Help/Advice for Officer Commissioning Parade

[ah zhao]

I will be going to my fren's commissioning parade. Can anyone who been to one before give me advice on what should I watch out for? Tips on taking pics there as it will be crowded. Thks in advance.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

I will be going to my fren's commissioning parade. Can anyone who been to one before give me advice on what should I watch out for? Tips on taking pics there as it will be crowded. Thks in advance.

wah... you're asking a lot leh... and very vague question too...

 

[Ravenfoo]

Shot the Commissioning Parade for my bro once. However, it's the SCDF Basic Officer Course. Venue cannot compare to SAFTI.
Below are some of my personal experience la...

1. Try to find out where your friend is at, as in which contingent he will be at. You don't want to be at a different location from where he is.
2. Go there early.
3. Find a good spot.
4. Put on your Telephoto lens + Monopod, if any.
5. Locate your fren and start shooting...
6. When it's time to meet your friend at the parade square, put on your normal zoom lens to take potrait photos of your friend in his uniform. Take photos of his / her parents putting on the rank for him/ her ya. Capture all the proud moments of the parents.

My humple shots: http://picasaweb.google.com/Moments.Pixels.Memories/Ceremonies#


Happy shooting!!!

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

I guess TS is looking for some venue-specific information, like distance from seating location to parade contingent, etc...
I'm only guessing of course, since no such specific question was asked.

 

[Ravenfoo]

Hmm... Like tat ah? I only been to OCS commissioning Parade once, many many years ago liao...
IIRC, the distance from the grand stand to the Contingent is quite far leh...

Unless his fren is at the front row facing the audience, if not it's quite difficult to spot.
Basically, if he ask what he should watch out for, i would say his friend then..:think:

 

[justarius]

don't bother trying to look for your friend during the parade march in etc unless your friend is sword of honour and will march up to dias to receive the sword. You can try looking for your friend whilst parade going on but unless you know which contingent and the exact position and have a big ass telephoto, will be very hard.

Momemts to capture are when the parents are asked to go down to pin on the epaulets and when the commissioned officers throw their peak caps up after.

 

[Dream Merchant]

If your friend wants to see his face in a photo/you want to capture that for him, and you have no idea where he is going to be/he is not in an ideal flank, shoot him separately in marching position from the same angle/light you took his contingent and strip in his face on some other hunky soldier.

A lens with a 80/100 - 400 range with IS or VR on a crop body would be useful unless you can get up close to the march past area.

 

[Blur Shadow]

A tele lens to get shots of your friend when forming up. A wide to do all the group shots later.

 

[alvinlovesu]

ask your fren which aisle he slow marching up onto, can get up close with him.

the highlight would be the tossing of the peak capsi believe, this should happen right after the reciting of the officer's creed. set your cam to multishot and shoot away.

Bring a flash! lighting conditions during the epaulettes presentation can be quite messy, flood lights with low environmental lights.

Depending on the contingent, (should be alpha, golf, echo etc... batch. quite big contigent) you might need up to 400mm.

 

[Dream Merchant]

Yes, flash, and spare, FULLY CHARGED batts/spare cards and wide lens are 'auto' choices for events.

 

[Replica]

Dunno if the parade is the same format as mine 11 yrs ago? Basically u need a wide/tele lens. Spectator stand is too far from the contigents, esp if it is the rear contigents, u need a zoom lens. A wide lens is to capture the parade if u want to. If not zoom will suffice to catch ur fren from the stand.
During eupalette putting on parade and end of parade, u can get close up with ur fren. Zoom lens will not be appropriate cos it will be too crowded. U may need a wide lens for group shots. Enjoy shooting : )

 

[ah zhao]

Apologies for not phrasing my question properly. Because I totally have no idea how the parade will be like. But with the advice from you all, now I have a better idea on the things to bring, moments that must be captured and how to find my friends. Thanks alot!!

 

[freeloadx]

can take pics of the parents there.
their hopeful expressions

 

[ah zhao]

Now i need help for another thing. After the parade, i went to harvey norman and get a akarui lens cleaning kit. There is a small black bottle of lens cleaning solution. Used it to clean my panasonic fz35 lens. The solution was oily and cause smudge on my lens. Pls kindly advice on how to remove it. And whether those solution for cleaning computer lcds can clean camera lens as well. Thks.

 

[sherchoo]

Now i need help for another thing. After the parade, i went to harvey norman and get a akarui lens cleaning kit. There is a small black bottle of lens cleaning solution. Used it to clean my panasonic fz35 lens. The solution was oily and cause smudge on my lens. Pls kindly advice on how to remove it. And whether those solution for cleaning computer lcds can clean camera lens as well. Thks.

You might want to start a new topic with the appropriate title to get better response.

 

[quizesilver]

attached pic hopefully will give u an insight wat to except while in SAFTI.

this may give u more view too

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/safti/ocs/...07/press_release_Commaders_Parade_220207.html
http://www.mindef.gov.sg/safti/ocs/...Articles_07/2007-09-09_6606_Comms_Parade.html