TEDxDetroit video

I'm really a big fan of TEDxDetroit. And for three years I've been active in producing the still photos that define its online and printed image. This year was the second year that I've been the lead photographer. I use the term "lead photographer" because it's not just me, there are eight of us because the venue is large (COBO Convention Center), attendance was about 1200 people and there are things happening constantly for about 12 hours. We're an army of 8.
Every year I've been fortunate to roam the auditorium at will, see the stage and audience from every angle and even be backstage to chat, if only briefly, to many of the presenters. And I have my favorites. In 2011, it was Leonard Slatkin the music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra who told about a wonderful teacher he had in Los Angeles Public School and his life's journey to conducting one of America's premier orchestras. He closed by tossing his baseball hat to one luck recipient in the audience. In 2012, I was really moved by Andy Didorosi, who founded the Detroit Bus Company. Many of us rode in a Detroit Bus to the GAR Building to see its renovation.
This year, it had to be the musical group My Pal Val, pictured above with their music playing in the background. If TED's slogan is "Ideas Worth Spreading," this trio's slogan should be "Music You Can Feel."
Your photography assignment may not require multiple shooters, but you'll want it to be memorable just like TEDxDetroit. We welcome the challenge.