Jorgensen Center for Performing Arts - University of Connecticut at Storrs

Jorgensen Center for Performing Arts - University of Connecticut at Storrs- ©2012 Dragonfly Image Partners

We were just asked to photograph the Jorgensen Center for Performing Arts on the campus of University of Connecticut at Storrs.    It is a large theater with 2,630 seats built during the Eisenhower era that ( to quote their website "presents 25-30 nationally and internationally acclaimed artists and ensembles annually, ranging from classical music to world music and dance, classical and contemporary dance, comedy, family programming and contemporary entertainment".   As such,  the Center is one of the cultural centers of the state of Connecticut.   Jorgensen wanted an image that would that would be warm and inviting as well as  show the center alive with people.  During pre-production discussion it was decided that the people would be blurred to both portray movement and also prevent the people  from dominating the image. It was also determined that since much of the building is blocked by trees and is only lit by orangey sodium vapor street lights at night, I would need to light most of the building.

Since this was a dusk ( Blue Hour) shot, which meant quickly changing light, we started by taking several quick shots of the building as soon as we arrived in the afternoon to determine the camera angle.  This eliminates that decision making process later, when we will have limited time.

We wanted to shoot a large part of the building while emphasizing the entrance and the activity of people arriving for a show.  It was also important that we capture the banners hanging on the building in their entirety.  We started by having a look at a view which included two sides of the building, but decided that the balance of the building to the entrance and the  plaza with people was best served by an angle which showed the cropped front face of the building.   A high camera angle was chosen (about 9') to lessen the distortion of the building and show less foreshortening of the plaza, as well as allow the view into the foyer of the theater.


After an early dinner with the client, we set up the camera and  lights as the models started arriving.  Sunset was to happen at 7:45pm and we asked the models to arrive 15 minutes earlier, which would allow us about half an hour to brief them about the shoot and block their positions.   I expected to start shooting frames around 8pm which turned out to be right on the nose for the ambient light.  We started by shooting the plaza with people.   Around 2 dozen exposures were made with varying levels of blur as well as rearanging the  models.  Once satisfied with the plaza shots, we shot the "base plates"  i.e. the overall shot of the building with ambient light.   The client approached us at this point with the great idea of moving the models into foyer for a few frames so that the theater looks more filled, which took only a few minutes to set up and shoot.   Now the ambient light was quite low, but perfect for us to create our lighting masks.   Armed with a battery powered flash and a radio camera trigger we moved from area to area lighting the building, trees and banners.  The final image is the result of about 20 exposures taken over the course of one and a half hours.

 The video shows the progression of the shoot elements and a before an after comparison.  It's best watched in HD.

What is Not Seen

Great images don't just happen.  Well... rarely, when all the stars align and every element is already in its place, a photographer will be at the right place at the right time and will happen to have the right equipment in hand to capture that once in lifetime shot.   Problem is, few photographers can base their career on "once in a lifetime shots".    The vast majority of us have to create their photographs through creativity, skill and experience.

Every photographer makes decisions  on what to show in the a photograph as often as what not to show.  Do we show the whole television in a guest room if it means cutting off more of the bed on the other side of the frame?  How much ceiling do we show as opposed to how much floor?  These are straight forward decisions of framing a shot, which a photographer will make based on experience and intuition to create an image which will guide the viewer to the places in the frame we want them to see as easily and naturally as possible.  We emphasize the important elements, while  at the same time creating a dynamic and interesting image.  The next step is to create an image that is pleasing and brings out textures, lighting and colors that are interpreted in an attractive manner.  The final check, is to ensure that the resulting image and all of the styling, lighting and compositional decisions made to create it produce an image which will sell the property by romancing and drawing in the potential guest.

By the time we are done with the process, all of what goes into creating these images is transparent to the untrained eye, so we have put together a section on our website that shows before and after images of some photographs we have created for Hotels, Restaurants and other clients.    The "before" images are the beginning stage of the process of the photography, without our lighting, file processing and retouching.  The after image is what we delivered the client. below is one of the sample before and afters.  For more visit our  website