A Chicago Minute or Two

By most measures, this is a rather ordinary photograph of an extraordinary orchestra.

The plan was for me to arrive with my equipment during intermission of a Saturday concert. After their concert I would photograph the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. What could go wrong?

I was told by the Orchestra’s marketing representative that I could do a test shoot at their practice two days before the concert. That way I could adjust the lighting at Orchestra Hall the way I needed it for the shoot. I could also establish my shooting position. I could shoot a few sheets of 4×5 film using the same emulsion batch – and exposure – that I would use for the final shoot. This would allow me to run the film to Gamma Photo Labs, wait for the film to be processed and access the results.

The test film looked the way I had hoped and allowed me to be confident in the entire process that would be repeated for the real shoot.

Upon arrival at Orchestra Hall I was met by the marketing person who told me that it was imperative that the photo session end at 10:30 P.M. Because of union regulations, each orchestra member left posing for a picture even one second past 10:30 would cost the Orchestra significant overtime fees.

After coordinating our watches to “Orchestra time” we both nervously listened to the remainder of the concert. When it ended at 10:15 I was really getting nervous. I still had to wait for the hall to empty, go to the second floor balcony I had used for the test shoot, position my tripod, focus the camera and take the photos.

With the Hall empty I ran up the two flights of stairs and opened the doors to the balcony. At that moment I summoned the courage to glance at my watch. EXACTLY 10:28. As I adjusted the camera and loaded the first film holder, I shouted out a greeting – and a few orders in the same sentence. I exposed three sheets each of color transparency and negative film. With the last shot I said, “Thank you ladies and gentlemen. We are now finished.” A glance at my watch – and a thumbs up from the marketing person told me that it was exactly 10:30.

Sometimes even the most mundane assignments require meticulous preparation.

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Chicago Symphony Orchestra