About event photography

The Only Event Photography Guide You’ll Ever Need

What is Event Photography?

Event photography is a type of photography that captures the guests, happenings, environment, and moments of any event or occasion.

If you’re looking for a career in photography that has the potential to keep you busy all year long, event photography should be on your radar! No matter where you live, there are almost certainly events happening around you that people want to capture and remember. And since there’s always some kind of event going on, you won’t have to deal with low seasons the way you might with other photography careers.

The best part? You don’t have to be super experienced to become a photographer for events because there are always low-stakes opportunities that allow you to build your skills, online photography portfolio, and confidence. If we’ve piqued your interest and you want to find out for yourself how to become an event photographer, you’ve come to the right place. Our roundup will give you all the information you need to get started.

Table of Contents

What is Event Photography, Exactly?
Different Types of Event Photography
How to Get Started Shooting Event Photos
Event Photography Equipment
Event Photography Pricing
Creating a Contract
Preparing for the Day of the Event
Acing your Shoot
Preparing your Event Photos for Delivery

What is Event Photography, Exactly?

Event photography is photography that captures any kind of group event or gathering. There are different types of event photography that fall under this umbrella, but the key feature is that you’ll be shooting candid events as they happen.

What makes event photography unique, the fact that it’s all about capturing an event that’s unfolding around you, is also what makes it challenging at first if you’ve only shot in a controlled environment.

With studio photography, you can fiddle with your subject or with the lights until the image is perfect. Event photos aren’t as forgiving in that sense, but the unexpected element makes event photography interesting and rewarding.

When you’re starting out, you’ll most likely market yourself as a general event photographer. As you get more gigs under your belt, you might find that there is one kind of event photography that you’re particularly good at or that you enjoy. At that point, you can specialize in one of the many different kinds of professional event photography.

Different Types of Event Photography

The event photography specialization that you’re probably most familiar with is wedding photography. This is a uniquely important and challenging kind of event photography. For most people, it’s an incredibly significant day, and they want to be able to look back fondly at their photos for the rest of their lives.

We won’t get into specific considerations for wedding photography here because it’s such a vast subject, but all of the important tips and guidelines that apply to event photography in general are applicable to wedding photography too.

Other ways that you can specialize as a photographer for events include:

Corporate photography. This is a lucrative type of event photography, and often when people talk about event photography what they are really describing is corporate photography. Corporate event photography can include things like conferences and corporate gatherings, and it’s a great way to make money as a photographer.
Private event photography. As a private special event photographer, you would shoot things like birthday parties, mitzvahs, baptisms, and family reunions.
Community event photography. This can include local meetings and gatherings, or even official city proceedings.
Concert, dance, and theatre photography. This type of creative event photography is a little bit different from the rest since your equipment requirements are not quite the same as standard event photography.
Sports photography. This type of event photography also requires specialized equipment, and your required shot list would look quite different from other types of event photography

There’s really no limit to the different types of event photography you can specialize in, as long as you can find a market large enough to sustain your career. In a small town, for example, you might have a hard time filling your schedule with only concert photography, but in a big city, you could certainly make a career of it.

How to Get Started Shooting Event Photos

Your portfolio is an important tool to help you land new event photography clients. So, how exactly do you land those first clients if you don’t have a portfolio yet? You might want to offer your event photography services for free, just a few times, to get the hang of how to do event photography.

Of course, you can’t make a career out of shooting events for free forever. However, to get some awesome shots that you can build an event photography portfolio with, consider offering your birthday event photography to friends and family, or event coverage photography to local businesses or organizations in your community. Think of this as a training ground: since they’re not forking over any cash for you to shoot their event, the stress level isn’t as high as it would be for a large, expensive occasion.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take these events as seriously as you would if they were paid. Make sure you still go through all the steps we talk about here, so that you can refine your event photography process and get comfortable with all of the different aspects required to have a successful day. That way, when you build your online portfolio, it will be filled with shots you can be proud of.

