Behind the Lens: Photographing the Mayor Mash-Up
On Saturday night, David and Karen swapped their usual camera club surroundings for the dance floor as they photographed the Mayor Mash-Up at Otley Common. The 90s-themed night, promoted by Otley Mayor Mick Bradley, brought DJs, dancing and plenty of energy to the Common.
For a photographer, though, an event like this presents a very different challenge to photographing in more controlled conditions.
Working with difficult conditions
The combination of very low light, coloured lighting, flashing effects and constant movement meant there was no easy solution.
People were dancing, lights were changing constantly and the available light could go from green to blue to red – or almost disappear completely – in an instant.
Rather than fighting those conditions, David and Karen used them creatively.
Some images deliberately embrace motion blur, allowing the movement of the dancers and changing lights to become part of the photograph. Others use the lighting to create dramatic silhouettes, while longer exposures produce colourful trails and a real sense of movement.
The result is a collection of images that doesn't simply document the event – it helps convey what it felt like to be there.
And that's an important lesson for photographers.
Sometimes the conditions we're given aren't the ones we would choose. The light might be difficult, the subject might be moving too quickly or there may simply not be enough light to get the technically perfect image.
But that's when photography becomes about thinking creatively.
Rather than asking “How do I make this look normal?”, we can ask “What can I do with the conditions I've got?”
David and Karen have certainly embraced that approach here, producing a varied set of photographs that capture the colour, energy and atmosphere of the Mayor Mash-Up.
A great example of the kind of photography that happens beyond our regular Thursday evenings – and another reminder that challenging conditions can sometimes produce the most interesting photographs.
Well done to David and Karen for taking on the challenge! 📸
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