You’ve spent all year planning this one event and now that it is over, what do you have to show for it, besides a few extra wrinkles? Hopefully you budgeted for a professional event photographer to be onsite so you’re left with a host of beautiful images that capture the essence of the event and will be a great tool to use on promotional deliverables.

Black Tent Productions in Cincinnati, Ohio offers world-class event photography. We’ve been managing event photo shoots for over a decade and have learned a few things along the way that will help you get the very best for your money. Please consider these items as you are considering event photography:

  1. Photography is not be something you check-off a list, write a check for, and voila! gorgeous photos await you. To make sure you get the photos you want and the photos you need for promotional items, you must make a shot list. The shot list will be a guideline and a schedule for your photographer and will be the result of discussions between agency, client, and photographer. The discussion should set the expectations for what you’re looking for in photography, how the images will be used, etc.; ultimately this will help the photographer understand your event better and that will be reflected in the images you receive.
  2. Variety of images. Regardless of the type of event, you’ll want to capture a variety of images to avoid having a library full of podium speakers. Those images are great, but you’ll only have so many uses for them. Capturing a variety will ensure that you images that features special events, speakers, attendee interaction, exhibitors, event décor, etc.
  3. The photos are not just for the next year. Many photographers today have the ability to upload pictures the day they are taken to a shared-site. Something like this could be useful if you are doing daily emails at the event or want to post some of the event activities on social media (highly recommended! engagement!). You’ll still have the opportunity to have some photos touched-up later for more substantial pieces; just work that out with the photographer ahead of time so the expectations are set.
  4. Pre-event site visit. Assuming your photographer has never been to the venue where you’ll be hosting the event, a site visit prior to the event would probably be beneficial. Not only to have a better idea of the size and scope of the event, but more importantly to get a feel for the lighting and atmosphere with which s/he will be working. Event photography does not usually lend itself well to the use of seamless backdrops and structured lighting set-ups—you more or less get what you get. A brief site visit will let the photographer plan how to best capture each area.

Corporate event photography can make or break a promotional piece. With just a little planning and communication before the event, you won’t be sorry once your library is filled with corporate photography that represent all of the effort and work you put into planning that event.