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Event Photography Equipment

When you’re shooting events, you don’t have to worry as much about studio equipment and lighting. That doesn’t mean you’ll be traveling light to your shoots, though, since you need to make sure you have the right camera body, lenses, flash, and maybe a diffuser and tether as well.

Best Cameras for Event Photography

You don’t necessarily need to go out and buy a brand new camera if you want to get into event photography, but there are a few key features to look for that will make your job easier. Our roundup of the best wedding photography cameras will help you make a good choice. When choosing your camera, you should consider:

Durability and battery life. A day in the life of an event photographer can involve some pretty long hours! You’ll want to choose a camera that you can comfortably travel with and that either has a long battery life, or that you can easily purchase several batteries to rotate through for.
DSLR vs. mirrorless cameras. You can get the job done with a mirrorless camera, but you might find that the choice of lenses that DSLRs offer is better suited to the job of event photography.

A few excellent options that aren’t at the most expensive tier include:

Nikon D750, $1500. This full-frame, 24.3 MP body is a very popular wedding photography camera, so you know it’s up to the task of capturing your important event gig. Another feature you’ll be grateful for is the two SD card slots.
Canon EOS 6D Mark II, $1700. This full-frame, 26 MP option is particularly great in low light, making it a perfect choice for an event photographer.
Sony a7III, $2000. This full-frame, 24.2 MP mirrorless camera has quickly become beloved by event photographers for its unparalleled autofocus, high-iso performance, and excellent battery life. The Sony e-mount lenses are also more affordable than comparable Canon or Nikon lenses. It even has video capability, so if you’re into event photography and videography it’s a great multi-use tool.

Best Lenses for Event Photography

Your choice of lenses will vary depending on what kind of event photography you’re planning to shoot. Indoor event photography is common: you will often be working in relatively low-light situations, so packing a fast lens will ensure that you can capture sharp, clear images even in dim conditions. A great all-purpose prime lens like the Nikon 50 mm f/1.4 ($460.00) will get you far and should definitely be part of your lens kit since a great deal of event coverage photography involves capturing portraits.

What if you’re shooting in a huge conference hall, or some other large event? In that case, a zoom lens will ensure that you capture the action without having to run around just to get close enough to your subjects. It’s worth investing in one that can deliver the image quality you would normally expect from a prime lens. An option like the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens ($1600), while not exactly cheap, is an excellent workhorse that you’ll reach for often.

For other specific types of event photography, such as concert or sports photography, your lenses should reflect the conditions that you normally shoot in. Concerts and shows are usually in very dark theatres, and to capture sports action you’ll likely need a fast telephoto lens in your kit.

Event Photography Accessories

In addition to your camera body and lenses, make sure you bring along any accessories you may need for a smooth day of shooting:

A flash. Avoid using your on-camera flash and opt for a hot-shoe mounted option, which will produce much more flattering and natural results.
A diffuser. For many event photography gigs, a diffuser might be overkill and draw more attention to you than you want. However, if you’re shooting an event where you’ll be capturing portraits of people as they arrive, such as a red carpet or charity ball, a diffuser might come in handy for producing flattering images your clients will be thrilled with.
A tether. These days, if an event wasn’t live-posted to Instagram, did it even really happen? Depending on what type of event you’re shooting, your client might want you to quickly send them some photos as the event is unfolding, so they can share them with their following.

Event Photography Pricing

Is the thought of splashing out on new equipment making you wonder how much you can actually make as an event photographer? Fair enough! Of course, like all types of photography, there is a wide range of potential event photography rates that you can charge. When pricing your photography, experience level and the type of event are important variables. Small event photography pricing won’t be quite as high as special event photography pricing or corporate event photography pricing.

Event Photography Price Packages

Many professional event photographers charge anywhere between $100-$250 hourly, with skilled and in-demand photographers charging even more. When you’re just starting out, you might set your rate a bit lower than this, but keep in mind that for every hour that you are actually at the event shooting, you’ll also be spending time on planning and editing.

