Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.My first paid commission was photographing a finance firm’s office Christmas party in the early 1990s. My career has thankfully moved on but some rules have endured.Snap first, ask later. If you approach your subjects to ask “May I . . . ?” your formerly animated friends will endure sudden attacks of rigor mortis, offering you a row of frozen smiles. Even worse, they might say no.Use the flash. The flash conveys a sense of impromptu glamour, makes all the jewels sparkle and even eliminates crow’s feet.Take lots of close-ups. A well observed detail can tell a much bigger story than a shot of the entire room. Instead of trying to capture the general ambience of an event, look for details that are particular to this party and social set. Is someone wearing an unfortunate Christmas tie? A close-up of the tie and the wearer’s hand jauntily holding a glass of Champagne tells the whole story. Capture gestures. Gestures of greeting, such as air kisses and handshakes, make for engaging photos that convey both the intimacy and the formal quality of an event. Be alert for people who move their hands a lot while talking, laugh frequently or make others laugh. These are your invaluable muses.The importance of food. A bejewelled hand lifting a cocktail wiener or a toast point of Beluga off a tray can convey a lot about a party. Is there a buffet table? What is the salmon wearing? If poached, perhaps it is covered with layers of thinly sliced cucumber. Scan the room. If you are lucky, there will be a woman of rosy complexion wearing a gown of green sequins. If she makes her way to the buffet table, drop your conversational partner like he’s radioactive and get a shot of her with the salmon.Dancing. If you are clever enough to have dancing at your party, use all of these suggestions to get marvellous uninhibited shots. If some are blurry, don’t worry. That can increase the images’ sense of abandon and fun.Don’t forget to dance yourself. All snapping and no twerking makes one a dull host.Things fall apart. The party will peak, and if it has been a success, some guests will be on the tipsy side. We don’t want to embarrass the Major General by recording him passed out on the chaise longue, a fascinator perched on his head. That doesn’t mean don’t take the pictures. Do! Just don’t include them in the album, unless your friends and family are beyond such embarrassments, in which case, congratulations. You are unlikely to need party tips of any kind. Jessica Craig-Martin is a photographer. Her memoir, “I Regret I Am Able to Attend”, will be published by Penguin Random House next year
