Party People Issue #40

Take party photos worth celebrating!

By Lisa Murphy & Alysse Dalessandro
Published: June 1st, 2009 | 12:00pm

From supper clubs to super clubs people have been taking pictures at social gatherings as long as they’ve had cameras. Back in the day, old-school masters like Slim Aarons manually shot the beautiful people doing beautiful things, like his iconic 1952 New Year’s party photograph “Park Avenue Party” featuring Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. Back then, you had to be somebody who at least knew somebody to be captured partying in the moment. Party photography wasn’t for the masses, but for the privileged few who had the resources to be “caught” glamorously lounging and smoking.

These days, party photography is more accessible than ever, but Aarons’ preference for a spontaneous shot has survived. Los Angeles photographer Ellei Johndro (shadowscene.com) has discovered the art of showcasing people naturally rather than staging shots. “I tend to become part of what I am photographing — heightening my own senses to my surroundings and letting my images become an illustration of my intuitive instinct,” says Johndro.

You might catch her hopping a fence, scaling a wall, or racing across a room to grab a shot of that split-second scene just as it takes place. “It’s also not uncommon for me to catch a person a little off guard since my style is rooted in grasping life as it is, and not staging or arranging it,” she adds.

Johndro’s work proves you don’t have to be part of high society to take part in the party scene — or even to be the one behind the lens. Use these DIY party photo tips and you’ll soon be scaling walls with the best of ‘em.

Unless you party around the clock, you probably won’t be shooting in natural light. It’s important to establish a light source: TV, computers, flashlights, LEDs, candles, ipods, cell phones, or even an exit sign will work. Take advantage of mobile light sources by handing ‘em out to nearby hipsters. The achieved effect will be a line of light through the image.

Find a camera with a flash. If shooting with a manual camera, use a long shutter speed and an F-stop of 5.6. No need to stop the music and the party groovers for a shot — the length of exposure time allows for capturing motion like an image on a television. Because you’re using a flash, you needn’t worry about blurriness.

Having off-center subjects who are not looking at the camera more aptly recreates the feeling of being at the party — but make sure people are not cut off at the edges of the frame. Keep an eye out for spontaneous moments that make a memorable shot, and don’t be afraid to hop a fence.