A great way to offer your clients some options is to have a set of event photography packages that they can choose from. Your packages should define how many hours you will shoot for and how many images will be delivered, as well as pre-shoot meetings or discussions to make sure that your client feels confident that you understand their needs.

A good place to start when coming up with your event photographer pricing is to create a quarter-day, half-day, and full-day package. The hourly rate can be slightly higher for the quarter day package, with the full day package having the most appealing hourly rate. Your packages should also define how the client will be charged for things like extra hours added on the day-of or additional final images so that there is some flexibility. It’s always a good idea to search “what do event photographers near me charge” too, just to get an idea of rates in your area.

Additional Ways to Make Money as an Event Photographer

In addition to your event photographer rates, you can make extra money by:

If your client allows it, you can create a gallery that event attendees can download from. You can charge a fee to license the photos for private use or have a simple download fee.
Create print packages that your clients can select from at an extra cost.

Creating a Contract

As little fun as they are to create, putting together a contract is absolutely essential. Look for free templates online to get you started, and make sure you include:

Price and payment terms, including the deposit amount and when the deposit and final payment are due
Date and time that you are expected to be there
Rates for additional unexpected hours
Details of how the images will be delivered
Copyright details (in most cases, you retain copyright while your client has permission to use and share the images as outlined in the contract)
If necessary, a model release form

Preparing for the Day of the Event

Taking the right steps to prepare for shoot day is an essential part of learning how to photograph events. Make sure you have a designated point of contact and that it is understood that they’re responsible for communicating any important information to you. Ask your point of contact:

What is the itinerary on the day of? Is there a printed itinerary you can have in advance to plan your shots?
Are there key people you absolutely need to capture? Will they be wearing name tags, or is there another way to identify them?
Are there key shots the client requires?
Is there an opportunity to check out the venue in advance, with the same lighting set up as the day of the event?
What delivery schedule do they expect?

Another preparation step is to create an equipment checklist for yourself well in advance and to look over it a few times to make sure you’re not missing anything. On the day of the shoot, go through the checklist line by line and confirm you have that piece of equipment. It may seem like overkill, but successful event photography is all about preparedness and planning since the moments you’re there to capture can’t be recreated.

Preparing a shot list in advance that you can consult throughout the event will also ensure a happy client (and a happy client means more referrals and new photography clients!

Acing your Shoot

For most events, it’s important to be friendly and even to mingle with the crowd a little bit. You don’t necessarily want to jump into long conversations with people since that’s not what you’re there for, but you do want to smile and make everyone feel comfortable. Chatting a little bit might help you identify who’s who so that you can make sure you’re snapping pics of the guests your client asked you to prioritize.

Since there’s no way you’ll know exactly who needs to be included in each group shot, make sure you have a contact on the day of who is committed to helping you pull everyone together.

In addition to capturing people, look around and try to put yourself in the position of the event organizer. Chances are, they spent a lot of time on the details of the event to make it just right. They’ll be delighted to see that you noticed and that you captured those details.

While some posed photos are inevitable, there’s nothing quite like a great, flattering candid. Your job as an event photographer is to be a fly on the wall who can capture those unposed moments, so on the day of the event make sure you’re getting a good mix of posed group shots and candid photos.

Don’t be afraid to approach your contact at the end of the event and ask them if they wouldn’t mind being a reference for you. You can create a formal request that you send them when you deliver the final images, but mentioning it at the event will mean they’re more likely to take the time to write a testimonial. You can also give them an incentive to spread the word about you, such as a discount or additional photos delivered on subsequent shoots if they refer you to someone else.

Preparing your Event Photos for Delivery

There’s a good chance that you’ll have hundreds, if not thousands, of images to go through after shooting a big event. Lightroom’s star rating system makes it among the best event photography software options out there because you can easily go through a huge catalog and quickly assign ratings to each photo. Hopefully, once you look at just the five-star photos, the total number of shots will be much more manageable.

