Party Photo Dos And Donts

The first thing to understand about taking pictures at parties, especially parties with a socially and professionally diverse crowd like an office holiday party, is that being the photographer is approximately as safe as strolling through a military firing range during nighttime target practice. By comparison, photographing family gatherings is a no-brainer. But when you take your camera into an office party, or even an all-adult neighborhood party, be aware that you could record-and subsequently change-history in ways you could never foresee, or even want.

Think about it: You're among strangers, or maybe among known acquaintances, cohorts, or neighbors, and you're snapping happily away. You will undoubtedly catch people at their best, or maybe, as the party wears on, at their worst, and potentially in scenes that they would not want immortalized forever, on film, in pixels, or on the Web.

Consider this your primary point of preparedness. You should not undertake this project to indulge your closet fantasy of becoming a renowned documentary photographer. Rather, think of yourself as a public relations photographer, a sensitive and politically correct photographer. You'll live longer and happier that way.

Another point of preparedness is plain courtesy. The idea is to have some fun and get some cool images. Know when to give the camera and the other party revelers a break from nonstop cinematic flash action.

If you want to come away with good pictures, and with your professional, social, and personal network intact, consider these tips as you pack your camera bag.

Knowing the social pairings ahead of time is like having a map of the aforementioned firing range. With this map, you know who you can or should photograph with whom, and who you shouldn't photograph draped affectionately around the neck of someone else. The wisdom of this advice must be obvious. Relationships have come undone from less provocation than an ill-timed picture.

Additionally, pictures, unlike the inebriated free-for-all hours of party fun, have a long shelf life. They get passed around, posted on the Web, copied on the office copier, and otherwise distributed during the sober postparty days that are sure to come. Unless you're just eager to split up otherwise happy couples, know the social order before you begin shooting.

This tip is less for your safety than for others' propriety. Few people treasure photos of themselves in a semilucid, glazed-over state caused by one too many drinks. Pictures of drunken revelers seem far less inspired the day after than they did the night of.

In short, the earlier you start taking snapshots, the better everyone will look in the pictures.

Usually you don't need permission from friends and coworkers to take their picture. But if the party is in a hotel or club, for example, and you are taking pictures that include the catering staff or are outside the party area, it's good to get permission from the people in the photos and the manager of the facility. The same advice applies to taking pictures of the band.

Also, realize that strangers likely don't want to be inadvertently included in your pictures. During the festivities and the drinking, it's easy to accidentally include people in the background. Many people will quickly let you know that they do not want to be in the picture. You can save yourself some embarrassment by making it a habit to check the background before you shoot. If there are passersby in the frame, change position or wait for them to move out of the frame before shooting.

In short, ask before you start taking pictures outside your group of friends.

A sure way to run off your best subjects is to take their picture repeatedly with the flash unit on. An indicator that you've overshot your limit is when you see people walk-or run-the other way when you approach. Know when to give people a break from the flash action.

On a technical note, quick, repeated firings of the flash deplete the flash strength, causing some pictures to be underexposed. Be sure the flash is fully charged before shooting.

It's fun to get party pictures printed and pass them around or post them on a Web site. But unless you're close friends with the subjects, don't distribute or post pictures without first asking the subjects if they mind.

To complement the social and political advice, equipment and technical advice is in order. The first tip, from experience, is to bring your least expensive equipment. In fact, this is a good time to take an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera. Presumably at some point, you'll want to enjoy the party yourself. That's when you need to be able to stash the camera in a safe place and not worry about losing your best equipment.

Here are other tips you may find helpful.

• Choose the background  Parties usually provide great ready-made backdrops, such as decorations, holiday trees, or elegant wall coverings. Use a wide aperture to let the background form a soft, out-of-focus backdrop. Position the subjects several feet away from the background to help avoid dark shadows from the flash.
• Forget posing  There's no better place to catch candid shots than a party as people are engaged in animated conversation and laughter.
• Know the flash range  Check the manual before you leave, and be sure to stay within the range of the flash.
• Try out new camera features  Some of the new digital cameras offer exceptional low-light capability, as well as low-light flash that correctly exposes both the subject and the background. Now is a great time to try out these features.
• Give yourself a break  Be sure to take time to enjoy the party yourself. Put the camera away, or hand it to someone else while you have some fun.