Eurovision 2023: Behind the scenes with a Eurovision photographer

Denise Maxwell was one of many fortunate photographers to get accreditation to {photograph} the key music occasion Eurovision 2023, this time hosted by the UK in Liverpool. She tells AP concerning the challenges of capturing the occasion and goes over a few of her prime occasion and music images suggestions.

I grew up watching Eurovision, like many individuals who had been born or grew up within the UK in was part of my childhood, so when it got here to the UK and I obtained the chance to shoot it by means of my information company. It was positively a pinch me second. Being in Liverpool this yr it was solely a pair hours away from my house – comparatively up the street compared to it being held in varied European nations.

Making ready to {photograph} Eurovision: what’s media accreditation?

Accreditation is utilized for months prematurely. Some individuals apply as freelancers, some businesses apply on behalf of their employees photographers, some persons are working for magazines, for a rustic who’s coming into, for weblog websites, or TV channels – an entire vary.

Your cross displaying you’re an accredited photographer must be collected earlier than you enter the positioning, for this I wanted official identification. Your badge must be worn always, and can be checked at varied checkpoints across the web site.

As soon as collected you head to the Media Room, which at all times appears to be the furthest the doorway that most people enter! There’s at all times wifi and light-weight refreshments and a cushty space to work. Its value getting an area the place you may file from in a while. Some photographers will file whereas capturing, others will file within the press room after the shoot ,others will file as soon as they get house or to the lodge. I did a mixture of the final two.

It’s value noting this was essentially the most spectacular press room I’ve ever seen. Areas for a whole lot of Media. Photographers, content material creators, interviewers, videographers, bloggers … a hair salon … sure you learn that appropriately.

Moroccan Oil had been considered one of this yr’s sponsors, so that they had a salon arrange with their World Ambassador Antonio Corral Calero doing free styling; a Baileys bar … sure free Baileys, the alcoholic beverage model was an official accomplice this yr; cozy areas with sofas and beanbags, screens to observe the dwell reveals and rehearsals from the press room and the usual catering and step and repeat boards. Oh and Reserving.com additionally had a variety of selfie transportable rooms the place interviews could possibly be held.

Photographing the Eurovision Rounds

Joker Out from Slovenia. Picture credit score: Denise Maxwell.

The rounds befell all week, with varied different photoshoots and interviews by means of out the week. It was a full on week! We had been instructed the times we may shoot rehearsals, press interviews and dwell reveals. By the tip of the week, having shot the acts that obtained by means of a number of occasions, their songs turn out to be very acquainted! Regardless that I don’t know know the language, the track from Joker Out for Slovenia has been caught in my head for some time.

Occasion and music images gear – Denise’s digicam and lenses for capturing Eurovision

I shot with Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R6 mirrorless our bodies, and introduced with me the next lenses:

• Canon RF 16-35mm
• Canon RF 24-105mm
• Canon RF 70-200mm
• Canon RF 100-500mm

If I ever shoot this once more I’d convey a 3rd physique with me (bear in mind I used to be attempting to be concise with my equipment) to save lots of altering lenses after I wanted one other focal size.

Occasion and music images: Restrictions and the way it works

Picture credit score: Denise Maxwell.

Photographers are escorted to and from the principle enviornment, as with many different main occasions like this. You might be given a briefing, outlining what you may and can’t do, the place you may and can’t stand. The organisers place plenty of emphasis on viewers expertise, so photographers are usually not meant to be seen, or get in the way in which of the viewers expertise.

There are at all times designated capturing areas. There have been two fundamental press factors, one at ground stage and the opposite on the primary tier. Usually individuals suppose the photographers are near the motion, however this isn’t at all times the case. We simply need to have equipment that may get us near the motion!

Picture credit score: Denise Maxwell.

It might come as a shock to many however neither of the photographer pits had been anyplace close to the stage. The primary was about 100 metres away behind the ground crowd, the second additional alongside the primary tier. For this reason tremendous telephoto zooms are wanted.