Once you have a manageable number, add your watermark and post them to a client proofing gallery on your website. This is the easiest way to have your clients make their selections, and they’ll love the fact that they don’t have to download any big files to their own computer.

If you have go-to presets in Lightroom (or your editing software of choice), see if they work for your photos. If not, you might want to edit one photo and then apply that batch-edit to the rest of the photos for a consistent look.

You usually don’t have to edit people as carefully as you would for, say, an editorial photoshoot, but it’s a good idea to go through and make sure things like skin tone look natural and flattering since you want to make sure you’re presenting your clients photos they’ll be happy to look back on.

Once you have some shoots under your belt, you can add them to your photography website. Don’t have one yet? No worries! With a website builder, you can have one up and running in no time. Make sure to choose a builder that offers a free trial so that you can play around with the themes and make sure you can create a look that works for you.

Now that you have all the information you need to get started as an event photographer, it’s time to get behind that camera and start shooting.

Event Photography 101: What is Event Photography?

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Event photography might sound boring, but it can be potentially lucrative for those looking to make money from photography. Ever since I started my photography business in 2012, events have comprised a majority of my paid photo gigs. In this post, I’ll share some tips and advice for getting started as a professional event photographer.

What is Event Photography?

Very basically, an event photographer specializes in capturing pictures of events. How you define an “event” is entirely up to you. Some people would consider weddings, concerts, and sports as part of the event photography definition, and in a broad sense, they’re right. But if you focus on weddings or sports, brand yourself as such as a photographer. In industry terms, a self-described event photographer is generally associated with corporate events.

Examples of [corporate] event photography:

conferences
trade shows
retirement dinners
holiday parties
galas
corporate anniversaries
office open houses

What is a step and repeat?

A common term in event photography is the step and repeat. Simply put, a step and repeat is a photo backdrop, often used at events. Most times, the backdrop has a bunch of sponsor or event logos on it. There may or may not be a red carpet as well. Guests or celebrities pose for photos in front of the step and repeat, and those resulting photos are a form of event marketing that increases brand awareness.

If you are hired to do take event photos at a step and repeat, you will definitely need to use flash. You may also inquire with the client about bringing your own off-camera lighting setup. More on event photography equipment below. For step and repeat photography, be sure to charge your client for any extra equipment and setup time.

An example of a step and repeat photo backdrop. A Speedlight flash was used to capture this image.

Photography Business Tip

These days, most cameras come with built-in Wi-Fi and ways to transfer photos instantly to mobile phones. Learn to use Wi-Fi on your digital camera. Consider offering to send photos instantly to your client while on-site. Most clients will appreciate getting professional photos to post on social media as the event takes place. And be sure to charge extra for this service.

Why a Shot List is Essential for Event Photography

Event photography rarely allows for much artistic freedom. Most clients, especially if they are corporate, have specific moments or themes that need to be captured. They also tend to have a certain photo style in mind that fits with their company’s aesthetic. Some clients will even have a specific style guide for you to follow. In any case, it’s wise to research what kind of photographs your client has commissioned before, or what kinds of images are typical of that kind of event. Always ask the client for sample images of previous events. In every case, it’s always important to establish client expectations ahead of time so you can act accordingly.

In order to establish your client’s photography expectations, be sure to ask them for a shot list. What’s on the shot list will also determine what kind of photography equipment you will need. Learn more about the shot list and download a sample template here.

Event Photography Equipment

The equipment needed for event photography depends on what the client has outlined in their shot list. As an event photographer, it is important to ask all pertinent questions needed to properly assess your client’s expectations and adjust your equipment list accordingly.

Recommended Event Photography Camera

You don’t need a ton of fancy equipment to do event photography, but most professional event photographers use a DSLR or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. Zoom lenses are preferable for capturing a diverse range of images. Also, a camera and lens that shoots well in low lighting conditions are preferred, since flash photography is not always welcome.

