speeches. I carry three camera bodies with a 200mm f/2, a 50mm f/1.2 and a 24mm f/1.4 lens. This choice of focal lengths provides creative freedom and allows to be able to respond to moments in any light.
