Society for Science and the Public - Alumni Brunch and Public Day during Broadcom MASTERS 2019

Broadcom MASTERS = Math, Applied Science, Technology, and Engineering for Rising Stars. The program is sponsored by Society for Science and the Public and it aims to encourage middle school students to pursue their passions within these fields. In the long run, a lot of these students end up in very successful careers in STEM. All and all, the students took home more than 100k in award prize money!

So what does a photographer look for when photographing such a special networking brunch and public day?

1. Telling the story from beginning to end, from an attendees perspective: what do I see when I walk in? Signage, the check-in desk, lanyards and schwag. I see old friends and quickly meet new ones. An airy space with beautiful decor topped with an artistic display of food.

2. Key timely moments: is anyone speaking at the event? Is there any group photos that need to happen at a certain time? Are their VIPs that will only be there for a short window?

3. Interactions and candid moments: know if your client prefers candid or posed, and then place emphasis on either. This takes patience. Don’t be afraid to linger without being intrusive until your subject(s) offer up some emotion for the camera. Not everyone is going to be smiling or laughing as soon as you get to them with your camera. You want to frame very carefully and be sure that especially the subject of your photo is well lit and the photo is taken from a flattering angle.

4. Remember the purpose of the photographs: where will the final product be used? Do you need to leave room for cropping? Do you need to leave any room for text to be overplayed on the photo? * Details, details, details: taking photos of that year’s brochure and schwag can really help date the event and give details about how this year was different from last. It also adds some graphic variety to the mix of faces.

5. Overall ambiance: How did it feel when you first walked in? How can you convey the emotion of the room in just a few images? Do you need to grab a ladder and get higher or look for a set of stairs to get a better overall photo? Do you possibly need a photo of the outside of the vicinity?

* Follow up: About ten minutes before I am off the clock I like to be specific with my client about what I captured and ask if there’s anything else they need. Leave the event knowing you got everything you need to save yourself a headache!