10 Tips to get the most out of photography as a PLANNER at your event | Event Photography by Kelli Price
Top 10 Tips to get the most out of photography at your event
You most likely have been planning your event for over a year, if not longer. Now it's time to make sure your hard work is documented. Your attendees and guests will definitely be taking photos with their smartphones, but will YOU get access to all those images? And will the quality be there? May I be so bold as to say “Nope.”
If your budget doesn’t have flexibility for an event photographer, check out my “Event Photography 101” video on how you can capture a handful of quality images of your event.
If your budget allows (yay!), definitely book a professional event photographer! To get the most “bang for your buck” from the photos, consider these 10 Tips to get the most out of your event photography:
Make sure to communicate the end goal of the photos to your photographer. This will help them to know where to focus (pun intended) their efforts. Do you need the photos to market next year’s event? Do you want to highlight sponsors & their logos/signage at the event? Do you to use the photos for social media during the event? Is there a special guest that will only be at the event for a set amount of time? If so, make sure that’s on the photographer’s schedule. Or, do you want the event captured to share with the attendees?
If your goal in #1 is to share the photos with the attendees, make sure to have a plan. Every corporate event & incentive trip I photograph I’m always asked the question, “How can I see these photos?” You have planned a unique & exciting event for your attendees, let them relive the fun by sharing the photos or putting a photo at their desk. This will motivate them for the following year, or maybe even motivate co-workers who were unable to attend! I have some clients who add the photos to their shared drive. I’m also able to provide branded galleries, which is more user-friendly and allows the attendees to easily download and/or purchase prints.
If one of your goals is to utilize the images for social media during the event, give your photographer a short list or description of what you want to post. Do you want funny photos, special award ceremony or certain sponsors highlighted etc.
Are there room drops or a gifting experience? Ask your photographer to capture them so you can either show the client how great they looked OR show off to future clients. Your gifting partners will also appreciate a photo or two!
Most events have cocktail receptions or wine service at dinner, let your photographer know if you prefer cocktails to not be in the photos. In general, I ask guests to hold their drinks down (its surprising how many people hold their cocktails at chest level!). But it is helpful to know if the images will be unusable if there is a beer in the photo.
If applicable, set a time for a team photo, especially post-pandemic! Your team has either grown since 2020 and/or they haven’t seen each other in a long time. Document this special time of being together and not on Zoom! Framed team photos can also make a great ‘thank you’ gift after the event.
Will you have a lot of guest speakers at your event? It’s very common for speakers to not have a high-quality or updated headshot. Consider scheduling time with your photographer the day before the event starts for headshots of the speakers and/or executives who will be on stage.
If this is a company meeting, consider scheduling time for the employees to update their headshots. They can be used for name badges, chat icons, sales presentations or updating the company website. Be sure to communicate to your photographer if you need the headshots to match previous years’ photos.
Take advantage of your branding. Tell a story in your event photography with eye catching signage, logo’ed bottles, bags or shirts. When your attendees hold or wear branded items it casually puts your logo in the photos!
Trust your photographer! Try not to give them an extensive shot list or a tight schedule as it can sometimes take a little time to observe and capture the natural moments happening at your event. If they are reliable event photographers, they will capture your event perfectly! Also, please feed us.
BONUS - If your events change locations each year, find a photographer that travels with you year after year! Once you find a photographer you like & trust, it will be seamless to have them with you year after year. Travel costs should be worth the peace of mind for reliable quality event photography. I also have found that the attendees have fun with me (the photographer) over the years.
Guess what?! If you read all of this blog I’m assuming you are searching for an event photographer. And I just happen to be an event photographer that can do all of the above! SCORE! Connect with me for a custom proposal for your event.
Read my other blogs from this series:
Find a photographer that travels with you!