Here’s the slideshow… It’s best viewed with music and in full screen (click the square in the bottom right of the video to make it full screen, press escape when you have finished). Please be patient while it loads.

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The event celebrated the launch of DHL’s new advertising campaign, “The Speed of Yellow” and I wanted to capture as much of the atmosphere and branding as possible. Couldn’t get much more yellow in this photo!

Vinopolis is a great space for an event, and for a photographer. Some great textures and shapes with all the brickwork and arches (and even better when they have cool projections on them).

Dionne Bromfield put on a great show.

I was a fan of The Feeling when they released their first album back in 2006. Since then I haven’t heard much from them so it’s great that they are back on tour and releasing a new album. They really got the crowd going, a brilliant live band!

I grew up with Jo Whiley and listened to her mid morning show on Radio 1 pretty much everyday, so it was great to meet her. Maybe I was a bit too excited to get my photo taken with her, look at that cheesy grin! She suggested I switch over to Radio 2 when I said I missed her show… but won’t that make me really old?!

Before all the guests arrive at the Bar Mitzvah I like to get some family photos.

I’ve seen lots of balloon artists at events, but David Crofts is easily the best I’ve seen, amazing! Here’s Leo on his balloon motorbike.

If you’re looking for a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah photographer I’d love to hear from you! Please use the contact link at the top of the page, email studio@ianolsson.com or phone 07731 37 97 27.

I set up a studio for portraits of all the guests as they arrived. Lots more to come, but here’s my favourite from the night.

For those that are interested… exposure is 15 seconds, f11, ISO 100. Taken on Canon 17-40 f4 L USM Lens at 17mm.

The video is best viewed with music and in full screen (click the square in the bottom right of the video to make it full screen, press escape when you have finished).

Click here to see the show on your iPhone or iPad.

Here’s a link to the rest of the party photos.

As a few of you probably know from my wedding first dance photos, I’m quite a fan of the slow-shutter-lots-of-lights-swirling-around type images. The more technical term is “dragging the shutter”. This is where flash is used in combination with a long exposure.

Setting the camera to automatic will most likely correctly expose your subject (the DJ in the photo below), but you will lose the atmosphere of the image and the background will be very dark or even completely black. See below for the exposure settings I used to get the photos.

Lots of people tell me that they get scared when using flash so put everything on automatic. Don’t be! Just give manual a go. Next time you’re at a party, set your camera to ISO 400, f4, 1/4 second and fire away. Play around with longer exposures too. If the images are too bright, reduce your ISO. If you’ve got a compact camera with no manual control, use ‘night mode’ (usually the button with a moon and stars on). Every camera works differently in this mode, so you won’t have the same control as using manual.

The most important thing to remember here is that a slow shutter speed will not make your subject blurred (if it is in range of the flash). Your subject will be ‘frozen’ by the very short burst of light that comes from the flash (which may be as fast as 30 microseconds, or 0.00003 seconds).

Photo 1 – exposure settings: ISO 100, f4, 3.5 seconds. Camera moved during exposure.

Photo 2 – if that one is a bit much for you, this was taken at ISO 100, f4, 0.5 seconds (handheld, but no movement of camera during exposure)

I love this sequence and the reactions of the crowd when the awesome Paul Craven was doing some card tricks. Exposure settings: ISO 800, f4, 1/15th second.

Here’s Paul again, this time baffling everyone with mind reading. There was a little more light in this part of the marquee, so I have reduced my ISO to 400.

The birthday boys!

Here’s a few of my favourite photos from Margaret’s 80th birthday party at the beautiful Park House Hotel in Bepton. Well done to grand-daughters Stephanie and Fabienne for organising such a fantastic event!

Call me on 01483 874 918 or 07731 37 97 27 or get in touch via my website if you’re looking for an event photographer, I’d love to hear from you!