EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
Photography is the art of capturing moments into frames so we can relive them years later. It’s like a return ticket to a memory otherwise gone. Events, big or small, can be overwhelming for anyone. There might be many things going on, so focusing on everything can be a little too hard. So it’s always important to know what kind of story you’re going to tell. It’s more like deciding the slot of a movie.
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Your plan may vary from event to event, but there are a few shots that can add classic flavour to your storytelling. There are more like must-have shots while covering an event :
- It’s always great to have a few wide shots of the venue, with people reacting to others, talking or the crowd reactions or dancing or just the whole set up, which includes the decorations, tables, stage, etc. These shots are called the establishing shots telling us about the people present and the event organiser highlights, the spirit of the event and the gathering.
- Candids are in-the-moment photographs of people captured usually without their knowledge. Through candids, we can capture the emotion of the people attending the events and can be later used to bring the same back. Candid photographs can be of two types: the close-up ones with fewer people and the candid moments. These shots help portray how people felt being there at the event, photos of people enjoying the moment.
- While candid moments are those shots that have a wider focus range and more people, taking candid moment shots can be a little more of a task than taking candid close-up ones. Because here you have more people in the frame and finding the right element to focus on while doing justice to others in the frame can be difficult. The key is to capture the right element without losing focus and not to make anyone or anything in the frame feel less important.
- Posed shots are ones where either you( the photographer ) or the subject themselves pose to a photograph. These are planned and timed photographs that will give you enough time to look up a few references in advance following the event you are photographing, and you can even visit the venue before that and pick spots, plan a few shots there.
- Portraits are an artistic representation of a person in which the face and expressions are predominant. Taking portraits might sound easy, but they are a bit harder than we expect them to be. We will have to find the right person from the crowd. If you get to meet a celebrity or anyone in an event, always try to get a portrait of them.
- The last on the list is the detailed shots. These shots can bring a great detail of attention to a particular point of a subject(here the event) that otherwise might have gone unnoticed. These can be items like shoes, wedding rings, dresses, floral arrangements, etc. While working with sponsors, make sure you take excellent detailed shots of their products while at the event.
Now that you have a plan and know what all shots you need, here are a few things you can do to get the right picture. Those frowning, uptight photographs are things of the past to get the perfect shot, make them smile, and make it look natural. Here’s what you have to do to get the right pictures.
- When you are at an event, find a group of people and ask them politely whether you can take a few shots. They will probably say yes. When they do, talk to them, make them feel comfortable by telling them jokes, and making them laugh /smile, set your camera and click.
- You can also ask them to try different poses or bring up ideas that they might like to take up and have fun creating. While at it, always try to take multiple shots quickly, so you don’t take too much of their time and yours since you have a whole event to cover and more pictures to click.
- One of the key factors to getting the perfect shot even when you have got everything in place is timing. To know the perfect timing and click is the skill of a photographer. Often you will have to predict a moment and keep the camera ready to capture the moment and click the shutter a few seconds before, not at the actual moment.
- To capture a moment at its peak of action, try taking three photographs minimum of one before, during, and after the peak. This will help you capture the whole moment and eliminate the risk of not getting the perfect shot.
- There will always be an energy in the room, flow with it, get a wider shot of people dancing, laughing, sharing a moment. When you see something happening, decide where you are going to place your subject in your frame. This will help you save time. Always try to hit the shutter a moment before the peak of action since the camera has a minute delay of its own.
- Shot with both eyes, this might sound a bit crazy, but this helps you get more coverage. Try framing your shot with one eye while monitoring the action with the other this will help you get the timing right.
When it comes to event photography, you will have to please the organisers. As crucial as client interaction is in any other field, you and your client must be on the same page. So you capture the essence of the show the way they wanted with the right emotions and feelings. So before an event to also have these two meetings.
- Meet with the client so that you know both of you are on the same page. Improvise your ideas with their vision. Don’t say no to any of their needs blindly.
- Meet with the social media team, if any, so that you can get ideas of the guest and more details of the event.
Finally, make sure you have a clear picture of the venue and the people attending the event, so you know what to expect and be equipped to do it.
To be a good photographer, all you need is an eye for moments. Like Ansel Adams, the landscape photographer, said, “There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” Sooner or later, your photos could start talking about you and become your identity. There are no rules in photography. It’s all about how good your works are, and it is all that matters. Try things out, find what works well for you and later try getting better by doing it. Photography is not just seeing its feeling. Through a picture, you are letting someone see right through you, and when you do it for someone, see the moment through their eyes and press the shutter at that exact moment to make it theirs forever. A photograph is a moment to cherish for years to come