Lowlight: Squeezing through the crowds in Chinatown with two D3s, a 70-200 F2.8 and a laptop is never any fun, but at least it did not snow like last year.
Fill in: Although I look Chinese I don't speak a word of anything vaguely oriental. This is the hardest event for me to cover in terms of communication as everyone assumes I speak the lingo.
I have covered this event for the Mayor's Press Office for a number of years and it doesn't get any easier. The event is spread over three locations - Trafalgar Square Shaftesbury Avenue and Chinatown. And it is always packed so much so that a one way system operates for much of the day for pedestrians. I lose a few pounds just carrying my equipment round.
The brief is to get all the performers on and off stage, VIPS backstage, the crowds, the various areas and the sponsors logos. In the backstage area everyone speaks manly chinese but unfortunately I don't understand a word which can be an advantage.
Tech Spec: I walk round with two cameras to save changing lenses - one with 24- 70mm F2.8, (this body has a speedlight mounted for fill in flash) and one 70-200mm F2.8. I use a double harness to carry the cameras so the weight is on my shoulders and not my neck. Light conditions constantly changing so I shoot manually as I may need to compensate for bright skies, bakclights on stage, dark backgrounds and fireworks!! I do this all manually as I find it quicker and more accurate. Any I get wrong are adjusted in Photoshop later.
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