DSLR or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses
A backup camera body in case the first one fails
Lenses should cover wide-angles (~16-24mm) and telephoto zoom (~200mm)
Flash unit is recommended for posed photos

Step and Repeat Photography Equipment

Some clients may hire you expecting you will bring extra equipment such as a photo backdrop and lighting for a step and repeat photo booth. Thus, you should be very specific about what the client’s photo needs are before accepting a job. When I accept a photo booth event photography assignment, I expect my client to provide the backdrop. As the photographer, I provide camera and lighting equipment. At the very least, I will shoot step and repeats with a simple Speedlight flash. However, I will ideally get to set up my own off-camera flash mini-studio to produce better-looking photos. That gear would include:

Speedlight flashes (2)
Light stands (2)
Westcott Rapid Box Octaboxes (2)
Yongnuo flash triggers (2)

A one-light setup. It works but can produce harsh shadows if not positioned correctly.

The Lifestyle

Being an event photographer requires a great deal of flexibility. Most events are held on weekday evenings or on weekends. Event duration can also vary, lasting anywhere from an hour to several days, or even a whole week. Discuss with your client how long they expect you to be covering their event. You may also be eligible to have expenses (accommodations, parking or travel) covered or receive some perks such as a meal. Always check with your client before indulging in a product or billing them for expenses. Work out the details ahead of time and include them in your photography contract.

Can You Make Money as an Event Photographer?

Given the popularity of events held throughout the year and the ease of accessing event photography camera gear, it is very easy to be a full-time professional event photographer. Where you are based out of also factors in. Event photography opportunities in a small town, for example, may be sparse. But in an urban city, event photography gigs should be numerous.

One of the many tricks to being a successful event photographer is to gain a solid reputation. Yes, advertising and marketing certainly help. However, word-of-mouth recommendations are extremely powerful and can earn you stellar photography gigs. Get to know local event coordinators, marketing agencies, and event venues. Find out how they hire event photographers and get your photography portfolio and contact information in front of them. Most importantly, strike up a conversation with all of the behind-the-scenes people you meet while you’re at an event. Sometimes, professional relationships with the production staff or event venue staff can lead to fruitful photography referrals.

In Conclusion

Event photography is a potentially lucrative field once you develop a solid portfolio and solid reputation. Do you have any tips for starting out as a professional event photographer? Let me know in the comments below!

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Suzi Pratt is an event, food, and concert photographer based in Seattle. She started Intrepid Freelancer to inspire and teach others how to start a photography business. View her at photography portfolio, and subscribe to herYouTube channel.

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At the age of 25, I left my corporate job to become a full-time photographer. This blog documents my journey. This blog is no longer being updated, but it has online resources that I hope are helpful. Today, you can follow me on my YouTube channel. I post weekly videos on camera gear along with tips and insights into running a photography business.

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Event Photography Tips for Photographers

Website of the photographer
Nikolai Pokrovsky

+7 (916) 739-71-60k1999@list. ru

Business portrait. Business portrait.
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Professional conference photos

Workshop photo. Press conference photo

Professional photography workshops

Conference photography - useful tips.

Shooting events requires the photographer to focus, diversify and pay attention to detail. The complexity of reportage photography lies in its features:

You can not repeat the event and make a second take,
Filming is limited to the chronological scope of the event,
Lighting is often not suitable for quality photos.

Our useful tips will help you to make the most striking shots illustrating the event.

Photographing a conference in Moscow starts long before the event - keep some useful preparation tips:

If you are filming a report about an international congress or symposium, think about accreditation in advance.
Specify if the dress code of the event is required.
Arrive early and explore the premises. So you will understand where you can move in search of a good shot without disturbing the participants, evaluate the situation and lighting.
Check out the event program to build the story in the photos. The meeting of guests, the speech of the main speakers or the arrival of the newlyweds, congratulations and numbers - the plot can be anything, and the task of the photographer is to reflect all its key points in the frames.

