Three Person's standing front of field photo

The Best Event Photography Tips to Make Your Pictures Stand Out

It should not come as a surprise to anyone but event photography has become a lot more popular than it used to be and for all the right reasons. You can not only choose this to become a better photographer but it can be used as a career too, and a good one, at that. Sure, it does take some time getting used to, but for the most part, you are not looking at something that is bad. Event photography, in reality, is actually a lot better than one might think.

However, over the past couple of years, I have heard people talking about wanting tips about event photography that confuses them and I do understand that this is a common theme amongst most people but today, wea re going to help you get the best experience when you are talking about event photography. If you want to get better, this is for you as it helps a lot.

So, let’s get started, shall we?

Important Event Photography Tips That Can Help Everyone

Now, there are a lot of things that actually you need to understand about event photography. However, we are going to assume that you have already gained quite a bit of understanding in this field and you are looking to get better at it. I am going to share some rally important tips with you that will help you get better at event photography and that too, with ease.

So, let’s have a look at some of the most common aspects.

Dining Table

1- Being Prepared

I would say that being prepared solves half of your troubles when it comes to event photography. The point here is that you need to do your research about the event you are attending; this should help you a lot in making sense of the situation at hand.

Additionally, having a photography list is a very important way to ensure that you know the type of shots you should be taking that will get you the best experience. I would suggest that you meet up with your client a day before the event to go over everything that needs to be covered.

Last but not the least, dressing for the event is also important. I know a lot of photographers who do not pay attention to what they are wearing at an event and that only leaves a bad impression.

2- Using the Right Gear

I do understand that a lot of people are going to go ahead and say that your equipment or gear does not matter but when you are trying to make a difference with event photography, it is very, very important that you have your hands on the right photography equipment and right gear because if you are not paying attention to all those things, then the results might not be what you were expecting. It is a simple thing that matters a lot.

Now, for those who are concerned about the gear. You will have a number of options to choose from. However, I would always suggest that you have your hands on a prime lens and a zoom lens as well, both lenses with a wider aperture as that is going to help you a lot in getting the images you want to shoot.

In addition to that, I would also highly suggest that you are getting extra bodies and extra cards because you can run out of storage or out of battery in no time. Similarly, you will also need a gimbal, however, that is only limited if you are shooting videos at an event. Last but not the least, if your client wants some aerial footage, then having a good quality drone is another thing that is a requirement.

3- Showing Up Early

One tip that I give to every photographer regardless of the event they are attending is that it is always wiser to show up early to take pictures of the event as it helps tremendously in making sure that you are not doing things the wrong way.

You can always take some pre-event shots to give a sense of understanding and that works really well, especially when you are compiling the images together.

People sitting in front of table

4- Taking Action Shots

Action shots or candid shots are far more interesting than all the shots that show someone posing. I od understand that it is not something that you would readily want to take but for anyone who is looking for a good experience, an action shot is always the way to go as it makes the experience so much better and shots will come out looking great, too.

5- Flash is Not Always the Answer

I do understand that having the ability to take some shots using flash is a good thing and you can get some great results from it, too. However, you must know that flash is not always the answer as it can easily ruin your shot with ease and that is not what we are going for. Be sure that you know when to use flash and when not to use flash for the best experience.

6- Don’t Be Afraid to Get Personal

Another thing that I am going to suggest to you is that as a professional photographer, you should not be afraid to get up close and personal when it comes to events. Make sure that you are getting the right framing, as well. Catch people in their actions and you will realise how much better the shots are going to look.

Do I Need High-End Gear for Proper Event Photography?

A lot of the time, people come to us and ask us whether or not they are going to need higher-end equipment for event photography. This is something that has been a common question for the longest time and honestly, it all depends on your use case. There are a lot of situations in which you can do just fine without having access to a higher-end camera gear.

However, camera gear is important to get started in photography, to begin with. It should not come as a surprise but you cannot really go ahead and take pictures with sub-standard equipment. So, what does this all mean, in the first place? Well, to be honest, this just means that if you are looking to be sure that your event photography and all the pictures turn out fine, then look into the right equipment as it is very important.

Things Never to Do in Event Photography

I wholeheartedly understand that you want to get the right experience and the right shots everyh time you are thinking about event photography but what is even more important to know is that you should never put yourself in a situation where you are going to take substandard shots. After all, they will be the bane of your photography. Below are some things you should never do at an event photography.

  • Arriving Late: The first thing that I will suggest against is late arrival because it is not going to give you a good experience overall. Be sure that you are there before the guests start arriving so you can have the time to understand how things are going to work for you.
  • No Backup: Another mistake that everyone needs to avoid refers to not having a backup. It is important that your gear is not going to stop working in the middle of the shoot because that will be a disaster that we all want to avoid. If you want a good experience, you would stay away from such a situation altogether. Charge your batteries, double-check your lenses, and make sure that you have your SD cards with you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes and no. The idea here is that you should know just when to use the flash and when not to use the flash when it comes to event photography. A lot of people get this absolutely wrong all the time and that results in average pictures.

This honestly depends largely on the commitment that you have made with the client or the coverage that you are being paid to do so. So, it can vary from event to event.

When it comes to taking a good picture, you can follow all the good tips that we have shared above as they will make your experience inherently easier and simpler.

Conclusion

Whether you are just starting out or you have been taking good pictures for the longest time. It is important to understand that event photography can be difficult. However, if you are looking to get things working in your favor and the right way, then this is going to help you a lot.

The entire guide focuses on ensuring that your event photography experience does not go the wrong way and you are able to take the shots that you want to take with ease.

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