Why Hire a Professional Photographer? Part 2:The importance of good event photography.

Events are a big part of a organizations public relations outreach, both internally and externally. Some events are geared towards employees such as award programs and holiday parties. These give encouragement to and recognize employees and are important for employee morale around the office. Other events are more external in nature and are meant to build the organizations public image. These range in scope from a ribbon cutting celebrating the grand opening of a new district office to sponsorship of an event. Too often, when we inquire about shooting an event for an organization, they tell us that they are using a volunteer instead of a professional photographer because the price is right-FREE!

The old axiom-"You get what you pay for" is true. A lot of people think that because of digital anyone with a camera or smartphone can take a good picture. But there is more to shooting an event than having digital capabilities. Let's take a look at a few of these.
There are lighting concerns-the light changes dramatically from overhead fluorescent to hot stage lights-can your volunteer handle these less than ideal lighting conditions?

© Lissy Brenner Photography

At many events there are multiple "Kodak moments" happening simultaneously, requiring your volunteer to be in two places at once. Can they do this realistically?

These two images are from the same event and they were going on simultaneously so having two cameras was a big plus in capturing the event properly.
© Lissy Brenner Photography

There likely will be single shots of people, a few small groups, and sometimes a group shot of 40 or more will be required. Can your volunteer handle the posing and technical lighting of such a large group? Does your volunteer have the capabilities of a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens to capture different size groups and situations?

All Sizes of groups are some common challenges at events.
© Lissy Brenner Photography

Then there are the candid shots which open up a whole other can of worms. Do you get people interacting, looking at the camera or combinations of both. Candid photos vs staged photos is another decision to be made. Which does your organization want and need? Sometimes you want and need both. Can your volunteer handle the spontaneity and serendipity of the event moments? Does your volunteer have the personality and experience to ask people to move around so the back of their heads are not a prominent feature of the photo.

© Lissy Brenner Photography

Finally there is the editing and prepping of the photos. All digital photos need to be prepped, cleaned up and sized for any use whether it be web or print. We come back to the studio and usually spend more time on this process than on the actual shooting of the images. This prepares the images for any and all uses that may be required. Does your volunteer have the editing and prep software not to mention the time (remember they are shooting this event for free) that can handle this process?

Everyone wants an economical solution to their problems. We at Lissy Brenner Photography are committed to providing high quality images while working within the budgets of our clients, large or small. We can handle extreme lighting conditions both indoor or outdoor. We have two photographers on staff and have the capabilities of hiring more should the situation warrant it. Our company can and does routinely shoot events where everything from a wide angle to a telephoto lens is a must. Our company specializes in making candid event photos look candid when many are actually posed and staged photos look more natural and candid. Our goal is to establish a rapport with our clients so they feel they are getting more than they paid for. This will foster a continuing relationship with them as not only clients but as friends and family.

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