Event photography equipment

Useful tips for the technical side of conference photography in Moscow:

Bring extra batteries, chargers and memory cards. The event may be delayed, you need to be prepared for force majeure.
Lighting at events often harms the photographer: too harsh and bright or dim and uneven light makes it difficult to take good photos. An on-camera flash with a diffuser through the ceiling will do, but you should not abuse it as it can unnerve both the speaker and the listeners.
A tripod with a wireless flash attached may not be out of place, for side lighting or illumination of very dim scenes.
It is more convenient to shoot with a mirrorless camera with silent mode.
Requires a fast zoom and at least a pair of lenses to cover all focal lengths.
Decide how best to shoot with auto white balance, or still set to manual mode.
Shoot in RAW mode, then easily adjust exposure and color reproduction.

The process of photographing events

The cost of photographing events depends on the technical quality of the shots and the integrity of the report - the photographer should pay attention to this. After the event, the photographer must provide the customer with a report from the event in the form of a story:

Set-up - interior, empty decorated hall, incoming guests, registration, documents and organizational details,
Plot flow - highlights of the event,
Parts,
Emotions - the immediate reaction of participants to what is happening,
Staged photos.

A few tips for story design

Pay attention to framing. Evaluate the frame before pressing the button: are there any unnecessary objects and people in the background, is this angle suitable for a particular person.
Capture emotions. Life hack for photography events - avoid posing, become an invisible guest to catch emotional shots, photos that show the development of the plot. These are the photos that people like the most.
You can't get good shots by standing in one place. Change angles, styles, take portraits and group photos.
If group photos are needed, take multiple takes. Most likely, most of them will be spoiled by blinking or turning away characters. The cost of photographing events also depends on the number of successful photos - this is what you should pay attention to.
Speakers' grimaces while delivering a speech - dubious photo material, exclusion of joyful emotions.
Pay attention to details: for a conference - presidium chairs, decorated tables, chairs, a banquet hall, for an anniversary - a bunch of gifts, flowers.

Artistic techniques for photographing events

A dry statement of events is only a small part of the report. To look like a single story, it must be alive and diverse. To do this, use the following artistic techniques:

The rule of thirds - the object is not in the center of the picture, but slightly below, above and away from it. This is a classic hack for event photography.
Shooting emotional moments in series - you can choose the best ones from several shots, people with gestures look very good,
Different focal lengths - the same event is filmed with different magnifications,
Different apertures, more accentuated focus, blurred background, covered more depth of field,
Alternating plans: portraits, wide shots, group photos, little things,
Change of horizontal formats to vertical ones - gives liveliness and naturalness to shooting,
Shooting from different angles, try to make the shot dynamic by including various objects in the foreground blurry or reflected in the mirror,
Watch the background so that nothing sticks out of your head.
Do not film speakers with their mouths open or looking down.

See also in the blog: Beautiful photo for resume

Author of photos and text: Nikolay Pokrovsky

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Event photography requirements | How to choose a photographer

“Where can I see the photos?”, “When will the photos be ready?”, “Have you already edited the video?”, “Why am I in only one photo, and then with my eyes closed?”. Such questions constantly catch up with the organizers, because the event is an occasion not only to gain new knowledge, pleasant emotions and useful contacts, but also, probably, a new professional avatar photo. No, it's not about you? Ok, then let's just talk about how the photography of the event works, how to interact with photographers, why they are needed and how to make money on photographic materials taken at the event.

Let's not have any illusions, a photographer is needed at any event. Even free and budget-free, the smallest. At least so that you can add a photo report to your organizational portfolio, as we do in our communities “Event Marketing from A to Z” on VKontakte and Facebook*. Please note: in the "Photos" section, we post photo reports from all the events held or promoted by us. They can tell a lot about the event, the audience and the organizer, it is important to choose the right angles and give a clear TOR to the photographer.

Where to look for photographers?

