Special Feature - Tips for Event Photography By Paul Whitham LPSNZ
EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY IS literally what the name suggests. You are recording the happenings and generally people, involved in some event to provide a documentary recording of that event. Quite often, as photographers who try to develop our skills, we are asked to shoot because they have seen our work, or even just because “you have a nice camera.� You may even be lucky enough to get some benefit from it. The following tips are not an exhaustive list but rather a starting point.
Be clear on the requirements Before you agree to shoot an event it is really important that you have a clear understanding of what it is you are being asked to record and also what the images will be used for. From personal experience, being asked to take candid shots at a party turns very quickly into group formal images when the host announces that the photographer is available to take family shots without even first discussing it with you.
Try to capture interaction and activity
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It is also usual to determine with the organisers what the dress standard of the event will be because that will help you plan your own wardrobe.
Have an agreed shot list Quite often event organisers will have certain aspects that they wish to record, so it is a good idea to discuss with them what the shots are, and more importantly when they are planned to occur. This is particularly relevant when the item that they want you to capture is part of a surprise and will only happen once. Even at conferences the organisers may want group shots which need to be taken during breaks, so you need to be prepared both to take them as well as plan your own breaks. Once you have the list, sort it into chronological order, print it out and put it into you camera bag. Check it before you pack your gear and several times during the event. Don’t rely on your memory because in the heat of the event things are easily forgotten. If the event is more formal (or business related) it pays to also find out what the images will be used for. For that last 12 years I have been the official photographer at a number of work events and I knew that the images would be used both on web and in print and that they also wanted images in both portrait and landscape format. I therefore ensured that I could provide all of these images.
