13 Event Photography Tips For Beginners
Outdoor Dog Photography Event Tips
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If you are new to event photography take a look at the 13 event photography tips below.
I have photographed plenty of dog events over the years from dog shows to working Gundog tests and events.
I also knew nothing at all about photographing events when I photographed my first event.
Although after every single event I easily sold images, prints and more and still do from past events.
These tips are exactly what I have done at each event I’ve attended, and will help with any kind of event photography.
Photographing events is hard work but you do have a great time and get to meet lots of new people along the way.
- 1. Get organised
- 2. Bring the right equipment
- 3. Shoot in raw
- 4. Make sure your photography website address is visible
- 5. Get to the event early
- 6. Be friendly and smile
- 7. Don't be distracting
- 8. Wear suitable clothing
- 9. Try and get a variety of shots
- 10. Use a photo sharing website
- 11. Backup your images
- 12. Don't over price your event photography
- 13. Share your photos from an event on Facebook
- Bonus event photography tip
1. Get organised
The first tip for photographing an event is to get yourself organised. Get your camera ready, lenses cleaned. Batteries charged up ready, SD cards cleared. Have everything ready to go the night before the event.
2. Bring the right equipment
Only take the camera and lenses which you will need for the events. You really can only carry so much camera gear.
Having too many lenses with you at any photo shoot will just become a burden.
One spider holster with 2 cameras with lenses is enough.
Best camera for event photography?
The camera you own is the best camera for event photography. Think more about protecting it.
Depending what type of event photography you will be doing. A screen protector is really handy and worth purchasing. I’ve had to replace one of these after an event. But a screen protector is much cheaper than a new screen for a camera.
Also a lens coat for protecting your lens is worth looking into.
3. Shoot in raw
Shoot the event in raw file.
This will allow you to capture more detail which is really what you need if you are going to sell the images after the event.
You also need the highest quality images. Because you never know who will buy or need to use the images from the events in the future.
4. Make sure your photography website address is visible
Making sure your photography website address is visible at an event is must.
It doesn’t matter how you do it, and can be done by a number of ways from
- Leaving business cards around
- Have the web address printed on your clothing which you are wearing
- Magnetic signs on your car in the car park displaying your photography business name
- Have your web address in the program to the event if organised in advance
Doing this it will help people to find your website easily and enable you to sell your images from the event afterwards.
This is because the people from the event will easily be able to find the photos to view. And will ensure that they can buy the photos online directly through your website.
Extra event photography tip
It is amazing how many people will be waiting to view your photos from event. So make it easy for them to find your photography website.
5. Get to the event early
It is common sense really, but getting to the event early will enable you to
- Get organised
- Find out what your job is for the day
- Take some extra photos to add to the event photo gallery
- Put some business cards out if possible
- Get a drink before you start
- Talk to people
- Meet other event photographers which might also be working with you
6. Be friendly and smile
Be friendly, smile and make yourself approachable it doesn’t cost anything to be nice to people.
However much of a disaster you might think your photography for the event is going just smile.
By making yourself approachable I can guarantee the first thing people will say or ask you at an event is. ‘Where can we see the photos your taking today?”
You can with answer with “Here’s a card for my photography website, the photos will be on it in a few days”.
Get along with everyone working at the event too.
7. Don't be distracting
Whatever the event is your photographing, it is not about you. It’s not about getting your photography portfolio images on the day either. If you get a few award winning images out of it great.
Don’t be distracting or get in the way.
If you do become distracting the chances are you won’t be asked again to photograph the events.
Photographing Gundog Events
At a Gundog event all the dogs have to have the same chance this includes the distractions. You as a photographer become a distraction for the dog too. So once you decide where you are going to position yourself you have to stay there. You can’t start moving into another spot which might be better for photographing half way through a test. Choose wisely at the start and make the most of the spot you’ve picked. Or ask someone how it is going to happen and work. Then decide where you are going to position yourself for the best photo results.
8. Wear suitable clothing
Any kind of event photography is probably going to last all day. So go prepared with the right clothing to wear. This includes footwear. Try and blend in with everyone else. If your at Gundog event wear country type clothing. A Wedding to photograph wear smart clothes.
Corporate event photography dress for the occasion again. If your photographing outdoor events check the weather forecast before you leave home so your prepared.
