I was not supposed to be on this shoot but it turned into an unexpected adventure—a 19-hour day that tested my endurance, adaptability, and passion for photography. Initially, I wasn’t supposed to be the one behind the camera, but fate had other plans. Here’s how it all unfolded.

Originally, the role of the Black Queen in this live chess event was to be played by Sarah, who had her outfit and crown all ready. But life had other plans, and she ended up taking a month-long costume design gig on a film set. Adam was next in line to shoot this event, but a week before the event, their son landed a commercial spot, so he was out too. That left me with the responsibility of capturing the day.

My day began at 5 AM, armed with a thermos of coffee, snacks, and all my gear. I had never met the person I was picking up, who would now be the Black Queen for the event, but that only added to the sense of adventure. We hit it off right away, bonding over our shared love of music festivals and live shows. As someone who’s worked many gigs in my time, this was a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

The drive was mostly uneventful—highway miles with little to see—but the conversation kept things interesting. My new acquaintance introduced me to some awesome music, blending dubstep with a metal twist, which made the hours fly by. We hit traffic around the GTA, and after several GPS reroutes, we managed to arrive 30 minutes early, much to our surprise.

The event took place on one of the hottest afternoons I’ve ever experienced in Niagara Falls. We walked from the parking lot to a small chess set-up just across the river from the American side of the Falls. Some people wore costumes and some did not, though I felt for the people dressed in heavy outfits under that scorching sun.

This was my first time doing event photography. I brought my drone along and managed to capture some low-altitude shots, adding a unique perspective to the event footage. Despite the heat and exhaustion, I found myself enjoying the challenges, snapping away while the players made their move.

By 5 PM, I was running on fumes, having been awake for 12 hours and on the go in intense heat. But the day wasn’t over. We headed back to St. Catharines to pick up one of Sarah’s partners, Chris, who was eager to see Sarah for her birthday. After a quick bite at a local diner, I had one final mission—flying my drone over an old shipwreck just outside of St. Catharines. I spent a half-hour capturing some epic shots before we finally headed home. I didn’t crawl into bed until after 1 AM, utterly exhausted but satisfied.

This trip, which I initially wasn’t supposed to be part of, turned out to be a memorable experience. It was my first foray into event photography, and while I wasn’t always sure what to shoot, I think I managed to capture the essence of the day. The photos and video from the event have already opened up new opportunities for me, and I’m looking forward to more spontaneous adventures like this.

Sometimes, life throws you into situations you didn’t plan for, but those are often the moments that teach you the most. And this trip to Niagara Falls was a perfect example of that.


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