Event Photography Handbook: Be an Expert Event Photographer
One of the most exciting niches for photographers is event photography. Out of numerous mass gatherings events like weddings, corporate, concerts, dinner parties, sports events, etc. are notable for photography. Photography is an integral part of these events and worldwide millions of photographers take awesome images in every event. The demand for the event photography is thriving and alongside the photographers are looking more techniques to shoot stunning and praiseworthy photos.
This content is going to be a great event photography guideline for the event photographers. As a rising shutterbug, if you go through the whole content attentively, it is sure, you are going to cut some special event photo shooting tips that might seem new to you.
Event photography gear
As a part of the preparation, you have to think first thing first. Without perfect photo shooting gear, you can never be a renowned photo shooter. When it comes to event photography, the point is more crucial that you can never avoid. Here monetary matters and fame are involved. So, think about how it is important for the event organizer to shoot perfect event photos. If you consider the fact, we think, by this time, you have cut the key points about photography gear.
Camera
Event photography cameras should be different depending on the event places. If it is indoor event photography, try to carry with you a low light camera. But in the event of outdoor photography, it may be in a park, sea-beach, mountainous region, or open field where you will get enough daylight, try to carry the most convenient camera body. Think of the best camera based on your practical experiences of camera using.
Lens
During covering an event, try to use the best lens you have. Image quality mostly depends on the highly efficient camera lens. If you go to capture images out of low light, it is recommended to utilize the lens with f/stop of 2.8 max. If you use a lower one, it would be better. As a professional photographer, leverage the experience that you have gained so far.
Light settings
One of the most relevant things for event photography cover is convenient lighting setup. Appropriate light is the key to stunning images. Try to bring lighting equipment with your backpack. For event photo capturing, you can take with you a portable artificial lighting kit- off-camera flash. If the on-camera flash is not enough, utilize the extra one. Keep in mind, don’t be annoying someone carrying a continuous lighting kit. It may be distracting to the guests. Leverage your long-aged experienced here.
Batteries and extra memory cards
Remember, when you were an amateur photographer, you have lost numerous photography opportunities due to insufficient power and image saving kit. But now, hopefully, you understand how it is crucial to keep extra batteries and memory cards. Even when you are the responsible person to capture event photos, it is more significant to be more conscious to avoid any embarrassing situations regarding camera power and memory card issues. The event photography motto can be harmed if you miss out to carry this equipment.
Camera Settings
It depends. It varies from event to event. What camera setting is perfect for indoor event photo shooting may not be appropriate for outdoor concert photography. The camera setting should be different for low light to highly sunlight.
If you cover concert photography in low light at night, your camera setting should differ from that of held in daylight. In the same way, camera settings for wedding photography events, corporate event photography, sports event photography, and many more must differ from one another.
So, try to bring out the best setting from your practical experiences and experiments. This is the best practice. Instead of that, you can study something about different event photography events.
Know what your clients expect
To know clients’ demand is not only essential in event photography, but also it is necessary for any other photography projects. As a professional photographer, you should work according to your clients’ asking. If they want, you can suggest them to achieve the best photography output. Since you are an experienced and professional event photo shooter, you know how to capture the best poses and moments. So, to bring out the best, suggest to your clients how they should pose and how should be their attire. If there is nothing to advice, try to adjust to how they are and how the environment is. Leverage your best experience.
Know the right moments when to shoot
Perhaps the most important thing in event photography is finding an optimal moment of taking photos. Amateur photographers make mistakes here. They don’t understand when to shoot and when to wait. They become reckless and so, at times they become the subject of annoy and jokes. However, we are providing you some hints about when to capture images. The following list you can maintain.
Getting ready photos
To cover an event, as a professional photographist, you should be early at the spot so that you never miss any golden moment. Your first stunning shoot of the day may be the moment when everything is being made ready. You should have access to everywhere and so go backstage and take the images when the guests and even the hosts are getting prepared for the event.
Stage shots
Definitely, you will take photos of the stage. When the speakers are on the stage and presenting their speeches, shoot as many as possible. This is one of the most crucial moments to shoot. Take images from different perspectives and poses so that later you can do photo culling for choosing the best images.
Photos of speakers presenting
As the tail-end of the previously stated point, we like to recommend you to capture moments when the guests are delivering speeches on the stages. Never miss the moment. It is highly demanded time your clients may desire to be shot from you.
Pictures of staff working
Take images of the staff working in that event to make the event successful. Find the moment of their satisfaction and smiling faces. Or shoot their photos at their busy times and show them the images after the event. They will feel significant and it will add a positive tone in the whole event.
Photos of guests’ engaging and networking
Another wonderful photography moment is when the guests and speakers are gossiping, hanging out, and growing network among themselves. Keep an eagle eye finding that time and shoot click after click to attain the best images while they are indifferent to the camera.
Artistic images of food and drinks
Take photos of food and drinking time. Take time, arrange dishes and take photos from various perspectives to have artistic photos. In need, seek help from the attendants and staff.
