Event photography is a genre that is ripe for the picking for professional photographers. From personal events like anniversary parties to corporate events for hundreds of employees, photographers can make a handsome living by documenting important happenings in the daily lives of everyday people.
But like other photography-related jobs, there are lots of photographers in pursuit of a finite number of gigs. As a result, you need to establish yourself as the best in the business. So, how do you do that?
Learn to Work the Crowd
Being a photographer is a social job to begin with, but being an event photographer requires an even greater level of social skills. The best event photographers know how to work the room and the people gathered for the event to get the best photos. On the one hand, a good event photographer is open, welcoming, fun to talk to, and can get people gathered for the event to relax in front of the camera. Event photography requires a warm personality and maybe a few jokes on hand to get people to laugh and smile for more candid type photos.
On the other hand, a good event photographer also knows how to get great shots without directly interacting with the people they are photographing. Blending into the room, taking photos from afar, and avoiding being obtrusive allows event photographers to get images that have a more behind-the-scenes feel that give authenticity to the collection of photos.
Develop Laser Focus
It’s probably a safe assumption that most event photographers get into that type of work because they enjoy meeting people and helping people celebrate and remember the event. The problem is that without the ability to focus on the work at hand, it can be pretty easy to get distracted, get into a conversation with an event-goer, and neglect your duties as the event photographer. The last thing you want to do is get hired by a large company to document their yearly charity fundraiser, only to spend half the night in the back of the room chatting with people.
Part of developing a laser focus is honing your ability to know when and where to be. There’s the big moments at events - introductions of guests, giving out awards, and speeches, to name a few - that obviously require your attention. But those aren’t the only occurrences that should be photographed. Little moments here and there of people talking, laughing, dancing, and the like also need to be photographed. Those events are perhaps more difficult to document because you’re more likely to have guests approach you to ask you questions or request to see your photos during quieter moments. As a result, you also need to develop your ability to politely keep moving so you can get the photos you need.
Offer Special Products
In addition to working hard and creating photos that will impress your clients, it’s important to offer your clients products that will enhance your photos and help make the memories of the event that much more special. Photo cards from a company like Plymouth Cards are a perfect compliment to the images you create. They can be used for any type of event, from high school prom to charity events to weddings. These cards can be custom made for many purposes as well, including invitations, save the date cards, and thank yous, to name a few.
By teaming up with a company like Plymouth Cards, you can not only expand the products and services you offer your clients, but you can also establish yourself as the go-to event photographer in your area. With fully customizable, high-quality products at your disposal, your clients are sure to be impressed. What’s more, each photo card can have your branding on it so you can more easily spread the word about your services.
When you combine these products with learning how to work the crowd and developing the ability to stay focused on your work during even the most raucous events, you’ll set yourself on the path to being the event photographer everyone wants to hire.