It is your event! You want to make sure that every important element of your event gets recorded. Important elements such as dramatic images of a keynote speaker addressing the audience or atmospheric photos of the event location or team members in front of a corporate backdrop all require slightly different approaches if they are to be captured successfully. Communicating openly with your photographer will help ensure you record every bit of important messaging and fun that occurs during your event. When all is said and done, photos may be the only lasting proof of the event’s success.
Think about it for a minute. After spending all of that time planning, implementing fine details, inviting your team members and special guests, arranging for a speaker and negotiating the catering and entertainment, the whole event may be nothing but a big blur. To be sure the quality of photos you receive fulfill all of your business needs including images for brochures, websites, newsletters and annual reports, hire an experienced event photographer.
The event pictures may be shared on social, printed and broadcast media, or pictures might be printed and sit on a coworker’s desk. The pictures will be one of the most pointed to and talked about indicators of your success as an event planner. An experienced professional photographer is worth every penny that is spent. He/she will understand how to maneuver into the correct position/spot to create great images of the keynote speaker. He/she will understand when and when not to use flash. He/she will know how to create high quality images even in those typically low light conditions that generally exist in conference rooms, ballrooms and restaurants.
Based on the long-term use of the images, the photographer you hire should be exceptional. He or she must have almost as much enthusiasm for your event as you and your planning committee/team. The photographer must project professionalism, and at the same time be comfortable requesting attendees “play along” for posed and candid photos. The experienced professional will know what images are appropriate, and will know which ones should not be taken. It is essential that you and your company’s professional image be represented within the images of our event.
The food will be eaten and gone. The DJ packs up and goes home after his stint. The speaker speaks, imparts wisdom and leaves. Many name cards will be left on the tables. Menus are used once and never seen again. What tangible evidence will you take from all of this planning and stressing? Photos! You get the gist of it – photos leave a lasting impression after everything else is in the trash bin. Photography is that important.
This blog is to help you in the process of finding a great event photographer. The search can be a daunting task. If this is your first time planning an event, this blog will become a valuable resource for you. It will serve as a guide, companion and reference tool to assist you in narrowing down the process. Photographers are a dime a dozen, but high-quality event photographers can be much harder to find. Be sure to allocate budget for your event photographer from the very beginning. If you wait until the very end of the planning process, you may be forced to hire a level of experience that falls short of your corporate needs. This blog will be your photographic support system for a while, at least until you have found the perfect photographer that will deliver both value and excellence. This blog will show you how. Over the course of the next 6-8 weeks, my posts will address the following key areas about event photography that you should consider.
• Why You Need An Experienced Event Photographer? (This post)
• What makes photography at an event so important? (This post)
• What roles can the photographer fill?
• How do you analyze and choose the right photographer?
• How do you find an affordable photographer?
• How do you want the images delivered?