Event Photography: Top 10 Tips from a Professional Event Photographer
Capture key moments and tell a story, with professional quality, and confidence so you can focus on the event
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Hiring an event photographer in San Jose is a great way to capture the biggest moments from nearly any kind of event. While most people carry around a camera in their pocket these days, that doesn’t mean those people are qualified to perform event photography in a way that will produce the results you desire. If you are thinking about bringing in a professional event photographer for an upcoming personal or professional outing, the tips below should be a big help.
#1 – Plan Like a Pro: Pre-production is Key for Event Photography
Success on virtually any kind of project tends to come down to planning, and event photography is no different. If you have a good plan in place for the project, and for the event as a whole, you are far more likely to come away with results that are satisfactory.
You’ll want to connect with your event photographer well in advance to work through some of the details that could potentially trip you up without good planning. For example, you’ll want to work together with the event photographer to sketch out a shot list of the moments that you want to be sure to capture. This might include getting shots of key moments in the event, taking certain group photos, and more.
Also, this is a good time to go over the logistics of event photography. For example, where can power be found if the photographer needs to plug some things in? Or where can the event photographer store some of their equipment while the event is ongoing? The more of these small details that you can work out ahead of time, the better off you will be when the event arrives and you don’t have to stress about it all.
READY TO book a session?
or have a question?
✉ photo@paulstreit.com
Click my email address, it will open an email on your computer / phone – click the phone # button to call me from your phone)
#2 – Know Your Space: Lighting and Location for Event Photography San Jose
For an event photographer, few things are as helpful as understanding the space that they will be working with for a project. Knowing what the space will be like, and what it will have available, helps tremendously in being prepared for the big day. If you want your event photography to be beautiful in the end, knowing as much about your space as possible is a bit step in that direction.
Of course, in photography, so much comes down to lighting. For example, if you know in advance that the lighting is going to be a little dim in your location, let the event photographer know so they can plan on that and bring the right equipment for the job. Also, if there are any particularly appealing backgrounds that can be used in the location to get great photos, knowing that ahead of time is going to make things easier. It might be possible to do a little bit of prep work at the site – depending on the circumstances of the event – in order to make sure it’s ready to shine and produce pictures that will be memorable.
#3 – Capture the Essence: Storytelling Through Images
Pictures are a powerful way to tell a story. While there is nothing wrong with some staged photos, and you’ll probably want to include some of that in your event photography plan, make sure you work with your photographer to have plenty of candid shots, as well. If the photographer can capture things like people focused on an important speech, or laughing together while having a meal, it will bring the event to life in a way that staged photos simply can’t accomplish.
In the end, you want to come away with a diverse collection of photos that highlight everything that was great about the event. This is really where working with an experienced event photographer is going to pay off. Someone who has done this kind of work many times before and understands how to work their way around the event to grab the right photos at the right times will be tremendously valuable on this project.
#4 – People Make the Story: Capturing Emotions
Even if you have a beautiful venue picked out for this event, it’s the people that will always be the stars of the show. So, make sure your event photographer plans to focus primarily on capturing the people rather than the place. Make no mistake – the place can play an important role in the photos, and it should be featured to some degree, but never at the expense of getting as many great shots of the people involved as possible.
Sometimes, event photography can miss the mark when there are too many basic photos of parts of a building, the scenery outside, etc. Sure, those things are worthwhile to capture as part of the story you are telling, but they aren’t the key part of the story. When you look back on the pictures months or years later, you’ll be happy that your photographer was able to catch the people in such vivid detail.
#5 – Don’t Forget the Details: Branding and Ambiance
For corporate event photography, it’s a good idea to also get some images of the branding elements that are used as part of the décor. If your event photographer knows that you want some of these visual assets for later, it should only take them a matter of minutes to get some great shots of what is on display. This is the type of work that could be done as the event is just getting going, or even before it officially starts.
#6 – Embrace the Unexpected: Be Flexible
No matter how much work you do ahead of time, and how prepared you think you are, something is going to go wrong on the day of the event. And that’s okay. Working with an experienced event photographer will allow you to adapt on the fly and still get tons of great images from the outing. Event photography does include plenty of planning, as we’ve talked about already, but there is also an element of dealing with the unexpected that’s involved. Any good event photographer is going to know this and will be able to roll with the punches.
#7 – Be an Event Photographer San Jose Partner, Not a Micromanager
It’s great to work together with your event photographer to make sure you are on the same page. It’s not necessary, however, to hover over their every move all night long. This is why you hired them, after all – to make important decisions, use their experience, and come away with great images. Striking a balance of having open communication but not micromanaging is the best way to get the kind of event photography that you need from the project.
#8 – Be Mindful of Guests’ Privacy
Remember that not everyone is comfortable with having their picture taken, and not everyone is going to want to participate in things like staged photo opportunities. Those guests should be respected and their wish for privacy should be granted without any pressure or further questions. Event photography is an important part of many events but it should not come at the cost of downgrading the experience of the event for some of the attendees.
#9 – Post-Production Polish: Selecting and Editing by Your Event Photographer
The event photography process doesn’t end when everyone goes home for the night. In fact, in many ways, it’s just getting started. From there, your photographer is going to need to do plenty of editing work to improve the quality of the best images without taking away from the authenticity that they deliver. This is another point that you can talk about to make sure you are on the same page. Are you okay with extensive editing, or do you want the lightest possible touch to be used? Discuss post-production even before the photos have been taken so you are more likely to love the finished product.
#10 – A Lasting Impression: Delivery and Usage
Speaking of the finished product, an event photography project is finally completed when all of the images are delivered and you can put them into use. The turnaround time for delivery is something that will vary based on the job, and again, should be talked about in advance so everyone is on the same page. You can start thinking about how you’ll use the photos even long before you have received them so you are ready to roll as soon as the files arrive.
Bonus Tip: Investing in Quality
A good event photographer isn’t cheap. That doesn’t mean it has to be particularly expensive, but it shouldn’t be cheap, either. The saying that you get what you pay for is true in most areas of life, including this one.
When hiring a photographer, work with someone who prices their services fairly based on their experience, what they are going to deliver on the project, and the going market rates. It will only take a bit of shopping around to understand what a fair price is for this kind of work. If someone is offering you a rate that is way below what seems to be the going price for a good event photographer, you would be wise to be a bit suspicious. Instead, invest in a quality professional who knows what their time and ability are worth and you won’t be sorry.
Ready to get started? I’m an experienced event photographer with many successful projects under my belt for a range of clients. Feel free to reach out today by giving me a call to discuss your event photography San Jose needs or send me a message and I’ll get back to you right away. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and I’m excited to hear from you!
