“The Main Event” was created during a live client event — a very high-end Bar Mitzvah celebration for a family we’ve had the privilege of serving for generations. This image was not staged for competition. It wasn’t pre-visualized in a studio. It happened in real time, in the middle of a packed ballroom, surrounded by energy, music, emotion, and movement. That’s what makes it so meaningful to me.
When you work with families across generations, there’s a different level of responsibility. qYou’re not just hired to take pictures — you’re entrusted to preserve legacy. This particular family has allowed us to document milestone after milestone in their lives. Walking into that ballroom, I knew the expectations were high — not just from a production standpoint, but emotionally. This night mattered deeply to them.
As the celebration reached its peak, I remember scanning the room and thinking, How can I capture this in a way that makes the viewer feel like they’re standing right here? I didn’t want a safe image. I didn’t want a standard event frame. I wanted something immersive — something that felt cinematic and powerful while still being authentic to the moment.
The room was loud. Guests were shoulder to shoulder. Movement was constant. Communicating with my team was extremely difficult because of the noise level and crowd density. Every decision had to be quick and intentional. Positioning was everything. If one person stepped two feet in the wrong direction, the frame would fall apart.
In my mind, I worked through multiple possibilities: shoot tighter and isolate the subject, or go wide and let the environment tell the story? Ultimately, I chose to go wide. I wanted scale. I wanted drama. I wanted the viewer to feel the magnitude of the celebration.
The challenge then became controlling chaos without disrupting authenticity.
Technical Approach
To create the image, I used the following setup:
Camera & Lens
- Sony a7R IV
- 20mm G Master f/1.8
Camera Settings
- Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec
- Aperture: f/2.2
- ISO: 320
Lighting
- Profoto B10 Plus (off-camera flash)
- Profoto B10 (off-camera flash)
- Profoto wireless remote trigger for live power adjustments
The choice of the 20mm lens was deliberate. I wanted to exaggerate perspective slightly and allow the environment to wrap around the viewer. A wide focal length also let me work in tight quarters without losing the sense of scale.
The 1/250 shutter speed allowed me to freeze movement and prevent motion blur in a high-energy environment. At f/2.2, I was able to maintain strong subject emphasis while still capturing enough environmental detail to preserve the atmosphere of the venue. ISO 320 kept the file clean while allowing ambient light to play a role in the final image.
Lighting was the key to elevating the frame. I positioned two off-camera Profoto lights to create separation and dimensionality. The goal wasn’t to overpower the room — it was to shape it. I wanted the lighting to feel intentional yet natural, dramatic yet believable.
Because navigating through the crowd wasn’t realistic, I used a Profoto wireless remote to adjust power output on the fly. That flexibility allowed me to react instantly as the moment evolved without breaking the flow of the event.
Most importantly, I was trying to avoid unwanted movement cutting through key areas of the frame. In an environment like that, timing is everything. You anticipate motion, read body language, and wait for the split second when all elements align.
That split second is what became “The Main Event.”
Recognition & Competition
While the image was originally created for a client — not for competition — it went on to earn Imaging Excellence (I.E.) status in print competition. Beyond that, it made it down to the final two in the Rapportage category, which was an incredible honor.
Even more humbling, the image represented Team USA in the World Photographic Cup in the Sports category. To see a live client event image reach that level was surreal. It reaffirmed something I deeply believe: you don’t have to separate client work from artistic excellence. The two can — and should — coexist.
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