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Many people think of event photography as the easiest kind of photo work. After all there is no special set-up or preplanning to worry about, right? Events mean taking candid shots—in which the subjects are not posed and have not had the opportunity to prepare. Professional photographers know a candid shot taken at an event is one of the most difficult to make pleasing. For that reason, good event photographers seldom truly shoot “candid.”
I don’t always ask permission to photograph someone at an event. If the scene is perfect, I just fire away. But events are fast-paced, ever-changing scenes. People are usually talking, making it difficult to capture pleasant and flattering expressions. Asking permission first gives me the OK to tweak the scene. When photographing events, don’t be afraid to reposition people—whether it be to avoid shooting someone’s back, or to avoid the impression of a plant growing out of someone’s head. Suggest that your subjects set down drinks or food plates, etc., but direct them to continue in their activity without looking at the camera. They will appreciate you making them look better and will give you a better performance. Who cares if it’s not exactly candid—it will look better and that’s your real goal.
Event photography is not photojournalism. The objective and the approach involved in taking event photos are quite different. The goal of photojournalism is documentation and straightforward news reporting. The look of photojournalism is genuinely candid with little concern for making people look their best. On the other hand, event photography, particularly corporate event photography, strives for a more feel-good attitude. The intent of corporate event photography is to make the proceedings and people look their absolute best. This is almost impossible without at least some direction from the photographer and a degree of cooperation from the participants. Though the photos should look spontaneous and unplanned, event/party pictures are best when they are only quasi-candid. Whether you’re shooting an award ceremony or your family’s holiday celebration, here are some tips for improving your next event shots.
Before the event
- Charge all batteries and take spares just in case.
- Format media cards and load them into your camera; bring plenty of extra memory.
- Check and preset your camera functions: ISO, f-stop, auto focus, etc.
- Sync date and time settings on your camera. This will help you in archiving the images later on by keeping shots in chronological order. This also helps during the editing process.
- Clean all lenses, filters and camera sensors.
Presetting your camera functions for the anticipated lighting at the event will save you time and anxiety. Set white balance on auto and forget about it. This will allow you to concentrate on more important things like lens selection and composition at the event. If the white balance is wrong, you can adjust later.
Last and most important, test all equipment. Test firing will identify any equipment problems and will bring to light any items you may have forgotten—like a cable or syncing device. Always shoot with a lens hood. It can save you from lens flare problems and will positively affect color saturation and contrast.
At the event
Wear a badge to look official. Ask your contact for an ID, but if they can’t supply it, print one for yourself. Include the name of the event and even the company logo if possible. Writing “STAFF” (or “OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER,”) in big letters will allow you to wander the event freely and get access to areas that are otherwise off limits (like catwalks, kitchens, backstage, etc.). If the party/event is noisy, just pointing to the badge will save you having to yell out explanations of who you are.
Pretest framing and focus on key shots before they happen. Know when the main event and/or speech is scheduled. If there’s a surprise planned for the event, know where and when it’s happening so you can be in position and be prepared.
Have a list of VIPs (or have someone point them out). These are the must-have photos that everyone will be expecting to see.
Event photo musts
Know your equipment. You must be able to operate your equipment smoothly and quickly and often in low light situations. I advise practicing key camera settings and lens changes with your eyes closed—but sticking a small pen-light in your pocket just might save the day.
Dress appropriately. If the event is formal, don’t wear jeans! The objective is to become invisible. I almost always wear black when shooting. It makes me a little less noticeable and doesn’t show dirt as much if I have to do something like crawl under a table to plug something in.
Smile. Ask your subject’s name and use it when giving direction. A big smile and a mouthed “thank you” will do wonders with even the most camera-shy person.
Don’t use a flash unless you absolutely have to, especially a built-in on-camera flash. Lighting people in a dark room with an on-camera flash is very unflattering and will make the rest of the room go completely black. Instead, crank up the ISO. The people will look better and the rest of the scene will be visible. And the noise (graininess) you get with a higher ISO setting is usually preferable to the blurring that happens at low ISO.
My top three event photo tips:
- Be fast. Get the shot quickly and move on—don’t linger. People want to enjoy the event, and they will quickly become self-conscious (or irritated) if you spend too much time shooting them with a crowd looking on.
- Shoot some close-ups. Special event decorations or banners, table settings and/or food, a very tight shot of just hands on an award—close-ups like these add an emotional punch that you won’t get with wide shots.
- My favorite event shot? Take a camera with a wide-angle lens and hold it over your head. Point it slightly downward at a crowded area of the room. With a little trial and error you will end up with a shot containing a sea of people that really captures the feel of the event.
December is high season for parties and events, both business and personal. But no matter how important the event, memories fade over time. Only a photo is forever. These tips might sound like a lot of preparation, but the resulting shots—and memories—will be well worth the effort.
Suzanne Salvo and her husband/partner Chris are co-owners of Salvo Photography, an international award-winning studio with bases in Houston, Texas and near Milan, Italy. They specialize in location shooting, and assignments have taken them to more than 60 countries. Typical projects include annual reports, ad campaigns and editorial assignments. For more information, visit their web site at www.salvophoto.com. For more fun, visit Suzanne’s nationally recognized photoblog at www.salvoatlarge.blogspot.com. |
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Rather than the cliché handshake award ceremony photo, try focusing on the award itself. Taking some shots after the real presentation takes the pressure off you and your subject. The image will still look spontaneous, but you have time to refine the shot.
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Take action shots rather than portraits. When first approached, most people will turn and smile at the camera. Take that photo (because they expect it), but then ask them to resume what they were doing. That’s when the really good stuff happens.
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Whenever possible, get behind the action and shoot back toward the audience. Shooting through the activity in this way allows you to include the crowd reactions.
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Meetings are events. One good photo technique is to optically isolate one person from the crowd using shallow depth of field. This gives the viewer a sense of intimacy and a feeling of connection with the scene.
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