Types of Event Photography – Everything You Need to Know Get Started

Photography is one of the most fun endeavors and we are all aware of that. However, the one thing that everyone needs to know about it is that it has a lot of types that require catering to and you cannot just go ahead and stick to a single photography type as that is not how it works, in the first place.

Take event photography, for that matter. Although the name should just give it all away, that is not the case because it is a lot more than just that and that is what we are going to do as we are set out to explore all the dynamics of event photography.

The reason behind that is rather simple, we just want to be sure that we are looking at all the aspects of event photography. This is in case someone decides to get up and asks for more information. We are going to take care of what your requirements are.

What is Event Photography? – Getting the Basics Out of the Way

The first question that most people might ask is just what exactly is event photography considering how so many people get confused over this. To be honest, it is not at all complicated to answer the question because you will realise that looking into event photography is a lot simple and easier, in the first place. You can just look into all the available options and once that is done, you are good to go.

Event photography refers to the practice of photographing the guests and happenings that are taking place at an event. Based on the size of the event, you might need just one event photographer or multiple. But the purpose here is to make sure that all the memorable and candid moments are captured and captured properly.

Event photographers can be hired easily and most of them actually have made a career out of it thanks to be specialized in it.

How Much Do Event Photographers Make?

Now, for anyone who is taking the whole idea of event photography seriously and want to turn it into a career. The first question that most people might be wondering is just how much an event photographer make, in the first place? Well, this varies from a lot of factors.

Factors such as your experience, exposure, skill, and the events you are covering matter a lot in this. Not just that, another thing that absolutely matters here is the state or country you are in because the statistics normally vary, so you cannot really always be sure about how much bank are you going to be making.

Still, according to statistics, event photographers make around $36,327 a year on average or $17.44 an hour in the United States. However, event photographers on the lower end of the spectrum make roughly $20,000 while the top 10 make around $64,000 a year. Location impacts a lot as to how much event photographers can make.

For starters, in New York, event photographers tend to make a lot of money as compared to other cities. Remember, the statistics that we are sharing with you are from the U.S. So, there is a chance that you might run into entirely different but higher numbers.

Plus, a job of a photographer is largely based on the number of events they are covering. The more events you are covering, the higher you will be able to earn, and that is the reality, in the first place.

Every Event Photography Type You Need to Know About

Now that we are done exploring just how much money you can make through event photography, it is also worth noting that it is very, very important to look into just how many event photography types there are, in the first place. A lot of people have little to no idea about this and this results in some confusion taking place and want to be sure that does not happen here, at all. Because hey, confusions are never really good for anyone, in the first place.

1- Corporate Photography

As the name suggests, corporate photography actually is another form of event photography and you would be surprised to know that even on its own, it does cover various aspects of photography, as well. Some have been covered separately while others have been talked about in the same way.

For starters, product launches, exhibitions, as well as drinks receptions and parties, black tie events, dinners, award ceremonies, and promotions are all parts of corporate photography and you would be surprised to know that we even have more types that fall under the same umbrella.

2- Wedding Photography

Now this might have caught you off guard but you would be happy to know that wedding photography is only a small part of event photography. They are among the most well-known events for photographers and as a photographer, you need to be flexible and tactical in terms of the coverage.

A single wedding could easily require you to take pictures of a lot of things such as proceedings that lead up to the wedding, the wedding itself, the after party, the guests.

In addition to that, people are saying no to the traditional weddings, so keeping that in mind, you might have to be a bit more flexible as to how you are going to cover the event. It is not something that is going to be possible for everyone but hey, you can just do things the way you want and you would be good to go.

Just be sure that you are flexible enough with the coverage, and you are communicating well with your clients and you are good to go without any issues.

3- School Proms and Sports Days

Moving further, we are going to start paying some attention to school proms and sports days, two of the things that gain massive traction all year round and if you are looking to get better and better at this photography, then you have to be sure that you are looking at all the right places.

Generally, school has a school photographer responsible for covering these events, but there are cases when they just go ahead and outsource the photographers so they can let someone else have the creative control that makes the whole experience so much better.

So, as a photographer, you will have to look into this so you can get started without running into any issues.

4- Concerts

Now, we have extensively talked about concerts in the past but the truth remains the same and it is that concerts are also just events. So, if you are looking into event photography, it is better to familiarize yourself with concert photography, as well.

These events draw a huge number of professional photographers because they are not the easiest to cover and do require a good level of skill and understanding. Therefore, it is always better that you are prepared to go the extra mile.

Some bands and musicians normally have their own photographers but despite that, the organizers are known for bringing a photographer from outside to make things better and more accessible for everyone.

5- Graduation Ceremonies

Another common place where you can get a lot of event photography gigs happens to be at graduation ceremonies of schools, colleges, and universities. Now, I do understand the fact that educational institutes are normally going to resort to their in-house photographers, but that does not mean that they are not going to be hiring someone from the outside.

You just have to keep looking at gigs that are available so you can find the ones that you think are good for you and you would easily be able to run into some amazing gigs with ease. The point is that you can get confused in such situations but we are here to help you.

6- Award Ceremonies

Normally, these are included in corporate events but sometimes, they are actually held separately, too. Plus, these ceremonies can be held by any business or otherwise, so the options are always there and if you are looking to be sure that you are getting he best experience, this is the way to go as you will get a lot of good opportunities in this field, as well and you will finally be able to take the photos you want to take and the gigs you want to attend.

7- Charity Events

Although the purpose of this is lost for a lot of people, it is safe to say that a lot of time, charity events are things that people are most interested in and you would be surprised just how common they have become over the past couple of years.

Charity events are heavily marketed and covered by photographers, so if it is something that you are looking into and you want to be sure that you are getting all the information at hand, the good news is that you can just go and start looking for these events and see if you can get the experience you want.

Charity events are definitely not the highest paying out there but they do pay, and are generally a great way of getting started with something. If you are building a portfolio, then this is a great way to get started.

8- Business Lunches, Dinners, and Parties

Another thing that most people are not aware of is that when they are doing event photography, they are more than likely to run into moments when they will have to go ahead and cover business lunches, parties, dinners, and more. I do understand that this is not something that everyone would want but hey, if you are looking for an entry point and you want to be sure that everything just works in this case, then going for these events is definitely a good idea as you will not be going wrong in this case.

You can get a lot of exposure, make contacts, and actually get better at your crafts, too. So, all in all, if you are looking to not just make a quick buck but also learn.

9- Political Events

As an aspiring event photographer, if you are looking to make sure that you have all the options available to you, you can just go ahead and start covering political events, too. Now, these are a bit more exclusive since you cannot just show up to an event and tell the organizers that you want to cover them.

But hey, if you are working your way up, and you want to recognized as a photographer, then being invited to political event should definitely be on your list as it allows for a wonderful overall experience and you will not regret it at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Getting better at photography is not at all difficult. However, you have to understand the complexities that go in this craft. You cannot just pick up your camera, point it in a direction and hope that your images are going to come out looking excellent. Things tend to go wrong all the time and that is the reason why we are trying to make them easier.

The whole post is all about event photography and various aspects of it. Once you go through it, you will come to realise that event photography is not as simple as you might think it is because things always tend to go sideways, and that is the most important thing one needs to understand and be aware of.

The point of this article is to help everyone be confident about their craft and give photography a try. If you are looking to get better, then this definitely is something that you should be looking into as it will only help you understand the complexities of event photography.