Got a Media Pass for Paranormal Cirque

I landed a media pass to shoot the Paranormal Cirque in Mesquite. I reached out through different channels and finally got a response by email. I was super excited when they said yes to the pass.

This was my first show ever, and I didn’t know what to expect. I haven’t shot in this kind of environment before, so I was nervous. I don’t have a ton of equipment yet, but what I have is good quality, professional entry-level gear, so I knew I could produce some nice images.

I brought my Sony 24mm f1.4 GM on a Sony A7III and my Sigma 24-70 f2.8 Art on a Sony A6000. With the crop sensor, the Sigma was basically a 36-105mm, which gave me some reach.

My plan was to shoot the event casually, like street photography. I wanted to get some candid shots to share with the audience (for clout, of course), but my main goal was to capture some unique photos that the company could use for promotion. I was nervous and anxious, trying to look professional and like I knew what I was doing. The whole “fake it till you make it” mentality kicked in. I really wanted to do a good job and not come across as a newbie.

While I got some candid shots of the staff and the crowd, once the show started, it was non-stop action. I was running from one corner to the other, trying to capture everything without blocking anyone’s view.

The venue wasn’t full because of COVID, so they were trying hard to promote the event and get more people in. You could tell people were still scared; many were wearing masks, which was actually a requirement to attend. Running around with a mask on was tough—I was out of breath, and it felt like there wasn’t enough air.

The sound, the lights, the stage—everything was mesmerizing. I took a great shot of a contortionist in a cage, with dense fog around them. When the lights hit, it revealed the cage, and the colors made the whole scene come alive. Another highlight was capturing the vampire coming out of a casket surrounded by fire—intense!

With all the action, I was constantly switching between cameras, trying to get different shots and angles. I wanted to shoot everything that moved. At the same time, I was worrying about whether I had the right exposure or if the images were too dark. I didn’t have much time to review photos—just a few seconds between scene changes—but from what I could see, they looked good on the small camera screen.

There were so many great moments throughout the show. I ended up taking almost 5,000 images last night. Sure, many are useless or repetitive, but I needed to make sure I captured some good ones. I want to be invited back!

I had to use high ISO, smaller apertures, and fast shutter speeds in low-light conditions. Basically, I needed good glass and a camera that could handle the job. If I didn’t have these, my photos would’ve probably looked like I took them with a phone.

This wasn’t easy to shoot, and I definitely need more experience. I missed some shots I really wanted, but I did get some amazing ones and learned a lot. Last night sharpened my skills. I can’t wait to do it again!