I normally find myself eating a cold buffet breakfast in an otherwise deserted hotel dining room. But today I don’t even have time for that. The boot’s loaded and auto pilot selected. Shortly after 7 am I’m firmly embedded in the NEC’s media centre. Accredited photographers and TV crews get access to all exhibition halls from 7.30 onwards, a whole hour before the show officially opens. It’s a quick run through the shot list with the guys from Motor Transport before firing off a test e-mail to Hayley Pink on the publication’s picture desk.
In addition to the shot list required for the client, I’m always lookout for that golden shot - the shot that screams ‘loads of people at a large automotive event’. The available light varies hugely from stand to stand, as does the colour temperature. Dark or heavily shadowed areas can be enhanced by strategically placing one or more of the Canon EX580 II flashguns around the scene, using the Pocket Wizard radio triggering system to control the action.
By 10 am I'm back in the media centre for a frantic edit and download session. We’re well looked after in here, with an endless supply of tea, biscuits, sarnies, telephones and high speed data cables. Once the finished selection has been uploaded, you can, in theory at least, relax.
In addition to the shot list required for the client, I’m always lookout for that golden shot - the shot that screams ‘loads of people at a large automotive event’. The available light varies hugely from stand to stand, as does the colour temperature. Dark or heavily shadowed areas can be enhanced by strategically placing one or more of the Canon EX580 II flashguns around the scene, using the Pocket Wizard radio triggering system to control the action.
By 10 am I'm back in the media centre for a frantic edit and download session. We’re well looked after in here, with an endless supply of tea, biscuits, sarnies, telephones and high speed data cables. Once the finished selection has been uploaded, you can, in theory at least, relax.
For some strange reason, we’re having real difficulty shoving my camera’s 6Mb images down the NEC’s wires. With the clock ticking, we reduce the file sizes down to 3Mb and have another go. With the help of Motor Transport’s editor Justin Stanton (who I’m sure has better things to do), the first of the images make their way down the wires. With MT’s precious deadline out of the way, it’s on to securing coverage for the likes of Renault, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Schmitz Cargobul, Michelin and Vauxhall.
Fellow RBI snapper Tom Lee (who’s providing images for Commercial Motor) and I take a few minutes to reflect on the high (and low) points of the day. The sheer amount of walking is definitely one of the lows! But there’s no let up on the pressure, with tomorrow looking as busy as ever. As patron of road transport charity Transaid, we’ve got HRH Princess Anne with us, so plenty of opportunities for photocalls.
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