 Professional Photography |
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Event PhotographySpecial events can take involve months — sometimes years — of planning. Whether it's a corporate meeting or wedding, you spend coutless hours deciding on location, catering, guest list, decorations, flowers, centerpieces — every detail is planned, all the way to instructing the caterer that you will only be satisfied with "wild line-caught salmon" (no domestic farm-raised salmon for your events!) The photography for such an important event shouldn't be left to the last minute. By their very nature, special events only happen once, and even annual events will never happen again in quite the same way. The selection of photographer, and the photography style, should be planned carefully, to ensure that you end up with exactly the kind and quality of photographs you desire. Special Requirements for Event PhotographyEvent photography can be considered something of a hybrid between documentary photography and candid pics. The photographer is there to record the event and the "planned" moments — the toast, the speech, the performance. But he should be prepared at all times to capture a special unplanned moment as it happens: a gasp of surprise, a look of delight, an unexpected reaction. At the same, the photographer must respect the process and procedures of the event. He can't stop the action and hold up the proceedings to change lenses or replace batteries. An experienced, competent event photographer has been there before, and knows how to keep up with his changing equipment needs without interfering with the flow of the event. Likewise, the event is a continuing process that happens over the course of several hours. The photographer can't show up, take his photos, and leave. He must be present for the duration of the event for which you want photos, and he is there not only to document the planned moments but to capture the unplanned ones as well. He should be able to do this without disrupting the event or annoying your guests. He needs to have the magical ability to stick his camera in someone's face without being obtrusive. Selecting the Event PhotographerAs soon as you have finalized the date and time of your event, you should begin looking for your photographer. You can ask for referrals from friends and business associates, check with the local Chamber of Commerce, and just start calling photographers. Look for a photographer with experience in the type of event you are holding, and ask to see samples of his work for those types of events. Ideally, you should be able to look at his entire album of photos for a given assignment, not just the final retouched photographs. Take your time in going through his albums to see how many photos he takes of each major part of the event, gauge how well he frames and composes the photos, whether he captures people's faces and emotions. Look particularly at the style of his photographs and how they represent the people and actions at the event. Also pay attention to how well the photographer listens to your concerns and preferences and answers your questions. If he seems brusque, rushed, or inattentive during the initial meeting, he probably won't be any better at the event itself. Photography Style for Event PhotographySome photographers employ a photojournalistic approach, recording snapshots in time to represent the event literally "as it happened." Others approach their more work with a more artistic flair, using unusual camera angles, filters, lighting techniques, and composition to achieve photos that resemble art more than photojournalism. Other photographers may combine these approaches to create artistic photojournalistic photos, or alternate a journalism style with an artistic style. No approach is "better" than the others, but you should decide what kind of style you prefer and find a photographer who is experienced and competent in that style. |
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