So, I just got done with sorting out JT’s birthday photos. And man, let me tell you, it’s never just a simple point-and-click affair, is it? Especially when it’s for someone you actually like, like JT.
The Setup and The Usual Chaos
First off, you gotta remember to even charge the camera battery. Or your phone, whatever you’re using. I almost forgot this time, typical me. Found the camera with like, 10% battery an hour before I had to leave. Classic.
Then you get to the place. JT’s bash was at this kinda dimly lit pub, great for atmosphere, terrible for photos unless you’re some pro with a flashgun the size of your head. I wasn’t about to be that guy. So, it was all about finding those little pockets of light, or just accepting that some pics would be grainy. You do what you can, right?
And people! Bless ’em. Trying to get a group shot where everyone is:
- Looking at the camera
- Not blinking
- Actually smiling (not that weird grimace some folks do)
- And for the love of god, not walking right through the frame
Is like herding cats. Drunk cats, sometimes. JT’s friends are a lively bunch, which is great for a party, but a bit of a challenge for the unofficial photographer, which is always, somehow, me. I don’t even volunteer anymore, the camera just sort of… appears in my hands. It’s a phenomenon.
The Actual “Shooting” Part
So I’m there, snapping away. Trying to get candids, because those are usually the best, the real moments. But then someone always spots you. “Oi, get one of us!” And then it turns into a posed session. Which is fine, but you take like, ten, and hope one is decent. Someone always has their eyes closed or is pulling a face they think is funny but will regret later.
I try to get the cake, the singing, JT looking surprised (even though it’s their party, they always look surprised by the cake, it’s a rule). Little details too, the decorations someone slaved over, the funny gifts. You try to tell a bit of a story, I guess. Not just a lineup of faces.
You might be thinking, why do I even bother this much? It’s just some birthday snaps. Well, let me tell you a story.
Why I’m Like This About Photos
Years ago, it was my grandma’s 75th. Big deal, right? Whole family there, some relatives we hadn’t seen in ages. My uncle, let’s call him Bob, fancied himself a bit of a photographer because he’d just bought some fancy new camera. He was in charge. We all trusted Bob. He was clicking away all day, looked super professional. We were all like, “Wow, Bob’s got this covered!”
A week later, we ask about the photos. Bob looks a bit sheepish. Turns out, he’d been playing with the settings. Shot the entire day in some super low-resolution mode, or maybe he forgot the memory card, I don’t know the exact tech details he mumbled. Bottom line: the photos were either tiny, blurry, or in some cases, just not there. Especially the ones with Grandma and all her grandkids. We got maybe, MAYBE, five usable pictures from the entire day. Five. For a 75th birthday milestone.
My mom was heartbroken. Grandma was sad, though she’d never really show it. It wasn’t about vanity; it was about the memory. That specific collection of people, at that specific time, it was gone. Poof. And it was because someone didn’t take it seriously enough, or just messed up badly. I remember seeing my mom try to piece together scraps from phone pictures people had taken, but it wasn’t the same.
That day, I think something just clicked in my head. Or maybe snapped. I thought, never again. If I’m there, and there’s a camera, I’m gonna make damn sure we get something. Something decent. Because you don’t get those moments back. You just don’t.
Back to JT’s Pics
So yeah, that’s why I was probably a bit too intense about JT’s photos. Hovering around, trying different angles, taking way too many shots of the same thing. “Just one more!” I probably annoyed a few people. Sorry, not sorry.
Spent a good chunk of today just going through them. Deleting the ones where someone’s mid-sneeze or has red demon eyes. A bit of cropping, a touch of brightening on the ones from the dark corners of the pub. It’s a process. Not my favorite part, but necessary.
Sent a bunch over to JT a little while ago. Got a “OMG THANK YOU, THEY’RE AMAZING!!!” text back, complete with a string of heart emojis. So, mission accomplished, I guess. They’re happy, and that’s the main thing. And we’ve got the memories locked down. No Uncle Bob situation here, thank you very much. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think my trigger finger needs a rest.
