Capturing events can without a doubt be a challenge, especially for beginner photographers. You need to have all the necessary gear, be aware of your surroundings, and take great photos without distracting the guests.
From corporate events to concerts, this is a short guide with tips for event photography that can help you to get hired again and again.
1. Bring proper gear
You don’t need to own fancy equipment to shoot event photography. Take your best low-light camera, because in most cases event photography means taking pictures in low light. Search for cameras that have less noise in low ISO.
It’s also essential to have a compact flash drive or large CD so that you can upload all your photos there and make sure that they are safe and secure.
Take a lens with wide aperture f/1.8. It will let more light in, make images brighter, and bring a nice depth of field to photos of people.
Other essential things to bring are a flash that is easy to use. extra batteries, and memory cards.
2. Choose camera mode
For event photography, it’s better to switch your camera to continuous focus. It could have different names depending on the camera make, but in simple terms this mode allows your camera to lock focus on a subject even if the subject is moving, as it could do at an event.
Besides, burst mode is a useful tool when your guests are moving around fast.
3. Take Photos before the event
Take photos of the location, decorations, venue, and tables before the guests arrive. They will help you tell the story. Your client may not think about that but will appreciate your photos of decorations on which they spent a lot of money and time.
Later your clients will be able to use these photos on their social media or catalogs. Make sure that their branding and logos are visible in the images.
4. Cover everything
Do not expect guests to pose for your images. An event photographer is invited to document the event as it is. You can capture how a speaker interacts with guests, or people talk and laugh, having a good time.
When attendees sit down and start eating, stop shooting as it can make them feel uncomfortable. If there are some other things happening around, for instance, a band is playing, focus on them instead. Don’t take pictures of people having food in their mouths. Just don’t.
5. Arrive early
They say that if you are on time, you are late. An event photographer should arrive earlier to park the car, turn on and check the gear, explore the area, take some shots, and check-in with the client.
Come half an hour before the event. Punctuality should be the first impression of you.
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I hope these short tips for event photography will come in handy during your next photo shoot. What are your tips for shooting events? Share them in the comment field below.
