The Pumpkin Singalong at Sakura Park
Here's what most people don't think about when they picture a kids' choir concert: the light.
I photographed Every Voice Choirs at their Pumpkin Singalong in Sakura Park last week, and the fall afternoon light through those trees was doing exactly what you want it to do. Warm, directional, just enough contrast to give the photos some depth without making anyone squint.
Outdoor concerts in the fall are tricky to shoot. The light changes fast as the sun drops, you're dealing with movement from both performers and audience, and there's no controlling the background. But when it works, it really works.
Community concerts with young singers have their own rhythm. Kids waiting for their turn to sing, parents filming on phones, that moment right after someone nails a solo when you can see the relief and pride all at once. None of it is staged, which means none of it is repeatable.
That's the part I love about documentary work. You can't ask a kid to recreate the exact expression they had when they forgot the words and then remembered them (happens more often than you'd think). You either catch it or you don't.
The architecture behind the performance area gave the whole scene this unexpected elegance. Natural amphitheater, historic backdrop, fall colors everywhere. Sometimes the location does half the work for you.
I shot the whole afternoon with natural light, just working with what the late afternoon sun was giving me. That means staying mobile, shifting positions as the light changed, and knowing how to expose for the singers versus the background.
Close-ups between songs captured the energy that the wide shots couldn't. Two girls laughing together, a soloist taking a breath before stepping up to the mic, the chaperones watching the kids with this expression that said "I remember when you were half this tall." Those moments don't make it into the program notes, but they're what make the afternoon memorable.
By the time we got to the final group number, the light was getting low and golden. Classic magic hour stuff. The challenge at that point isn't finding good light, it's choosing which moments to prioritize when everything looks good.
If you're planning an outdoor performance this fall and want someone to document it the way it actually happened (not the staged version), that's what I do. You can reach out here if you want to talk about your next event.
