I recently did a photoshoot at a Stimorol Karma Fruita Party and Promotion. They wanted a professional photographer to capture the event / promotion so that the images could be used for PR purposes as well as advertising and reports.

In the past, they would often just have someone from the office take ‘amateur’ photographs, but this can be tricky for someone who does not really understand event photography and how to work with the lighting. You can end up with very dark images and or blurred images and this may not be the kind of professional look you were hoping for.

So I decided to share some tips to help you with event photography. When doing a photoshoot at a promotion / function / event, there are a few things to bear in mind:

(1) You will need a flash! Make sure that you buy the best flash you can afford and always have spare batteries available. When you are using the flash most of the time, you will be surprised how quickly the batteries die.

(2) Try to bounce the flash where possible, or use slightly longer shutter speeds with the flash, which will give you a sharp image but will also bring in some of the ambient lighting.

(3) If the event is held indoors, a tripod will come in very handy. Where possible, use a tripod with a long shutter speed to capture the ambient light. However, when photographing people and moving objects you will need a fast shutter speed to get the subjects sharp and in focus.

(4) All events are different but you will usually need to move around a lot so make sure your equipment is in a portable bag and wear comfortable shoes.

(5) Be on the lookout and be ready to catch any unexpected moments – these are always plentiful at most events and will really complete the photoshoot.

(6) Make sure you vist the venue before the event so that you know what to expect – consider vantage points, lighting, space for tripod, etc

(7) Get a brief from the client so that you know exactly what is expected – what specific parts of the event / function / promotion do you need to capture. What kind of photographs would they like ie fun, natural candid photos or more formal, posed, professional images.

(8) Stick to your style – If you were chosen as the professional photographher of choice based on your portfolio, don’ go drastically changing your style unless this has been discussed with the client and you are confident that it will work.

(9) Dress the part – you are a professioanl event photographer so dress like one. Find out what the dress code will be at the event and dress accordingly.

(10) Finally, relax, mingle and have fun! When you are enjoying yourself, you will be more approachable by people attending the function / event / party and might catch shots that you would otherwise not have the oppurtunity to do.