Special feature - event photography

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.

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.

Sort out the timing for delivery and who handles the release of images

It is also very important that you have a clear understanding of when images are needed and in this social media age, who will release them. Some events may not care but others will have a clear order in which the images are to be sent out, which may involve the people in the images clearing them for publication.

From a copyright viewpoint, if you are shooting as part of your job, or if you have been asked to record the event by someone else, the default position is that copyright in the images belongs to your employer or the other party. So, if you think you may want to use the images yourself, then you need to have a contract signed that gives you some rights.

Make sure you include branding in the images

Check out the venue

If at all possible, visit the venue before the event so that you can get an idea of the conditions that you will be shooting in, as well as the locations that you can shoot from.

Generally, if you talk to the venue operators and explain that you are recording the event, they will give you access without too much difficulty. Take the camera and lens that you are thinking of using and see what settings are needed to shoot.

Know your gear

This may seem obvious but, before you try to record an event in a dark hall, make sure you know how your gear operates in different lighting conditions. Don’t simply assume that you can use flash and if you can that it will be suitable to your needs. The reality with event photography is that you will only have a limited number of opportunities to get the shot, so mucking around with camera settings is not a good look.

Having said that, it’s documentary photography and not high art. The old newspaper adage, that it is better to get a poor photo then no photo, certainly applies. It is unlikely that the images will be enlarged hugely so you can crank the ISO up and ignore the noise.

Get the right credentials or paperwork

The type of event will determine what you need to show to gain admission carrying camera gear. However, even for something simple, it pays to plan ahead. Accreditation may range from simply the name of the person to contact at the venue through to full-on printed media passes.

Make sure that any of the information provided to you is printed and in your camera bag. This avoids the potential difficulty when you arrive at the venue to find they have security who will only let in certain people.

Practise shooting people talking

If you have been asked to record people making speeches, I would suggest you practise taking images of some friends rehearsing for you. You may think that photographing talking heads is really easy, but the reality is something quite different. When you talk the muscles on your face contort in all sorts of ways. The results are images that may be funny in some circumstances but in others would horrify the subject. I have a number of images of politicians that would definitely have me crossed off their Christmas card list (not that I am on any in the first place).

The key is to take lots of images and to take time to review them if you can.

Generally, when I record speakers at a conference I will watch them for the first 30 seconds to see how they speak and then shoot for a couple of minutes. Then I will review the images and, if I am happy with the shots I have, then I don’t bother taking more.

A presenter in full story will have no idea what their face is doing

If at all possible try not to stay in one place. Without making too much disturbance move around and shoot from different angles.

Always look out for the unusual Move around and shoot from different angles

It is important to shoot the details as well

PSNZ SONY National Exhibition catalogue to remain A4

FOLLOWING LAST YEAR’S innovation, the catalogue for the PSNZ SONY National Exhibition will again be the larger A4 size. The significantly larger reproduction of the photographs was well received. This time the format will be similar, changed slightly to reflect some of the feedback.

Entrants of both print and projected image sections of the exhibition may be asked to supply high resolution files shortly after selection day on 14 March.

To see all the awarded photographs in the catalogue enter the PSNZ SONY National Exhibition by 1 March 2020 or register for the 2020/Vision convention.