Event Organisers: Here’s what your photographer wants you to know
Having photographed events for years, and spent hours upon hours editing out wires, fire exit signs and half drunk bottles of beer (which I realise is part of the job of course), I’ve been thinking about what five things would make life much easier as an event photographer. While some of these things are covered in my briefing process, and some are unavoidable at times (we’re looking at the light, adjusting our shutter speeds and anticipating what’s coming next so we don’t spot every single eyesore) some simple considerations will result in much better photographs - so, in no particular order, here are my top 5!
Chairs and access ⛔️
Photographers need to move around to get a variety of viewpoints as the action unfolds - so if you’re having a seated audience, please please don’t place chairs where they restrict us being able to get to the front, the side, the back, or in front of key speakers. While I’ll always check at the beginning of any event, people and their chairs do move, get closer together and end up in odd places (especially if its a long event) so leaving us plenty of space to get in and around is really important, particularly in tight spaces. A little protected pocket of room at the front is also essential, so no matter what happens we can sneak into that spot (particularly if it’s a ribbon cutting, an award being presented etc)
2. Wherever possible, please try not to position your speakers in front of a fire exit 😬
As clean a background as possible will give you much nicer speaking shots (and save us hours of editing headaches!)
3. Keep it tidy 🚮
While spotless environments are not authentic - and some debris adds to the authenticity of event photography - hanging wires, empty water bottles and open laptops in key areas are an eyesore and can take a great photo to an okay one. A little sweep of key areas every now and again can make the world of difference to your shots. I’ll always move them if I see them, but at large events this is a job in itself and it can take photographers away from what we should be focusing on - changing light, capturing those important moments etc.
4. Key moments 📸
I always check with customers what the ‘must-capture’ moments are at any event, and I’m flexible enough to deal with last minute surprises, but giving this one thought and discussion beforehand will mean the things above can be managed ahead of time, so if any unplanned but essential moments happen on the day, we can get into the right place and get a clean shot.
Keep checking in with us throughout the day - if plans change, if something new comes up - think of us as your extended team :)
5. Tell us what kind of light to expect ⚡️
Is it LED downlighting? (Hope not 😂) Very warm? Very dark? While we can adjust for this on the day, an idea of the available light in any room tells me if I need to bring a soft box, my LED panel or any other specialist equipment. It’s not always feasible to do a recce on every single venue - so a quick phone snap sent before the event can be all we need to make sure we bring the right kit with us on the day, whether its flash or constant light.
Are you planning a business conference, event or celebration? I offer event photography across Bradford, Leeds, Ilkley, Otley and further afield by arrangement.
