Last Updated on 01/31/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
When it comes to a high-profile shoot, being prepared isn’t simply about showing up with your gear.
Every genre of photography comes with its own set of challenges, but all of them can also present the opportunity for a very important, high-profile shoot. And when such a chance comes along, you need to be thoroughly prepared for it. How thorough exactly? J.T. of the Run N Gun YouTube channel gives us an idea in one of his recent videos.
J.T. has spent his recent years doing military photography, so we can say he’s got some pretty unique opportunities for high-profile shoots and documentary work. One of those recently came up, when he was the only photographer allowed to take photos of the US Vice President during what looked like a routine check of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.
J.T. tells us more about the challenges, the gear he used for the shoot, and what he learned from the experience in the video below:
With something this high-profile, security is paramount, especially for photographers like J.T. With this, he couldn’t shoot with his Nikon D5 but managed to secure clearance for his Nikon D3. He brought with him several lenses, including a 24-70 mm 2.8 ED zoom lens and 14 mm 2.8 ED prime lens. To light up the missile silo, he used an SB-910 AF Speedlight paired with a Lastolight Softbox. He also made sure to bring with him extra batteries, flashes, and memory cards just in case any of them stopped working.
Finding himself in a cramped, poorly-lit space with a huge shiny object, J.T. had to quickly think of the best way to achieve some great shots. He needed to light up the missile nicely without getting glare or “hot spots” as well as get the skin tones right. To do these things well, he used a sync cord with his flash and maneuvered it to bounce the light around the silo.
To cap his video, J.T. summed up what he learned from the experience: “Train like you’re gonna fight. Practice like you’re gonna have a big shoot someday.” Plan and prepare as much as you can. But, also keep in mind that some little, unexpected things can still happen. And when they do, all the training and skills you’ve acquired will come in handy.
If you learned something from this video, go ahead and subscribe to his Run N Gun channel for more tutorials and reviews from J.T.
Screenshot image from the video by J.T. / Run N Gun.
