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Every professional organization—from coal miners to politicians—has
an annual gathering for workers to meet and discuss the state of
their industry. Photo archives, libraries and museums are filled
with photographs of these annual events. Around 1960, however, “banquet
photos,” as they were known, faded from popularity.
Our studio, Gruber Photographers, best known for our technically stunning documentary work in weddings
and special personal events, is reviving the classic B&W 12x20 banquet photo for events.
Corporate or personal, annual or centennial, once a year or once in a lifetime, indoors or outdoors, we are
using vintage (100 year old) 8x10 and 12x20 banquet cameras to produce tack sharp images of groups of
any size. From industry conferences, union negotiations, management dinners, and construction crews to
birthdays, major anniversaries, and family reunions, these unique photos make great conversation pieces
and are the most time efficient and creative way to cover a group of 10 to 1,500 people in one photograph.
Each location is scouted by the banquet photographer to properly
prepare the shot. The Banquet camera and banquet lighting is brought
to the location one to two hours prior to making the image. The
banquet camera is mounted on a tripod high in one corner of the
room. The photo is pre-focused and framed before the group enters
so that the image is in-focus from front-to-back. The guests take
their seats and the photographer and the assistant take control
of the group. The group is told to “freeze”…and in one second the
big group photo is taken. The dinner or meeting resumes, the crew
packs and exits. Within a week, a print of the image is delivered.
Additional photos come ready for mailing. Framed 20x40 prints are
also available for corporate offices and boardrooms.
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