Working With Event Photographers: 8 Tips For
Event Planners
Author: Tom Bonner
Your next business event is coming up and everything seems to
be coming together nicely. You've got the catering, the sound
system and the guest speaker all lined up. What about your
photographer?
Corporate events should always be recorded in photographs. Its
a time when you bring members of your staff together, often away
from the usual workplace. It might be a celebration luncheon, a
pep-talk, a training session, a welcome to new members of the
leadership team -- whatever. You will find numerous uses for
photos from such events, especially if it is successful.
I've shot countless corporate and small business events over
the years, and I've experienced great and not-so-great event
planners. If you're charged with planning your company's next
affair, consider these points when working with a photographer.
1: Don't plan on briefing the photographer just before the
event
Your photographer needs plenty of information to achieve the
best results. Often, an event planner will contract me to shoot
a corporate event or meeting and suggest we meet "a few minutes
before hand to go over everything." It sounds good in theory, as
it saves time for both the planner and the photographer to
eliminate an advance meeting. In practice, I've found that no
matter how well planned, the hours leading up to the start of
the event are extremely hectic. The planner always envisions
plenty of time to go over things before the occasion starts.
Then the caterer gets lost. Or the sound system goes on the
frizz. The harried planner waves me off saying something like --
"Sorry, cant meet now. just shoot whatever you think looks
interesting..."
Trust me. always schedule an advance meeting before hand to go
over specifics. Both you and the photographer will be glad you
did.
2: Explain to the photographer what kind of photos you need
How do you intend to use photos from this occasion? Print? The
web? How soon do you need them returned? Do you need digital
(delivered on CD or DVD) or prints? Will the photographer
provide you with an online gallery you can download from? These
factors will impact the way the photographer shoots the event
and what equipment he uses. Get all of this laid out in writing
before the event. Don't skimp on this step.
3: Don't surprise your photographer
Event planners love to surprise their guests. Nothing wrong
with that, but the cameraman should not be kept in the dark.
Recently I was shooting a corporate event where the planner
arranged to have a small, concealed cannon spew forth hundreds
of streamers into the air. Acting quickly, I was able to catch
some of the streamers in flight. Had I known what was going to
happen before hand, I could have placed myself in position to
capture a much stronger image.
4: Provide a safe place to stash camera gear
Expensive camera gear is a prime target for thieves. You want
your photographer to be concentrating on getting great images,
not worrying about someone walking off with his gear. If
possible, have a safe, secure place where extra camera gear can
be stored.
5: Arrange parking and unloading areas
Depending on the event, your cameraman might bring along a load
of equipment. He or she will need to get all that gear to the
event venue. If possible, provide the photo crew with close,
accessible parking. If that can't be managed, then make sure
they can unload at a convenient spot and then move their vehicle
elsewhere.
6: Always brief security before hand
In the post-9/11 world, security is often very tight at major
corporate events. This is as it should be, but you don't want
your event photographer to be caught up in a security snafu.
Provide some sort of written credentials and make sure security
knows you have hired a photographer for the occasion. If you
fail to do this, security might detain or otherwise prevent the
photographer from doing his job. You will most likely be emersed
in other aspects of the event and won't be available to
straighten everything out until afterwards. So much for photos
from the event!
7: Find out if the photographer will be bringing an assistant
Assistants can be a great help to a photographer -- running
errands, holding up lights, taking notes, running interference
or shooting additional images. If your photographer is bringing
an assistant you will want to know before hand, so you can
provide credentials, brief security and make whatever other
arrangements necessary.
8: Inform the photographer about the dress code
There was a time when corporate or business events had a simple
dress code: suit and tie for men, business suits for women. The
only deviation from this would be a true black tie affair.
Today, corporate events are all over the map. Some may still be
formal or at least dressy. On the other hand, causal dress has
invaded the workplace at many companies, especially for out of
the office meetings and the like. You want your photographer's
clothing to match what everyone else is wearing. Some of the
best event photos are candids, shot when the subject was unaware
they were "on camera." If your photographer is dressed to blend
in with everyone else, they will have a much better chance of
catching good candids. If their attire sets them apart, they
will be easier to spot...and avoid.
Every event is different, and there may be other aspects you
and your photographer need to address. By taking care of the
above issues, however, you will have a much better chance of
obtaining excellent photographs from the event.
About The Author: See
http://adventuresindesign.com
more about working with an event photographer. A resident of
Gastonia, NC, Tom offers a full range of photography and web
design services to clients in the the greater Charlotte area.
Email Tom at seo@adventuresindesign.com.
