Tips For Hiring An Event Photographer
Putting the talents and resources of an event photographer services provider to work can make a major difference in how a function will be remembered. Not only do they have access to equipment, particularly high-quality lenses, but they have experience navigating crowds, eyeballing shots and dealing with large numbers of images. It's important, however, to put some planning into the job on your own end. These four tips will help you get the most out of hiring an event photographer.
Make a Shot List
Especially when dealing with functions like corporate events, weddings and ceremonies, you want to know your photographer will be in the right spot at the right time. To accomplish this goal, you should generate a shot list that explains where you want them to be and when they should be there. If at all possible, try to get precise times for these moments. Likewise, it can be helpful to clear a spot out where the photographer can line up the best shot.
Discuss Packages
In every trade, there's a business model. For an event photographer, that means attaching prices to an array of jobs. These can include retouching photos, prepping small versions for quick use on social media and producing final products like images and albums. Pricing tends to vary depending on how work has to be done.
Bear in mind the Rule of Threes in industries that demand talent. There are three things you can get when you ask a talented person to tackle a job: quality, speed and low price. You only ever get to ask for two of the three. If you want quality and speed, you had better be prepared to fork over more money.
Have Them Walk the Venue
Seeing a venue, especially seeing where its best lighting and lines of sight are, is important for any shoot. You should have some idea of what the map of the place will be. Where will the crowd be standing or seated? Where will speakers and performers be positioned? Where will event staff be? Make sure your event photographer is as fully aware of these details as possible.
Establish lines of Communication Early
It's critical that everyone have the necessary contact information to stay up to date as the event draws closer. Stakeholders' phone numbers, emails and social media accounts should be given to the photographer, and they should receive similar information from the shooter.