Location Limitations...

Choice of location to shoot at any festival is limited and in my experience Berlin sets some pretty big limitations. First it's unlikely that you'd be able shoot outside. In four years I've only managed it once and my battery pack failed due to the cold temperature and the actor kept his coat on!  Outdoors this year was an absolute no no.  We're talking minus ˚7 and counting. So what are the options?  Well first it depends what space the PR agents can get. A lot of the time they are based in the Palast which is the main theatre for the festival. Unfortunately for us photographers it's all orange, orange and orange with a touch of navy blue thrown in here and there. If you're fortunate enough to have an assistant then you've got an extra pair of hands to carry a background.  But since I don't, most of the time it's orange or blue or if I'm lucky someone leaves their backdrop up for me which was the case with this photograph of director Rafi Pitts.  

Otherwise it's this which admittedly worked well with the outfit of director Jasmila Zbanic

Needless to say I'm looking forward to Cannes which at least (most of the time) has the weather on it's side.