Recommended by colleagues. Shooting a reportage is a separate type of photography. We saw photo stories (and we know that a fee was even paid for them!), From where there was practically nothing to take in the portfolio. We watched the "professionals" with very convincingly sized lenses, which in the end could not give anything decent. The size in this case does not matter. And therefore it is extremely important to see what the photographer did before, what events he shot, in what form and how quickly he gave the material.
At work. Stumbled upon a good photo report? See who made it. Often the photographer puts the logo of his studio / site name / link to himself in social networks in the corner of the photo. If this is not the case, ask the organizer for a contact.
Photo schools. Photography students need a variety of practice, including reporting. As a rule, they shoot in exchange for mentioning the event on social networks and the opportunity to put their logo in the corner of the photos. You should not abuse this - it's about the same as with volunteering: no one owes you anything and you have no right to demand a guaranteed result. This is more of a help to students than a direct benefit for you, much less an option to save money on a photographer.

How much do photographers get paid?

A question that cannot be answered unequivocally - different cities, different price levels, different experience of photographers, different amount of work. But, of course, you need to pay - in money or advertising. Don't be greedy. And do not forget to do at least two minimal actions in relation to the photographer and his work after the event: post the event in meetings on social networks (if any) and mention the photo report with active links in the event post-mail (if any).

Activation using photos

It's no secret that the stronger the involvement of the audience in the event, the more useful and interesting things you came up with for them, the more photos and videos about you and with your mention will appear on the Internet. How can these figures be improved?

Use of photo booths at the event. Instant printing is loved and in demand by many audiences. If you correctly select the surroundings, prepare the props in advance (well, not the mustache on a stick and star glasses, please think again!), Then the response will be. Then the results of these microphoto sessions can often be found on social networks with the appropriate hashtag. Just keep in mind: if the photo booth is paid, then its workload will be ten times less than if you agreed on some conditions with its owners (for advertising or for money, as you can) so that shooting is free for your guests.
Mentioning a partner in photographs. We put its hashtag when publishing - we get a prize / gift / discount / benefit. It works, but partners should keep one thing in mind. If they (with your help, probably) did not think over the photo zone or the idea of a photo for receiving a gift, then with a high degree of probability, immediately after receiving the desired photo, it will be deleted. Example No. 1: at one of the conferences, for a photo of a partner’s stand with a mention of an Instagram profile and a special hashtag, lemonade was poured on it for free. It was curious to follow: in the morning there were 12 references, then at some point it became 48, and the next day there were 6. Profit? We don't think. Example #2: #blogger roof at Hello blogger conference. Thoughtful surroundings, beautiful space, laconic and stylish solution for the entire zone, interesting activations from Sberbank. As a result, there were 125 mentions of the partner and photos with the hashtag only on Instagram** (with the number of guests at the conference about 350), and in FB and VK they wrote really detailed reviews in large numbers. And no one deleted these photos later, although the placement of a special hashtag did not give any additional bonuses.
Fast photo printing. You take pictures of guests against the backdrop of a press wall (or in some other photogenic place) or constantly make a photo report, then promptly send the footage to the nearest photo center (or print directly at the event, equipment for this can be rented, it is inexpensive), since modern technology allows the photographer to do this without leaving the workplace at your event. An hour later, the courier brings ready-made photos (or the printing machine gives them to you in the next room). You place them on the stand or distribute them to the participants, if there are few of them and you know/can identify everyone. Profit, such attention and efficiency can really please the guests.
You can also sell the placement of the partner's logo on all photo reports on the Internet from your event - sometimes there are quite a lot of them, and the photos diverge widely. (But please note that the logo can be cut off/smeared by the participant when placing it on his own. Do not ignore and deny this fact when selling this additional option).
Please note: each photographer must be given a clear statement of work 1-2 days before the event. If his work involves the presence of special equipment or props, then the TOR should be sent even earlier so that he has time to fully prepare. TK can be sent in free form with a clear indication of:
- shooting addresses, working hours (from and to), when you can take breaks;
  phone number of the contact person at the site;
- the number of halls, their location, if they are far away - up to how long it takes to move from one to another;
- a list of persons who must be removed without fail, with a plan for their performances / movements; send the schedule in advance;
- lunch break time. Feed the photographers - in general, feed everyone, please. Even if you, as the organizer, are going to have breakfast only at 11 pm, make sure that your contractors approach this issue more responsibly. A well-fed photographer shoots better;
- what emotions, plans of the halls, what faces and actions you definitely need to see in the photo report. A highly detailed technical specification makes life easier for the photographer and increases your chances of getting an excellent photo report.

