Covering and getting good images from a protest is almost a no-brainer. People are demonstrative, they have cool and colorful signs, there’s always a strong element of drama or, sometimes, comedy.

One of the best go-to tips for getting great protest shots (as demonstrated in these shots) is to GET LOW and STAY THERE!

Shooting from below the eye level of your subjects in these circumstances enables you to both fill the frame with and to elevate, so to speak, the individuals in your images which, I believe, augments or makes larger maybe the significance of their message. (If you’re shooting a neo-Nazi demonstration, on the other hand, you might want to bring along a step ladder.)

Also, seriously, keeping your head down might save you from catching a thrown object or a tear gas canister in the back of the noggin. It serves to keep you out of the picture (and pictures) as well. You’re less a part of the story and maybe your subjects will be more likely to look past you and get on with their protestations as opposed to reacting to you and your camera’s presence.

Getting low reminds the protesters that you are there to cover what they are doing and not to interact with them or get posed shots.

A protest at night, with great colors, great gear like the Nikon D3 and the super fast colorful 50mm 1.4 Nikkor-G, attractive and passionate Persians, all combine for some pretty dramatic pictures. All images were taken in front of the Federal Building in Westwood, CA.

Anyway, thanks for looking.

db