Secrets to Successful Event Photography
- David Hayden
- Sep 8
- 4 min read
As a long-time event photographer and business owner, I've come to realize that the most successful event photographers don't just have a great eye; they also have a great strategy. My career, which has spanned everything from managing manufacturing departments to opening an ice cream parlor, has taught me that the principles of business and strategy are essential for any successful venture—and photography is no different.
The OODA Loop, The Secret to Successful Event Photography
My interest in business has introduced me to hundreds of fascinating books and authors, of late, I've been reading about Cornel John Boyd, and in particular his OODA loop.
OODA stands for Observe, Orient, Decide and Act and it is the perfect strategy for any successful event photographer. But as I mentioned before, it starts with your mission.
After you have discussed the photographic needs for the event, you are in the best position to execute the OODA process.
Observe
Know Your Mission or You Won't Succeed as an Event Photographer
Event photography presents unique challenges. You are hired to document an event for whatever purposes the client has in mind. Maybe it is a important family gathering where a family has not been in the same place for decades. Or, maybe it is for corporate purposes where they want to showcase their accomplishments or fundraiser.
If you just show up an start snapping photos, odds are you will get some photos the client wants and a lot they do not want. Often. at least in my experience, the people hiring me don't know what they want because they haven't thought it through. The were just told to get a photographer there. I always start with a lot of questions like:
What are these photos for?
Are the dignitaries that you definitely want to photograph?
The room, facilities, lighting, is it important to capture venue?
Do the attendees know that by attending the event there will be photography and they are likely to be photographed? And how do people opt out of having their photo taken?
And many more.
The answers to these questions, and many more, tell me my mission. My clients are generally familiar with my work before they hire me so they are aware of my particular style of event photography and I have yet for someone to try to micromanage how I do what I do.
When you arrive at the event, preferably before things get rolling, observe everything. Scan the room for light sources and potential trouble spots. Is there backlight in areas that will make shooting against it very difficult? If so can you get the backlight behind you to shoot parts of the event. I find a lot of mixed lighting that needs dealt with. Overhead lights that are a different color than other ambient light or that creates "racoon eyes". Many events I shoot have theatrical lighting so people look blue, green, red, orange or all of the above.
Orient
You must have skills as the event photographer to know when things are going to enhance your photos and when there will be challenges you need to overcome. You need to know your gear and editing skills wo well that you can decide, for example, to push the ISO to the max and how to still get a good image. You need to know the limitations of you lenses. You may have a great 50mm or other lens that can shoot at F1.4 for ultra low light, but what if you also need great depth of field.
Part of orientation is knowing where the players are. If you've been hired with the expectation that you are going to catch the Mayor or a major donor at the event, you better know hat they look like and where they are sitting or hanging out.
One of the toughest things, in my opinion is photographing speakers. You need to orient yourself to their speaking style and anticipate their rhythm, watching for pauses and smiles to capture a flattering shot.
There are dozens of little things going on all around you, conversations, people greeting each other, grip and grin moments and so on. So, observing and orienting is a constant ongoing activity.
Decide and Act
This is where the Rubber meets the road. Doing event photography is often fast paced, not always but often. When you observe and orient yourself to a situation, you need to decide quickly and act immediately or the moment is lost. For example when I shoot a Math Counts event, when the "mathaletes" receive their awards, the handoff is over in seconds unlike a formal grip and grin you might experience at a ground breaking or awards dinner.
Often at awards dinners and presentations, people are very focused on what they are doing and they do not realize, one or both of them has stepped into a shadow. You have to decide, are you going to remind them to step into the light, which they are usually willing to do, or if not appropriate just grab the shot.
Knowing your gear, limits of your lenses and sensors and your editing skills are paramount. When you act (push the shutter), you are often setting exposure and selecting focus in one swift action. Using automatic mode will let you down more often than not, especially with difficult lighting situations or where there is a chaotic background and the camera can't know on which subject you want to focus.
Event Photography is Fun and You Will be Successful
In the end, the secret to successful event photography isn't just in the gear you use; it's in the speed and efficiency of your decision-making. By applying the OODA Loop—observing the scene, orienting yourself to its challenges and opportunities, and then deciding and acting with purpose—you stop simply reacting to an event. Instead, you get ahead of it, anticipating moments and capturing them with a higher percentage of keepers. This strategic approach not only makes you a more successful photographer but also allows you to enjoy the rewarding feeling of truly capturing the moment, even if you never get to sit down for dinner.
Comments