Some Stories Stay With You After the Cameras Turn Off

We worked alongside the Crime Survivors team to capture their Night of Resilience, a celebration of 23 years of their work. There was a lot to document, but what stood out to me was seeing how supportive everyone was of each other.

Hearing from people involved in law enforcement, community service, and outreach gave that support more context. Each group has its own focus and responsibilities. They also understand that they need each other. Bringing those people together was a chance to recognize the work Crime Survivors does and the relationships that help make it possible.

That became an important part of how we approached the coverage. We wanted to capture the people and the moments that made it a celebration, while keeping that larger purpose in mind.

Working alongside their team

An event like this has a lot of different people involved, and working alongside their team was an important part of capturing it.

From our side, there’s a balance between thinking about the footage we need and staying present with what’s happening. You’re making decisions about where to be, what to frame, and when to keep watching. The people in front of the camera have their own reasons for being there, and those reasons matter to the story.

For Night of Resilience, the celebration and recognition were central to that. Our job was to document an evening that reflected the work of Crime Survivors and the people who support it.

Inside, outside, and into the evening

There was a practical side to all of this, too. We were moving between indoor and outdoor spaces, with coverage that carried us from daytime into night. Add in a little wind from the Santa Anas, and there were a few changing conditions to work around.

That kind of coverage asks you to keep paying attention to the light. What works outside during the day needs another look when you move indoors, and again as the evening gets darker. You have to stay aware of those changes while keeping up with the event itself.

We shot video with our Sony FX3 and FX30, and handled photography with our Sony a6700. Having video and stills as part of the coverage meant thinking about how to document the event in both formats, with each serving a slightly different purpose.

The technical decisions are part of the work, but they always come back to the moment you’re trying to capture. The cameras, the changing light, and the conditions all need attention so you can do justice to what’s happening in front of you.

What stays with you

Looking back, I keep coming back to the support people showed each other and the understanding that their work is connected.

Twenty-three years is a meaningful milestone. Night of Resilience was an opportunity to celebrate that history and recognize what Crime Survivors does. It was great to work alongside their team and help document it.

Those are the things that give the footage meaning after the cameras turn off.

If you’d like to learn more about Crime Survivors and the work they do, I hope you’ll take a moment to visit www.crimesurvivors.org We’re grateful for the opportunity to come alongside their team and help share a piece of their story.