The business of event photography is a hoax. In theory, this is as simple as walking in, shooting pictures of people having fun, and that is it. As a matter of fact, you are in the erratic lighting, you are working with constant movement, and you are trying to get real moments but remain invisible. Oh, and you only have one opportunity to make it right as you cannot exactly request everyone to play the speech of a best man over and over again.
During the process of compiling your portfolio of events as a photographer, or even when you are thinking of hiring an event photographer, this is what actually counts in the name of getting events covered in the right way.
The Secret of What Event Photography is.
Everything, a corporate conference to wedding receptions, product launches to birthday parties, event photography is in every corner. The common denominator among them is that things happen once and in real time and that you have to have to document them as they happen.
Event photography involves constant adaptability unlike the case of portrait photography when you can do everything the way you want, or in the case of product photography where you can work at your own pace. The lights vary with movement of people. Significant events occur randomly. The most desirable shots appear sometimes in unforeseen locations.
That is why event photographers who have gained experience have a sixth sense of where to go and at which time. They are not psychic because they have learned to read events, know when something is going to happen and place themselves where they can be ready.
The Technical Problems No One Knows About.
Your greatest problem is lighting. Halls of conferences are those with severe overhead fluorescent lights. The mood lighting in evening receptions is poor. Outdoor events are fully dependent on whether the British weather will cooperate. You are always battling with inappropriate lighting that was not made to be photographed.
Professional event photographers go round the clock with fast lenses, knowledge of ISO levels, and knowledge of when flash is needed and when it is obtrusive. Flashing in an emotional speech? Distracting. Planning on flash to take group pictures in a dark location? Absolutely necessary.
The second is the ignorance of people on how to be photographed. When faced with a camera angle, most individuals are frozen and when they discover the camera is aimed at them, they draw unnatural smiles that are not in line with their normal faces. The most ideal event photographs occur when the photographer avoids being noticed and this takes a certain talent of being at the place but staying non intrusive.
Then there is the simple physical requirement. You stand on your legs for hours, and you have large machinery in your hand and you keep on moving to achieve varying angles. A normal company party may require six hours of uninterrupted photography. A marriage may take up to twelve hours or even longer. This isn’t a job for the unfit.
What makes a good event photograph?
Obviously, it is the technical quality. Good composition, sharp focus, proper exposure – there is no compromise with these. However, the difference between what is considered sufficient event photography and excellent event photography is taking authentic moments and not artificial ones.
**True reactions are better than acted shots twice. A person laughing over a joke at a presentation. The move on the face of the speaker as the conversation succeeds. Workmates engaged in a networking break chatting to each other. These narrate the incident much better than a group of fifteen group photos that are practically the same image.
Context matters too. Long shots of the venue set-ups, close ups of decor and branding, and close ups of the food and the stage – these create the ambience and the environment. You are making a visual account of the whole event and not only of the individuals that attended it.
The candid situations are precious. It is the speaker who is glancing over his notes before he gets up there. The faces of organisers when all is well. The silent scenes in between the large set pieces. These are the pictures that the people look at years later and tell them yes that is the way it was.
Actually Meaningful Equipment.
The most expensive camera in the market is not necessary, although you require good equipment that will withstand a difficult situation. Low light is a requirement of fast lenses (f/2.8 or faster). The camera body is of good high-ISO performance, and you are saved when the light is dreadful. When the ambient light is not enough, there is a solid flash to use.
Backup everything. Take two body cameras (one of them will be killed at the most inopportune time). Carry spare batteries, additional memory cards and spare light. Professional event photographers have their second copy of backups since they have one chance and no more.
Difficult venues are transformed using professional lighting equipment. Light emitting panels on a portable basis can be used to fill the shadows without being noticed. Off camera flash gives depth and dimension. Good lighting equipment is not only about making things brighter but it is also about making people look good in photographs made in areas that were not originally intended to have photographs in.
A Photographer and Venue Relationship.
You should know your venue in advance. Flash around the area, see what source the natural lighting is, where you could pose to shoot, cheque out the reality of what the ambient lighting looks like. Pre-event visit saves massive levels of stress on the day.
In some cases the limited access to some areas, restrictions on the use of flash on particular areas, or certain positioning. It is better to find out before than realise half way through that you are unable to do what you intended.
What Clients Actually Want
When a person pays an event photographer, he/she is not purchasing the photos but rather peace of mind. They also desire to know that all the crucial moments will be captured, the photos will be of professional quality and that they do not need to be bothered about the photography aspect of everything.
They desire to be fully covered without the sense that they were at photoshoot. The photographer is expected to be part of the occasion and instead of always interfering and posing the shots, it is expected to capture spontaneous moments.
They desire photos in real time. Not half a year later after considerable editing. There is momentum in events, the photos are most useful when they are fresh and can be shared at the time when people still remember the event.
They would like a combination of shots: long shots that define the environment, close shots that reveal emotion, detail shots that reveal the work on arrangements, and good group shots, of which they would like to have in the corporate archives or a family album.
Theming and making Props Work.
Event photography is quite simplified through proper selection of props and stage. You have a clean branded background that provides you with a uniform picture background. Light is on the important parts so that you are not struggling with the horrible venue lighting. Considerable setting of tables and decorations offer superb detail shots.
Theminging and props are natural photo opportunities when they are executed effectively. Individuals would desire pictures next to amazing arrangements. Proper staging will point you where you want photographs to be taken. It is the disparity between going out after shots and people spontaneously flocking to photographically attractive locations.
The Vision of Event Photography.
It is a tough job, which needs technical capability, human skills, and physical endurance. It seems that the most successful event photographers do that without trying since it is the way they know how to predict the moments, operate in the worst conditions, and provide the outcomes which are always the same.
To the clients, the task of picking the appropriate event photographer requires one to go beyond the football pretty portfolio to ensure that the choice is an individual who is aware of the particular aspects of the event that you are planning. Corporate events require other skills as compared to weddings, which require other approaches to the product launch.
The bottom line: Good event photography helps to capture the mood, the spirit, the highlights of an event in such a manner that allows the people who were not present to know what transpired, and the people who are present to know why it was important. All the rest is mere technicalities.
Whether it is some events being photographed or you have a plan, proper equipment and a set up are the key. The technical sphere of event photography should have no less attention than the creative one, in other words, the lighting equipment, professional backdrops, and props should be taken into account as well.