in deed, nowaday celebrities events sure need step ladders especially when he/she/they are big names.
ok i know i will be spitted/condemned/depised/etc when i write these but still i will write based on what my current view is & what comes to my mind and i wont be replying any further to defend myself.
im not here to start any word lashing but to give my view on it(or give excuse to myself).
Before i got my ladder(bought specially for celebrities events) a few months ago, i was also displeased by photogs using ladder and some more they were at the front row when shooting fashion shows or other events. of cos i cant do anything since i was late but can only grumbled; anyway im not really into shooting fashion shows unless it's feature celebrities but i will still shoot if possible.
For big shot or got pretty pretty celebrities events, i would normally take off or leave and arrive early(at least 2hrs in advance). From my point of view, if someone view that these events are so important that they 'sacrifice' to take off/leave and come in early, they should have every rights. Events such as popular singer's autograph session, i might not even waste my off/leave(more likely if it was male/all-males) cos im no match for those fanatic fans that will arrive hours earlier if not the night before.
Let's take for example the <Red Cliff> event, i took full-day leave and arrived 4hrs in advance and have the option of standing either at the front row or behind a few rows, in this case the front of the rear boundary fence; i chose the latter which was at least 5 rows behind. My fotos was 'sarcasted' or was it my photos in the 1st place they were referring to.
Of cos, if i was to choose the front row i will not use the ladder else i will sure kanna the wrath from the public and who know i might be featured in STOMP.
Like last nite <Connected!> event featuring Big S & Louis Koo, almost the 'front' row were photogs with ladder; the 1st 3-4 rows were for Louis's fans. I was at the very front row(2.5hrs earlier) but was asked by the organizer to move back. haiz the fans can come in late and still got stands.
Another point to note is that if you are at the very front, you would be shooting their nostril hairs:devil: if there a certain height difference between you and the platform. This was what i got when shooting Donnie at the <Painted Face> event last week, not using ladder and in the 1st row corner. And that is why i guessed those photogs that stand on ladder and at the front row, so that they are at somewhere eye level with the models(to minimize perspective issue).
Until recently, i now also sometimes offer my ladder to the people standing behind me to let them take a few shots. This of cos is done to implicitly express my apology.
Look at the the recent SIN, so many photogs hounding the models. Do you tell the photogs blocking you to buzz off since they already taken a few snapshots and let others have their chance(of cos you still have the chance if you are willing to stay long enuff and to re-enact the pushing here & there again). In this case, i do leave after taking a few shots or i squat down to let those behind me take their shoot until i cant dahan cos they were 'crushing' on me, then i stand up again.
I try to believe in "我为人人,人人为我" but then in reality, it doesnt. Note that taking off or leave are intangible, but when convert to money then it's tangible, which mean i'm paying >$100 to get the grand stand tix. I dun use the ladder that often, but if i used it then the event must be important.
So after reading, if you think u want to ballastic missiled me at some future events, PM me and i tell u how to identify me(though some of u might already guess who i am). My writing represented my view and not of others.
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Im a super lousy the-man-behind-camera and it was my better optics that help salvage the situations. My PS skill is even lousier. I dun want to be mocked by friends that i'm using a dslr and the results cant even compare to a pns camera; such is the power of peer pressure.
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