I am going to Photograph a Civil War re-enactment Sunday. Need some ideas.?

Question

This is a first time for this type of project. I'm an amatuer photographer. I use a P-850 Kodak digital camera.. There will be cavalry, artillery, about a thousand north and south soldiers. And a pyro-technic house exploding. I'd planned on taking this with a series of "burst " pics. Does anyone have any good ideas for shots I could be taking.

This will be Sunday March 11th.

Answer 1

Maybe this will help. It is a re-enactment I shot a couple of years ago.

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2083430&alb=0

Al

Answer 2

Go here and study the photos.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/60398141@N00/

A house exploding ? Sounds like a farb fest too me I don't believed that any house exploded during the Civil War. By the I use to do these Civil War Reenactment, or as I put it a Civil War living Historian.

Answer 3

Here are some shots I did at the Olustee Reenactment here in Florida:

http://www.olphoto.net/Sports%20and%20Events/115130

A few ideas:

-- Try to show the drama of the battle - get down low, zoom in tight. Go for facial expressions. An example:

http://www.olphoto.net/photos/16241408-L.jpg

-- Make sure you take some shots of things going on around the battle. Here's one that reminds us how terrible this all was:

http://www.olphoto.net/photos/16241104-L.jpg

Get the spectators - many who will dress for the part:

http://www.olphoto.net/photos/16235032-L-1.jpg

And have some fun with sepia in photoshop:

http://www.olphoto.net/photos/38192302-L.jpg

Answer 4

Ground up (from position of a wounded soldier). Close ups from rifle-barrel, through the smoke. Reflection in a sword blade, or an eyeball (posed shot). Climb a tree - how are the shots semi-aerial?

Answer 5

Include a few very stiffly posed portraits of the men in uniform as if you were Matthew Brady, the photographer. This is what he had to do, using plates and all.

Print in sepia tone, of course.

Answer 6

Try watching Saving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down...they are films yes, but they have great shots and cinematography...you could get some good ideas off of them...