When you’re looking for photography or video coverage of your event, it’s important to make the best choices as early as possible in the event planning stages. I’d like to share some things that I’ve learned in my 20 years as an event producer, photographer, videographer, and attendee that might help you find exactly who you’re looking for – even if it’s not me. While I’m generally speaking of still photography, the same will apply for video services.

Planning in Advance

You’re probably familiar with the “6 P’s” of planning – “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance”. This is something that definitely holds true in all aspects of planning your event, and most certainly to photography and video.

Putting on any event is always multi-faceted process that involves dozens of moving parts, all of which must work together for the event to truly be successful. Securing a venue, hiring a caterer, finding an A/V company, arranging transportation and lodging, scheduling entertainment, and preparing presentations are just a few of the items on the list. Also at the top of the list is hiring an event photographer. Oftentimes, this is one of the things that people wait until the final stages to arrange.

If you are holding a large event and you wait until the week before it happens, it’s likely that you will make a hasty decision and perhaps settle for whoever is available (with results to match). Most successful full-time event photographers schedule at least 4-8 weeks in advance, and not being able to find the right fit can add a lot of stress and drama just before the event takes place.

Realistically, there are always so many last-minute details that require attention, so it’s best to allow yourself the time beforehand to find the right photographer and/or video professional early in the planning stages. Most will be more than happy to hold or reserve your dates even far in advance and this will also allow you to find just the right one before production (and sometimes the chaos that goes along with it) is in full swing.

The Right Fit

As in most professions, professional photographers tend to specialize in certain areas. Some are exceptional sports photographers, others focus on weddings, and still others are most proficient in studio photography. Event photography also requires a certain set of skills and equipment to do the job right. It’s safe to say that while many photographers are quite versatile, very few truly excel in all kinds of photography.

Event photography, in particular, can be especially challenging for many reasons. Most corporate events, for example, often include main sessions (or plenaries), breakout sessions, social and networking time, and outside activities. Shots need to be well-timed to capture the peak of the action, lighting must be optimized for dark indoor spaces as well as bright sunlight outdoors, candid photos require a bit of stealth at times, and in many situations, camera flashes can be intrusive and aren’t used. A good event photographer will have a solid track record of capturing great photos in all of these environments while at the same time being as unobtrusive as possible.

While technically an outside contractor, an event photographer inherently becomes a part of the event itself. Their appearance, behavior, and level of professionalism are a reflection the brand holding the event, and therefore they should always appear professional and be able to interact, when needed, with attendees in an appropriate way.

A Reliable Choice

There are thousands of full-time professional photographers and videographers available in the San Francisco Bay Area (and most other metro areas), and there are literally millions of others who own a camera and are looking to provide their services on a part-time basis to earn extra income. Among these, there are many who excel in quality work, are rock-solid reliable, and who would do a great job at your event.

There are several ways of finding the right pro for your event. First, you may have worked with a photographer before, or have a great referral from a friend or another business. This is often the best connection available, as they not only have a great track record of success, but they have a track record of success with you or your colleagues.

There are many companies who have prominent positions in the search engines that offer event photography services, mostly in larger cities. These companies almost always work with a network of local freelancers and hire them on a project basis to provide services to individual events. If they don’t have one available or in that particular area, they search the internet and try to locate one to hire (as a subcontractor), then pay them a portion of the proceeds. The advantage of this (for you or the company needing photography services) is that the photographer is pre-screened for quality of work, and if they suddenly become unavailable, they will be replaced by the photo company. The hiring photo company also often takes care of the post-processing and delivery of photos, which can result in faster and better quality photos (because they have all been touched up).

If you spend some time searching yourself or hae a referral, you can often find a local professional photographer who covers events and book that photographer directly yourself. When doing so, you will want to make sure they have a portfolio (or at least some samples to share), have solid experience and a track record shooting events similar to yours, and will reserve your dates in advance. You will also want to note the level of communication you have with them from the onset – do they respond to your emails promptly, and offer you their phone number for faster communication when needed? The advantage of hiring a photographer directly is that you have that direct communication with them and can avoid having to communicate through 1, 2 or even 3 subcontractors,  that you know in advance exactly who you will be working with, and know that the quality of your photos will closely match those in their portfolio.

Lastly, you may be tempted to find a photographer using Craigslist, Nextdoor, or another similar site. From my experience (both from hiring people this way and working with them on-site), you truly never know what you’re going to get, or even that they will show up. I have personally known more than a dozen people or companies who have had photographers not show up, not know what they’re doing on site, left early, or never delivered the final images. While you may get lucky and find a great photographer or video professional this way, from my experience, it’s the least reliable way of hiring the right person.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for someone to document an event in still photography or video, it’s essential that you find someone with the right experience, equipment, and professionalism.

Hopefully these brief tips are helpful when it comes to choosing the right photographer or video professional at your next event.