They say a picture says a thousand words. Whether you’re a professional photographer or an amateur with a love for taking the best selfies, capturing events can be a truly surreal experience. Photographing events can be really fun, but they can also be very challenging. Things can happen very fast, the atmosphere can be very charged, and you might end up missing out on the best moments or fail to capture them in the best way. So, are you preparing to cover a small event or capture a wedding experience? These tips will help you get the best shots.
- Prepare and do a little practice
Preparing your logistics can help save you a lot of precious time and even help you identify critical flaws before they become an issue. So, take your time to understand the event, the location, the people you expect to see there, activities expected, as well as the important personalities or moments you’re supposed to look out for. This way, you’ll avoid spending too much time and energy on shots that wouldn’t hold much value. If you’re working as a photographer for a client, it is important to sit down with them and make a photography list of all the important things they want to capture. Also, consider the time of the event, lighting factor, weather condition, etc. Next, try doing a little practice mimicking similar circumstances so that you can get your lighting issues, angles, shadows, colour effects, etc., all sorted out before the d-day.
- Arrive early
Arriving late at your event venues, or even on time, may not give you enough time to settle down properly and observe your surroundings. Also, arriving late puts you in a bad light, especially if you’re working for a client. Be sure to arrive 15 to 30 minutes early, depending on the nature of the event.
So, go early, and be sure to speak again with your client to ensure they have no added special requests. Once you arrive, take the time to observe your surroundings and determine how best you make everything around you work for your shots. You can also take a couple of pre-event shots while building relationships with the guests. This way, no one will get uncomfortable around you.
- Get your cameras ready and wait for the expressions
Unless you have a specific photography list, you’re required to stick to, set yourself up to capture as many facial and bodily expressions as possible. Good event photography is all about capturing expressions, although it helps to include some environmental shots. But the people are always the stars of the show, and those offer the lasting memories people will love to look back at.
- Get up and personal
Once the guests are comfortable with your presence, don’t be afraid to get a little closer with your shots instead of sticking to photos of people in large groups. And be sure you know how and when to use your flash for better effect. If you’re hosting your event, you can take the classic photo booth session a step further by making it more interactive with a magic mirror hire package.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.