If you don’t have confidence in your photographing skills, chances are you aren’t going to shoot as much as you should, or as much as you would want to. You may be too timid to break out that camera in a situation that you may want to document.  It is especially  hard when you are the only one breaking out a camera and you get “the looks.”

I admit, “the looks” used to upset me.  They would make me snap off a few quick, unusable shots that I would regret even taking.  I would always end up so mad at myself that I didn’t just suck it up and ignore those giving me “the looks” and take the photos I really wanted to take.

You also hear comments-

• “I don’t know why you would take a photo of that.”
• “I just take photos of people”
• “That really isn’t going to turn out, you know that right”
• “Mom, people are staring at us & your camera”

No matter how discreet you are being, someone is always going to notice you, just don’t give them another thought – snap away. But remember the rules of whatever event you are attending so that you don’t deserve those looks & comments.

The rules

• Shoot with your flash off. Nothing is more distracting than a flash going off while you are trying to watch your child’s concert, play, or sporting event. In fact, at some events you may even be asked to leave if they catch you shooting with flash. So really get to know your camera’s settings before you go to an event so you are able to shoot in any situation.
• Get there early. You don’t want to be getting up and down throughout the event.  This is very frowned upon.  I suggest that you arrive to whatever event you want to shoot at least thirty minutes early, if not earlier.  I have found that for my older daughter’s middle school, the high bleachers with my long lens (75-300mm) is ideal for pretty much whatever event I am attending.
• Don’t review your photos there. While you might love to see little Johnnie & want to make sure you have the perfect shot-the people around you may get a bit distracted by your view screen & they might not think too kindly of you checking things out in a darkened auditorium.
• Make sure that you have a large & empty memory card. Shoot now-delete later.

My final piece of advice is to take your camera around with you where ever you go and practice, Practice, PRACTICE!  You never know when the “perfect” shot will happen along, and if it doesn’t you can always delete!