9. Try and get a variety of shots
Get a mixture of shots from your event. This will make viewing the images from the event in the photo gallery more interesting. You will be able to create a story within your photo gallery about the day on your website.
By getting to the event early you can photograph
- People arriving
- The event being set up
- People chatting and meeting each other
- Anything else that might happen
There will always be at an event that one person who looks like a film star model. They will make great photographs which ever angle you take their photo at. Just remember there will be loads of other people at the event too.
These people will of spent money on new clothing for the event they are attending. Also made an effort to look good for the day out.
Get photos of those people too.
You need a mixture of photographs from an event.
- Group shots
- Close up shots
- Awards being presented if the event is a competition
- Action shots
- The scenery
- Everything what makes the event
Here is another event photography tip
People like to see photographs of themselves dressed up at an event. They won’t admit it, but they do we all do.
So make sure you get plenty of people shots the more casual the better.
It will add to the story telling of the event.
10. Use a photo sharing website
After an event, and when you have edited your images.
The images need to go into a photo gallery on a SmugMug photo sharing Website.
By using a photo sharing website from SmugMug. Your images will be displayed perfectly for whoever you are going to share the photo gallery to after the event to view the images. (A watermark can be added to the whole gallery for photo protection).
You will easily be able to sell your images online through the photo gallery too with SmugMug.
Gundog event photography
I photographed Gundog Events for the Kennel Club for 3 years. After every event I photographed all the images were uploaded to a SmugMug gallery. The visitor shopping cart was switched on. I sold images, prints and digital downloads easily every time. This is because SmugMug is so easy to use and is very user friendly for the buyer. That fact that SmugMug is user friendly for the visitors to your website means that you will easily sell more images, prints and digital downloads online.
Event photography pricing
If you are not paid for photographing the actual event and are relying on selling the images after the event to make money. the Portfolio or Pro account from SmugMug is exactly what you need
Not sure how to price your event photography click here >>>
SmugMug Reviews
You don’t need any technical experience to use SmugMug at all.
As long as you have a computer and an email address you are ready to start selling your images online.
I have a full review about SmugMug.
11. Backup your images
An very important tip for event photography is to backup your images after the events.
Once you upload your images to a SmugMug gallery they are backed up, safe and securely stored.
Your images are also easy to access within the photo storage too for when you want to use or view the images again.
Even backup raw files with SmugMug Source, raw file management an add on to your SmugMug account.
You need a backup of your event photography because in time you will keep selling those images and need easy access to them.
Also they need to be stored safely, hard drives are not advisable for this.
Read the blog post the importance of secure photo backup for photographers >>>
12. Don't over price your event photography
If you try and charge too much for your event photography you might struggle to sell the images. If you are working with other photographers try and price your event photography inline with their prices.
Setting up the pricing for your photography is so quick, simple and easy to do with SmugMug.
If you are unsure what to charge just use the default price list already set up. It will take you longer to switch on your computer than it will to change the prices with SmugMug it is that easy.
13. Share your photos from an event on Facebook
Such an easy thing to do is to share your event photos in a SmugMug gallery on Facebook >>>
If your event photography is not a private shoot, for a magazine or company which have exclusive rights over your images. Then you need to share the SmugMug gallery of images on Facebook.
Facebook is free and using SmugMug is one of the best professional ways to get your event photography photos out there. You will soon start selling photos from the events. The photos are also safe from image theft as you can watermark the whole gallery. As I said before people love seeing photos of themselves. They also love sharing photos on Facebook. When they share photos from a SmugMug gallery they are sharing your work, photography website and photography business at the same time.
Try SmugMug free for 14 days and 15% off any new SmugMug account.
To start selling your event photography online with SmugMug you will need the Portfolio or Pro account.
See the difference between the two plans here >
Bonus Event photography tip
The best way to never make money from your event photography
The best way to never make any money from your event photography is to share the photos directly on Facebook.
By posting your photos from an event straight onto Facebook. Then expecting people to contact you to buy the photos, will not happen.
If you want likes on Facebook from the photos go ahead post the photos on Facebook.
But if you want to make money from your event photography then you need the photos in a SmugMug gallery. Then share the gallery to Facebook.
The whole photo gallery will be properly protected from image theft by watermarks. More importantly the buy photos button is so obvious in the gallery the photos will sell and make you money. You will also look professional at the same time.
