Photojournalism was my first career path in the photo industry, so I've been taking pictures of events since before digital photography was widely available. I learned the basics of event photography during my time in grad school for photography. The rules haven't changed a lot. To cover an event fully, you need to get some wide shots, some detail shots and some photos in between. A professional event photographer will shoot these types of images and provide you with multiple examples of each. These shots were taken at a grand opening party for The Mabra Firm in Midtown Atlanta.
1. Overall photos- These shots are usually taken with a wide angle lens to show the scope of the event. A skilled photographer will try to find a higher vantage point to take some photos that show more of the of the event space and more of the attendees.
2. Details- These photos are easy to overlook, but a lot of planning and money goes into the details of a corporate event. You need to document all of branded details, gifts for your attendees, food and drink. Detail shots are sometimes taken with a macro lens.
3. Medium shots- These images are sometimes taken with a "medium" lens between 35mm and 85mm. They should be a mix of candid moments (with guest interacting) and posed photos (with the subjects looking at the camera.)
4. Group photos- It's a great idea to include a few group photos. It's not often you can get your whole team in the same place at the same time. Let your photographer know about this ahead of time. It takes some scouting to find a great location for a large group shot, and they might need to bring additional lighting.
5. Hero images- These shots include the "stars of the show." Maybe they are giving a speech, cutting a ribbon or demonstrating a product. If none of these events are happening, your photographer might ask for a posed portrait photo of one or more of the main team members.
Corporate events can include meetings, product launches, ribbon cuttings, trade shows, executive retreats, team building events and so many more. If you hire an experienced photographer to cover your event, you will receive a variety of the these photos to document the event.
