I’m on my way to another award ceremony that I get to cover as a photographer. This time it’s Steina in Saxony, not far from Dresden – a short trip for me as a photographer in Dresden: the drive takes about 30 minutes from here.
I’ve deliberately planned a little extra time so I can talk to the venue’s lighting technician before the event starts. Because today it’s not only about the event itself – the award winners should also be shown in the right light. And for that, of course, we need enough light.
Why light plays a special role today
Last year I already photographed a similar award ceremony at a different venue. Back then, the available light was pretty scarce, and I had to work with an on-camera flash as well. Technically that worked, but I wasn’t really happy with the look of the images. As an event photographer in Dresden, I prefer to photograph events like this with the available light and try to capture the atmosphere of the venue as naturally as possible.
That’s exactly what I want to avoid this time. So I’ll go over a few things with the lighting technician beforehand and, if needed, adjust the lighting a little together. Let’s see what we can do.
My setup: the 70–200mm this time
My camera setup has changed a little for this job too. You know my preferred setup for events like this: 35mm and 85mm, or alternatively 35mm and 135mm. I usually feel very much at home with these prime lenses.
Today, though, there’s an additional task: besides the photos, I’m also supposed to create a short reel, which I’ll edit tomorrow as a quick look back at the event. And the 70–200mm is of course ideal for that. When I shoot video clips in between, I can quickly switch between different framings, get closer or capture details further away without constantly changing lenses.
That said, I have to admit: creatively, I always feel a little more restricted with a zoom lens. Even though the 70–200mm covers an enormously versatile focal range, I’ve mentioned in previous posts that deliberately limiting myself to one focal length often makes me much more creative. I’d even say ten times more creative. But today video is on the agenda as well, so the 70–200mm is the more sensible choice for this job.
The challenge: f/2.8 instead of f/1.4 or f/1.8
Another thing I’m curious about today is shooting at f/2.8. At events like this, especially when the light is difficult, I usually like to work between f/1.4 and f/1.8. At f/2.8, noticeably less light reaches the sensor. In the darker areas of the venue, that could get interesting.
Let’s see how well I get along with it and what the images look like in the end. And if the noise does get a bit stronger at higher ISO values, there are fortunately very good denoising tools these days that I can fall back on if needed.
Which other lenses are in the bag?
Of course I don’t leave without alternatives. Besides the 70–200mm, I’ve packed a few more lenses:
- 50mm: for additional perspectives and situations where I want to be a bit more flexible.
- 85mm: my usual prime for beautiful portraits and details.
- 16mm: when things need to get wider and I want to show more of the venue.
I’ve also brought a small tool that I like to use when interesting foregrounds are missing: a piece of glass that lets me add a little more creative design to the image through deliberate reflections and blur. I’m curious how I’ll use it today.
Here we go!
The setup is ready, the essentials are packed, and now I’m looking forward to the event. I’m especially curious about the lighting conditions, working with the lighting technician and, of course, how well the 70–200mm holds up for the combination of photography and video.
Tomorrow I’ll edit the short reel. I’ll then also publish the first images and a little insight into the event here.
Here are the photos from the event: Westlausitz Competition 2026 – Gasthof Weiße Taube in Steina
Until then – I’ll take you along for part of the way!