Event photography setup

I'm thinking of getting into event photography (I already cover weddings) but

have no idea of what kind of setup is needed. Is it just a portable background

and a studio light (and printer etc)? Any recommendations for a light / softbox

or background?

 

Thanks

Equipment requirements vary depending on the types of events you want to cover, and the on-location services you wish to provide. The image capture requirements can be fairly simmple (as you've noted, background and portable lighting), and there are any number of upgrades and enhancements from there. Some photographers use a single studio light, while others prefer a 3-5 light setup that mimics small studio lighting. These requirements are generally based on the type(s) of events you're covering, and your equipment budget.

 

From there, you have several options for event coverage. You can choose to simply shoot onsite, and have your customers contact you later to view and order their images, or you can produce the images onsite. Most event photographers prefer dye sublimation printers in the field; they are very durable, and the more recent offerings product high quality images in a reasonable time (5x7 prints in 15-30 seconds; 8x10 prints in 30-90 seconds). The Sony SnapLab is popular because it doesn't require a computer; but it's limited to 5x7" prints. I have one - it's very easy to use, and produces great results.

 

From this very simple setup, you can expand to include multiple printers (to support multiple images sizes), a computer and software to let you edit/manage/print on location, etc. I used a roll-your-own workflow for a bit (using several applications to produce the images), then switched to Express Digital Darkroom. The Professional version include several great event features, such as greenscreen and tethered shooting (the list of features is too much for this post).

 

Expanding from there, you may move to multiple computers to handle such tasks as image capture, editing and printing, and customer viewing/ordering stations.

 

Some photographers choose to process the entire event on-site, using the equipment I've described above. Some others use on-site printing capabilities as a valuable additional service to their traditional offerings (i.e., the ability to produce and sell some images at a wedding reception, while the bulk of the album images will be produced after-the-fact). Still others prefer a mix of on-location and studio/lab capabilities, focusing their income on location-produced prints, while still offering customers the ability to view and order after-the-fact, with some additional offerings. For example, though you may only wish to print up to 8x10 on-site, you can have larger sizes available or offer sublimation products (mugs, shirts, etc.) that can be ordered on-site and delivered later.

Don't forget the other pieces of equipment that you may need, Bob: more human beings. Many events include not only some as-they-walk-in type shots, which you seem to be contemplating, but also the expectation that you'll be there to shoot something that's happening in another physical spot - say, a speech at a lecturn, or the presentation of some award, or some other sort of activity that's happening simultaneously. Event photography seems to sometimes quickly escalate into a team sport that involves two shooters (or more), a 'runner' that's scrambling to get memory cards back to the table, and one more people manning the small network of computers and printers. To say nothing of cell-phone-enabled credit card processing devices, and other point-of-sale considerations. Gets complex in a hurry, without event getting into the physical security of your equipment when you start doing things in a more spread-out way. Good luck!

Hi Bob, you almost stole my question! I've just been looking around this website which specialises in Event Photography - http://www.systeminsight.co.uk/index.html These guys also run a bus dedicated to events and you can read about that on http://www.thephotobus.co.uk/

 

I too do weddings and have just teamed up with a guy who does equestrian events. We covered a few school proms and hunt balls earlier this year which proved lucrative and fun , but were very hectic. We shot and printed on site using dye sub printers as the other photogs in the area process in the lab and take orders. This way the schools in particular avoid having to take orders, money etc.

 

My interest/question would be how to make the workflow smoother and quicker? BTW we used a team of 3 people each time which was only just enough.

Sorry Bob, forgot to say we do use a background because many of the venues are very cluttered inside. Also we haven't used anything other than on camera flash to date - mainly because the market is less developed here in the UK than, say in the States. However, we will probably be changing that as we want to improve quality and be at the forefront of things to make sure we get repeat bookings and satisfied customers.

One of the events I like to cover are corporate Christmas parties. I'm hired and paid by the company. Before digital I shot it all on 35mm. The normal portrait setup was a posed portrait with a nice Christmas tree behind the couple as the background. And other prop sets like a sleigh, etc.. An off camera Norman-200B strobe in a Westcott Halo with an on-camera strobe- with a Stofen dome- 2-stops below the key light for fill. The nice part of this was when I got the order back from the lab I would cut the individual negative for each 4x6 and tape it to the back of the print. A secretary at the company would go around after the party and distribute the individual photos with the negative attached. The employees love it because they can order their own prints- in size or quantity.

 

All the rest of the event- entertainment, speeches by the boss, folks dancing and partying were put together into a slide show and an album (for the boss)

 

When I went digital I tried putting the images up on a "for order" webpage. We got very fee re-print orders from the posed portraits. The employees were spoiled- they wanted their negatives. I shot the rest of the event like before, but digital.

 

For the last two years I have gone back to shooting all the portrait setups with a negative body- setup and taping the negs to the back of the prints as I originally had done. And then I shoot the rest of the event digital. The companies LOVE IT !!! (I shoot the same 5 companies every year).

 

I do have all the portraits(negatives) burned to CD at processing and those files are included with all the event digital files.

 

SEE! there still is a good reason for negatives ;-)

Jack: why not just shoot it all digitally, and make full-res JPGs available to the employees? It would be a rare one, these days, that couldn't save it at will, hit the Wal-Mart web site and have their own inexpensive prints made. Or, just e-mail the files as attachments to each employee, that sort of thing. It's quite possible that we're at the point where many people would find steps like those to be LESS trouble than receiving a JPG to do with as they wish. Only time will tell!

Laur- It's easier to shoot it on film and give them the negative. Then they can do with it as they please. If they take the neg into any printer- WalMart, Walgreens, Sams, Costco, etc. it gets dropped into the scanner drawer and is printed digitally anyway. There is a lot less handling on my part to do it with a negative than with a digital file. I never have to put the files on a website or burn it to a CD, etc. by doing it my way.

 

BTW- I shoot them on the new Fuji Pro-400 which is specifically designed by Fuji to be scanned. You can't see the grain of the film in the scan at all- GREAT film!

One more thing to add-

By shooting each couple as they arrive at the Christmas party- and by giving them the 4x6 with their negative attached- I never have to stop and write down their names or keep track of who they are (and I don't need an assistant- which I never use anyway). When I deliver the prints with the negative taped to the back- the boss' secretary (or an asistant) is who takes the prints around to each person's desk and delivers them. Since I was paid by the company to shoot the event and the package was pre-determined, I get my money and am finished with the assignment when I deliver the final images and files.

Jack,

 

Indeed, two great words when it comes to event photography: "finished" and "paid" !

don't use inkjet printers. You have to buy a ton of ink, deal with clogged heads and most inkjets print slower then dye sub printers. Use a piece of tape for each person to stand on the floor, at about a 45 degree angle. Saves a ton of time posing. A lot of clients pick the 8X10 package. Each print will cost you about $1.85, We charge $25 for the 1 8X10. With group of 400 people you can bring in a bit of a profit if you are prepared. Final word, Do no let people wait in line, have a second photographer shooting and 3 people printing and collecting money. With a group of 50 couples it's a 2 man job, so when you add another 50 add 2 more people.

 

Last bit of advice is you can use a Christmas tree but have a professional background as well. Lots of people simply dislike the tree for religious reasons and many other reasons such as the backdrop simply looks classy.