An Event Photography Shot List
A guide to the shots you or your event photographer should be getting
General Information
Providing New Yorkers with clean, unique, personal and brand defining event imagery since 2013
Need to guide your photographer with a shot list?
Event photographers have been around for decades - likely over a half century or more (the roaring twenties probably saw a flash bulb or two here or there). All manner of events get photographed and all manner of an event photographer photograph them (natural light photographers, flash photographers, wedding photographers, black and white photographers, etc), on a minute to minute, hour to hour, and day to day basis. This being said, I routinely run into clients that aren’t entirely sure what it is they want photographed, and I routinely run into burgeoning event photographers that aren’t exactly sure what they should be photographing for their clients.
And so, with this said, I’ve gone ahead and put together a handy shot list for all those professional and event organizers out there, and this can be referenced should you not be wildly sure what it is you should be focusing on.
Shot List - Table of Contents
Candids
Posed
Key figures
Food and Decor Shots
Speaker shots
Wider Audience and Crowd Shots
Candids and Posed
Candid event photos are going to represent the overall bulk of your album and be anywhere from 70-80% of the end delivery. Whether they be for corporate or private usage, in any given scenario whether it be a conference, private party, or life event, candid images are going to be the de facto standard set of images you’ll be delivering (or ordering) from the day’s documentation.
Depending on the event type (whether it be corporate or private, for instance), the type of candid shot will vary from group to group - but candid, in-the-moment images will nevertheless be the number one thing photographed at the event.
Below are a few event photography examples centered around candid shots and what sort of function you’ll commonly find them in:
In the Moment Candid Photographs - Private Events. One or Two People.
It’s perfectly alright to frame one or two happy, smiling people for a shot and, to be honest, this is the easiest shot to as well compose, as all you need to do is account for a couple subjects in the image and that’s it. As well, ensure they’re smiling (or in the very least, somewhat happy looking). Black and whites are as well acceptable for private functions, though you’ll often times not delivery any for corporate work.
Formal Portraits - Posed
Formal Portraits are a bit different than posed portraits at a private event in that they are usually taken at a separate, designated time blocked off by the photographer and client. They could be taken any one number of ways, but the lighting is usually controlled (whether it be inside with a strobe or outside where the lighting is even) and they’ll be much more posed, directed, and oftentimes with prints in mind. They additionally come with an extra fee, as well.
If you’re wondering how to gauge those fees and what to expect, check out my pricing guide.
Posed shots at a private event- in the moment
Posed shots taken in the moment should probably be taken every 15-20 photos or so and not represent a large portion of your edit. Anywhere from 10-20% of the overall image delivery should focus around in the moment, posed photos. As a client, you’re welcome to ask for a photograph as well and the photographer shouldn’t have any difficulty directing you on what to do.
It’s a good idea on the posed, in-the-moment images to account for at least one person or group/arrangement of people at the event.
Atmospheric Photos of the food, decor, and venue
If you want your event album to tell a story and come with some sort of overarching narrative for the day, atmospheric photos of the food, venue, and place settings are going to go a long way in doing that.
Without these images, albums tend to be just more of a large mass of people photos - but introduce 10-20 (depending on the album size) atmospheric images and they’ve got stories to tell all unto themselves.
Docusign CEO Allen Thygesen preps at a conference rehearsal at The Glasshouse, NYC. Joe Jenkins Photography
Key Figures - Private Events
A bride and her sister in NYC. Joe Jenkins Photography
The vast majority of private events revolve around one or two specific people. Birthday parties, anniversaries, engagement parties, and bridal showers are all events held to celebrate a milestone for just one individual.
This being said, that one individual will usually have people in attendance that are more important to them than, say, a friend or acquaintance. Parents, Siblings, and any other relatives should always be taken aside for a handful of images - and then liberally shot over the remainder of the event.
Speaker Shots
Allen Thygesen, CEO of Docusign, doing a new brand reveal in NYC. Joe Jenkins Photography
This is mostly going to be confined to a shot list geared more towards a corporate event photographer, but good speaker shots are a deal breaking must at any conference, panel, fireside chat, wedding reception, or toast.
Knowing the venue before going in is always a good idea, as a telephoto lens will be needed if the photographer cannot get close to the stage.
Wide Crowd Shots
The crowd at Docusign Momentum 2024, The Glasshouse NYC.
Anything involving a crowd of attendees needs shots to be two things - Wide and full of people. Crowd shots are a must and preferably as wide as possible.
Contact us.
Have an event coming up that you need a quote for, or simply more information on? Drop me a line below and I’d be happy to help.