We still remember the story of a colleague: she was looking forward to a photo from one event, and when she received a photo report, she was upset: she found herself in only one photo, and then with her eyes closed. Do not do it this way! And tell your photographers this instructive story.

To clarify: if you are organizing an event with a lot of speakers, key persons and opinion leaders, then the number of photographers should allow you to plan the work in such a way that everyone is sure to be photographed, preferably from different angles, it is possible in different conditions (speech, answers to questions on the sidelines, a coffee break, at the press wall, with gifts). The speaker, as well as the guest, is pleased to receive feedback from you in the form of professional photos. Please note: a number of speakers have photos from their speeches on their avatar. Firstly, because it is a good move in terms of positioning and personal branding. Secondly, because many of them have no time, laziness, or they are simply not ready to spend time on a professional photo shoot. Therefore, we are especially pleased that many speakers who spoke at our conferences have photos taken by our photographers on their profile pictures or in their portfolios. So, we correctly formulate TK.

What else should (and shouldn't) be done?

No need to shoot empty halls, even if you get a very conceptual, from the point of view of the author, photo. Unless this is a photo of the hall, ready to receive participants, with notebooks or souvenirs evenly laid out on chairs.
Don't post photos of sad, bored or sleeping people.
Ask to shoot full halls, unified actions, vivid emotions, smiles. More life!
Be sure to stipulate the deadlines for the delivery of the material, sign the agreement or contract. Six months later, no one needs a photo report from your event, because since then you have already made five others, and even the participants have already forgotten about that long-standing one.
Collect sources, upload them to the cloud, let them lie. Sometimes they are very necessary, and you only have pictures for posting on VKontakte, and the photographer deleted everything a long time ago. Sadness.
Link to photo reports in a post-broadcast if one is being made, or simply in your mailing list to attract subscribers to future events, and be sure to post all photo reports in social media meetings. And, like us, blogging. This is additional social proof.
Remember that photos of your events are very important to promote your next events. Save them in a special album - useful for a portfolio, as well as for a future target, articles, interviews.
Send the photographer in advance all the watermarks that should be on the photos. Yours, partner. Also specify whether or not the photographer can put his own watermark.
Separately ask for photos of partner zones, volunteer teams, media people. You will need them in the subsequent sale and advertising of your events.

And finally, let's see what we do with photos after the event

At the stage of agreements with contractors who take photos and videos for you, you must clearly agree on the time frame when they will hand over the finished materials. 1-2 days before the announced date, it would be useful to remind yourself and ask if everything is in place on time. So, what do we do when we receive the treasured archives and links?

We are reviewing the materials. We need to make sure that in accordance with the agreements on the photo there is our watermark and the watermark of the photographer, that we received the number of photos and in the size that were agreed upon. We have already listed in detail the requirements for what photo reports should be. Follow these basic conditions, and then your photo reports will be lively and meaningful.
We post photo albums during meetings of the event in social networks (by default, these are VK and FB *). Try to follow the sequence of the report, mark people you know in the photo, the mention will draw additional attention to the album. You can give a description to your favorite photos or to the entire album, if there is enough resource. Albums should be open so that those who did not visit you can see "how it was" and, probably, be motivated to come next time.
We post news with a link to the album on the meeting wall, give a link to messenger chats if they are created for the event.
We provide links to photo albums in post-mailing. Please tag your friends. Participants themselves are happy to share successful shots, make selections from them, take them to avatars.
We monitor comments and, if necessary, react to them, answer questions.
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