You had been allowed to maneuver across the first tier however once more being aware of the viewers. This isn’t at all times the case although, typically it’s a must to keep in the identical parts all through.

Capturing Eurovision: Challenges and what I’d do totally different

Picture credit score: Denise Maxwell.

As with capturing any music occasion (of which I’ve shot many) the fundamental problem was the sunshine and distance. I personal one tremendous telephoto Sigma 120-300mm that has a f2.8 aperture right through, this could have been excellent for the low gentle, however then I additionally wanted extra vary. This lens would have additionally wanted a monopod as its tremendous heavy, and I used to be attempting to be concise with my equipment.

One useful photographer commented on my equipment on the way in which into the sector on the my first day there, “Is that the 100-500mm? Good luck you’re going to wish greater than that, I shot with that yesterday and needed to name for somebody to convey me one thing else.” Some photographers are so useful … as a result of if this lens had been utterly horrible, what was I going to do about it 2 hours away from house? I do know why I selected to convey this lens.

Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM IS.

What’s the finest lens for indoor music occasions?

My Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens is similar to my Canon RF 100-500mm lens however with extra weight, so I’d not have gained a lot for all that further weight.

In a super world I’d even have had a 600mm f/4 lens in my equipment bag. This was a very good size to have but in addition with a low sufficient aperture to let in sufficient gentle. However with the brand new Canon RF 600mm f4 lens coming in at about $13K / £14k, it’s straightforward to see why such a choose group of photographers cowl occasions like this. It’s not an occasion you may cowl with out the precise equipment.

Folding step stools for occasion and music images

I did additionally convey a small folding step with me, its at all times a part of my equipment for any such shoot. Nonetheless, I’d have introduced a much bigger one with me and argued my case with the particular person managing photographers. Right here is my level: If Dave is 6ft 2 however standing on a small step, absolutely at 5ft 3 I ought to be allowed to face on a much bigger step to get someway near his 6ft 2 benefit?

How do you shoot music images?

The Eurovision 2023 winner Loreen, from Sweden. Picture credit score: Denise Maxwell.

I intention to shoot occasions like this the way in which I’d shoot most different occasions. For instance, getting shut, medium and extensive photographs.

The staging for this occasion is so magnificent that you just wish to shoot the entire stage on a large, but in addition commercially shut photographs of the artist are extra helpful within the press, so it’s a case of attempting to get every little thing you want within the 3 minutes of the track. Or for an occasion like this, if you’re capturing all of the qualifiers, attempting to get your varied angles every time the artist does a gown rehearsal.

Noa Kirel from Israel performing ‘Unicorn’. Picture credit score: Denise Maxwell.

Non images suggestions

Bear in mind to take your snacks into the sector with you. I wanted a sugar rush a pair hours into at some point, I didn’t count on the performances to go on so lengthy, so had left them within the press room. Fortunately one other photographer got here to my rescue with a mini pack of biscuits in her bag. That is the place it helps to simply be a good particular person. On my first day there I gave a German photographer my step to take a seat on as I used to be not utilizing it due to the place I used to be positioned. Perhaps that was good karma coming again to me.

Verify your journey each methods! I didn’t, and in consequence ended up having to take an costly 2 hour Uber from Liverpool again to the Midlands as a result of I didn’t realise there have been practice strikes on the day I used to be returning house!

Eurovision 2023: Denise’s prime three favorite performances to {photograph}

I completely had favourites to shoot! Israel, France and Sweden had been completely breath taking! The form of phases many individuals dream of getting of their portfolios. Eurovision has by no means been shy of their staging choices.

About Denise:

Denise Maxwell

Denise Maxwell is a full-time multi-genre photographer, mentor and tutor primarily based within the Midlands within the UK. Denise can be talking at Assignments 23, for the BPPA and Canon, on 25 Might discussing the subject of creating your residing from images. Tickets obtainable on Eventbrite.

You’ll be able to see extra of Denise’s work on her Instagram.

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