Interior of the venue and branding
During any event, event management companies decorate houses utilizing their best decors and that creates a dreamy environment well-designed to shoot outstanding photos. Try to take images of the beautiful decoration and decors. Keep the interior of the venue as the backdrops of the people’s photos.
Reportage style photos
Click for photos that deliver messages. Try to capture photos that express something. Take reportage style photos. To get such a valuable photo, apply the fox’s cunning all the time during the event.
Staged portraits
One of the most crucial and desired moment to photograph is the time of stage performances- whether it is simple speech delivering or to perform songs and other activities. Never miss the chance; your client definitely will ask images of that time after the event.
Photographs of the general location
Like the interior, you should take the images of other general location. Roam around and search the things worthy to capture. Such photos will add extra spice to the entire event photo album.
Photos of the program, flyers or other collateral
During any event, the organizers use various corporate identities or event-related wallpapers or something like these to create a luxury environment. While you are taking photos, keep in mind, never miss these beautiful staff. Take photos perfectly and blow your clients’ minds with the images.
Full room photos
If you can capture 360-degree panorama images, do it. Try to take images of the entire room or community hall to give a better perspective. Take such photos so that your clients can view everything at a glance.
Images of the details and close-ups
Your photos must be detail-oriented and storyteller. Get such images for better exposure. Don’t forget to take close-up shots.
Candid shots of participants
Candid images are those that you take when the participants are not aware of clicking. In their natural poses, shoot photos that are great to view. You must achieve ‘thank you’ for the photos.
Images of staff networking
During someone on the stage, the other guests and staff remain busy to converse and grow a network. You should take images of those moments. These types of photos are valuable to the organizer and participants.
Event signage
Take some stunning photos that will work as souvenir and event signage. These images have too much value to the event organizer who can use these images later for marketing purposes. In case of personal events like a wedding or something like this, take memorable images that will bring your clients’ emotions to come out.
People having fun
To take photos of the people having fun is one of the golden opportunities to get beautiful and meaningful photos. Capture the happiest moments of your clients. In an event, such images are a great souvenir.
Photos of other vendors and service providers
If the event organizers are from the corporate sector, there may have more than one vendor and service provider. As a professional photographer, you should take images of all the vendors and parties.
Be punctual
Since you are a lead photographer, you have to attend to the event as early as possible. To catch every fantastic moment from the very early of the event, you should be at the venue before arriving at the guests and speakers. Besides, to capture the moments of pre-event, you must be on the spot before all. To be successful as a photographer, it is necessary to maintain time and punctuality. One of the reasons for photographers’ failure is that they boast of their current position, customers, and income. And so, they don’t care about time and quality of photography. So, be aware if you are one of them. Shake off laziness and concentrate on the quality job and client’s satisfaction.
Suggest attire perfect for the event and your clients
In case of a personal event like a wedding and something like this, your clients may not know what to wear or what will the perfect dresses for them. If they seek any suggestions from you, suggest to them the clothes that will look amazing when they will be captured wearing those. If they want, help them to pose to create storytelling photos. Form all the points of view regarding clothes, you can offer them a short lecture. But, when you are going to take images on behalf of the corporate clients, you don’t need to suggest them and dare not to do so.
Don’t bother, be helpful
As a photographer, show patience and be helpful. Help your clients and guests to pose and other staff so that you can bring out the best event photos. Keep in mind that mutual flexibility will generate outstanding photos. In case of corporate event photography, heed that you are not bothering others. You are the protector of your own fame. At any cost, you have to maintain professionalism.
Don’t linger, be faster
Photography is an essential part of any event and when you are the responsible person to capture all the moments, you are also so much significant one. Your presence on time is everywhere in the event during the whole event time is desired. You should be fast-moving, expert to engage others while clicking, and a most dependable person. Your presence will add extra pleasure among the staff, guests, and speakers definitely. So, try not to linger doing anything on that very day, rather be faster to cover everything. You should enjoy the event. Remember, as a photographer and since you have a DSLR at your hand, you are the only one who is independent to move every corner of the venue and people expect you. Be confident.
Edit and retouch the images
Suppose you have taken hundreds of photos and it is usual. In any event, a photographer like you clicks even a thousand times to capture the best moments. You must have tried your best to get the most stunning photos. Yet you will not get your every shot perfectly. There will have a lot of photos that are beautiful, but because of a small issue, they are not presentable. If it gets small tweaking in Photoshop, it may be more beautiful and attractive. In that case, we recommend taking photo fixing steps in Photoshop and Lightroom. If you can edit the image by yourself, it is great, otherwise, you should take photo editing and retouching services from a company that can manage the bulk amount of photos.
Since photo editing and retouching is a time-consuming job and if it is harmful to your business marketing and attending to more photography events, we must say you to seek help for photo culling and editing. It will save time and money.
In fine, we want to say you not to be reckless, rather be confident. Try to follow the above tips we’ve provided in this content as a professional event photographer. If you are a novice photographer, keep hope, day by day you will be capable to capture stunning images. Never give up, rather take this profession seriously. Keep clicking as more as you can. Grow networking. Maintain a good relationship with people. You must be a well and worthy event photographer.
