How to Find an Event Photographer
Covered in this post—
Understand Your Event Photography Needs
Research Local Event Photography Agencies
Assessing Experience and Expertise
Evaluate Communication and Collaboration
Pricing and Budget Considerations
In the era of smartphones and social media, it's easy to fall into the trap of believing that anyone can be a photographer. After all, with a few taps on our screens, we can capture moments, apply filters, and instantly share them with the world.
However, when it comes to event management, the significance of hiring a professional photographer cannot be overstated.
Having a professional photographer on your team means more than just having someone with a keen eye at your disposal. Professionals create a well-rounded game plan for each event, with specific objectives in mind. Rather than a shutter-happy amateur, a professional will be able to dial in on the key objectives and help you create amazing content that can be leveraged during and well after your next event.
At Mark Campbell Productions, we combine years of experience with a creative touch to help you see your event come to life through professional photography and videography. Backed by a full production staff, we are ready to show you the power of a professional photography team.
Finding an event photographer doesn’t have to be a burden. The following factors are a great starting point to help you find an event photographer that fits your needs and your budget.
Understand Your Event Photography Needs
Before approaching a professional photographer, a solid game plan is needed. Finding an event photographer that fits your needs starts with understanding your needs. It might sound obvious, but having a clear picture of your goals will dictate every aspect from here on out.
Start with identifying the type of photography services required. Do you only need still images? Are you hoping to capture candid videos for social media? Are you planning on live streaming?
Your strategy may evolve once a professional photographer is under contract, but being able to describe the type of shots you want taken, including style and tone, will help the photographer get a clear understanding of the scope of work. This will ensure that they are able to provide an accurate quote and that the strategy is executed on the day of your event.
Assess Experience and Expertise
You’ve uncovered the portfolio of your top three local photography agencies, but what are you actually looking to uncover? Experience and expertise should be at the top of your list. As we have mentioned, there are plenty of shutterbugs out there, but are they capturing the right moments, and will the product generate long-term ROI?
Experience and expertise should be apparent throughout the agency’s portfolio. Look for specializations and familiarity with specific event types. If you are managing an industry-level event, an agency that only specializes in wedding photography might not be the best fit.
During your assessment, get detailed information on the photographer’s technical skills and equipment that would be used during the event. It may be that one agency is better equipped to handle your shot list, or that multiple photographers will be needed.
Evaluate Communication and Collaboration
Having the skills and equipment to execute each shot is only half of the equation. Communication is an essential component that is frequently overlooked by event managers.
As you evaluate different options, take the time to uncover how each vendor approaches communication. The fact is, no two photography agencies will communicate in the same way. Some will rely on the photographer to handle all of the communication with a client, while others assign a production manager to be the conduit.
Pro Tip → Pay close attention to their ability to understand your event requirements and their willingness to collaborate.
Pricing and Budget Considerations
Budget will undoubtedly be one of the biggest factors in your decision to hire a professional photographer. Setting your budget expectations early in the conversation will help you avoid a drawn-out process that wastes your time and energy.
Clear pricing structures should be seen as a green flag during your evaluation process. While a specific package might need to be adjusted to fit your event needs, transparency is essential. Look for agencies that offer a combination of transparency and flexibility, because your needs and your budget may change over time.
Consider This → Comparing cost estimates from multiple agencies should involve more than just the hard numbers. Value in relation to budget is equally important.
Scheduling and Availability
Scheduling and availability could easily be higher on this list. Ensuring the agency’s availability for your event dates is obviously mission critical, and can help streamline the decision-making process.
Agencies may be working with multiple events on the same day as yours, so it pays to have a discussion about how they schedule and any potential conflicts on the date of your event. If a conflicting event requires a tremendous amount of the agency’s resources, it may impact its ability to handle multiple events simultaneously.
Look for an agency that is transparent about how they schedule their event and allocate resources. Any smoke and mirrors should be viewed as a red flag.
Contracts, Rights, and Usage
Contract terms and conditions will vary between agencies and it is a part of the evaluation process that cannot be overlooked. The fine print of the agreement can dictate who owns the images or content, and how you can use them moving forward.
Copyright ownership doesn’t get as much attention as the hard numbers in the contract, but they should be clearly stated within the agreement. In many cases, the photographer, or agency retains ownership of the images, and usage rights, through licensing, are defined in the contract allowing the client the ability to share images on social media, or through other marketing campaigns.
Deliverables and timelines should both be discussed with the agency and clearly defined within the agreement so that there is no confusion once the ink is dry.
Building a Relationship for Future Events
As you evaluate your options for a local event photography agency, one last should be considered – forging a long-term relationship. Having a trusted agency in your back pocket for your next corporate event makes the process easier, and removes the burden of constantly sourcing professional photographers.
Working with a long-term partner opens the door for future event opportunities, consistency in how your events are photographed, potential discounts, and more. Over time, post-event feedback can help both sides improve, strengthening the relationship.
The Mark Campbell Productions team is the trusted name for Chicago event photography specializing in corporate event photography, corporate headshots, as well as conference highlight videos, and produced video interviews. We are ready to put our decades of knowledge and experience to work for your next event.
Connect with our team to learn more about our services and get your quote today.