Stress-Free Event Photography & Deliverables that WOW!

by Olivia Warren

No matter the role you play, throwing a fundraiser, gala, or anything in between can be a daunting affair…but it doesn’t have to be! If each member does their part, success is bound to happen. This blog will explore strategic communication techniques, collaboration, and insider information from PBMisty on how to alleviate event stress, thrive rather than survive, and produce over-the-top deliverables that accurately represent the company or organization’s overall mission while enticing others to get involved. Photography and videography should certainly be the least of anyone’s worries during an event! Here’s how to best achieve that on all ends:

Remember: Communication is Key

Company Roles

Expectations

It is the responsibility of the hosting company to communicate its expectations to each member running the event, whether they be an in-house employee or an outsourced service. This can be done directly or through the event planner. Any feedback from past experiences on what did or did not work should be included at this time. What types of deliverables produced by photographers/videographers would be most desirable? Maybe there weren’t enough photos of registration at the last event - this is something to focus on this time! It is best to ensure everyone is on the same page before the operation.

Mission

The hosting organization should be able to provide details regarding their company’s values, the purpose of hosting this specific event, and how these things connect in order to best communicate the overall mission to team members and patrons. What is the goal here? How will you get there? There should be no confusion on who or what the team is representing and/or what they are working toward. How can each team member best convey the message of the event through their services?

Operations

Although the run-of-show is bound to change during an event due to circumstances foreseen and unforeseen, it is best to have an idea of how things need to go. Providing an internal agenda with specific call times can alleviate the stress of ensuring each person is where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be. An external agenda for guests can be beneficial for the hosting company or organization by providing transparency, structure, and a general idea of what to expect. The difference lies in how much is made known. If there are any special guest speakers or performances, the internal agenda may reflect specific information to ensure order, whereas the external agenda may not in order to create suspense for attendees.

Location(s)

If there is a designated area for photos or videos, the photographer, videographer, and guests need to be aware. Maybe there is a photobooth for patrons to utilize throughout the event. Where is this set up? The internal agenda may provide information to team members on the who, what, when, and where associated with an event. If there is a special performance or speaker, photographers and videographers need to know where to be to capture these moments. The company should communicate to attendees where to be to utilize specific services or pay attention to certain experiences. Communication should be carried out throughout the duration of the event to ensure everything runs smoothly. Where should guest speakers stand to get the best image? Where is the best place for group pictures? When does everyone need to be where they need to be?

Photographer/Videographer Roles

Questions, Comments, Concerns, Suggestions

As a photographer or videographer, ensure all pertinent information is understood before the event. If there is any confusion, questions need to be asked. Ask, ask, ask again! You need to know when to capture media, where to capture media, and the best means of communication to ensure team members and attendees can assist in creating magical moments. Share experiences, make suggestions, everyone is in this together! What do you need to know to best do what you intend to do? What do you need to communicate to others to do this? Photographers and videographers are there to immortalize the experience, provide marketing material for the company or future events, and assist the event planner in making the experience memorable for everyone involved.

Advice from Misty

Misty advised that saving the group picture as the last item on the agenda is not a wise decision. From experience, once the last announcements have been made, and the event is technically over, people are outta there! The excitement has waned, and guests are ready to just go home. Misty went on to tell a story of a conference she photographed at, where the group picture was an important deliverable discussed beforehand with the event planner.

The lights were set, the ladder intended to get height for the photo on 500+ people was in place, she and the other photographers/videographers were waiting for the announcement from the event planner and ultimately the big moment to arrive, and watched in confusion as everyone dispersed once the announcer said, ‘We’ll see you next year”. The event planner had forgotten to announce to the attendees that she would like a photo of everyone donning their branded t-shirts, an image meant to culminate the event.

If the group picture had been announced before the last speaker made closing remarks, this could have been avoided. If the group picture had been intentionally scheduled since it was the most important deliverable, this could have been avoided as well. Going forward with event photography, Misty lets event planners know things like this from experience to avoid making the same mistakes. It is everyone’s role and responsibility to carry out the desired aspects and outcome of the event.

Services: Does the visual team provide other services as well, rather than just standard photography or videography? Having one-stop shops simplifies to-do lists, fewer COIs (Certificate of Insurance), and fewer invoices to create. Fewer things to worry about! Some examples of additional services that your photographer/videographer may provide include:

Real Time Photography: Real Time Photography is the perfect service for creating a hassle-free experience for all hosts and attendees. Having immediate access to certain photos with the use of artificial intelligence technology takes a lot of pressure off the media team and whoever is responsible for rolling out images to guests. Follow the link above for more information, or follow this link to read our blog post explaining its importance.

Keep in mind, Photography by Misty offers all of these services under one roof! If you need to know you’re in good hands at your next event, look no further. Follow this link to book a consultation today.

Visual Deliveries

How the deliveries need to be given, who they need to be delivered to, and when that needs to be should all be decided between the planner/host and photographer/videographer before the event. The media team will most likely have an estimated timeframe of when they can send over everything captured during the event, but the organizers may have a desired timeframe in which they would like to have these. Communication and compromise are the easiest ways to make sure everyone is on the same page about the deadline.

Is there a certain size or format the files need to be in? Is there specific software that works well for delivering media? Are photos and videos expected to be edited, or is RAW fine? If the event planner is unsure of these aspects, it is the photographer/videographer’s responsibility to explain what will be best. How will the deliverables be used once in the possession of the company? The photographer or videographer may adjust their plans for what types of media they need to document throughout the event if there are marketing plans to follow that require it. This goes hand in hand with understanding the mission!

Collaboration

What key players or other providers will the visual team be working with during the event? Perhaps there are certain times when the photographer/videographer needs to be documenting performers or getting into position for a group picture. Knowing the internal itinerary and discussing run-of-show beforehand will provide instruction, though it is up to each team member to collaborate and work alongside one another to create magic and make sure things go as smoothly as possible. Some examples of additional personnel may be:

DJs or announcers
Production team

Lighting
Sound

Executive Team’s Communication Officers
Head of Security
Hotel Event Coordinator

Just to name a few.

Though this is a lot to go over, which can be overwhelming in itself, there is no need to stress. Everything listed is just examples of things to keep in mind when running an event and working alongside visual services to ultimately excite guests, tell a story, and build lasting relationships between companies. Most of these things become second nature in no time once you get the hang of it! Take it from PBMisty, who has done an event or two; nothing is going to be perfect, and everyone is trying their best. However, the goal is always excellence, and it is everyone’s responsibility to strive for that. These tips are designed to help you avoid trial and error and get on the right track. No pressure!

As mentioned, Photography by Misty offers many different services that will elevate your event and produce outstanding deliverables in an allotted timeframe. Book the team at PBMisty with this link. Do you still need help understanding the need for a visual team at all? Read the blog post discussing the significance of event photography here. Let’s get this party started!

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Stress-Free Event Photography & Deliverables that WOW!

Stress-Free Event Photography & Deliverables that WOW!

by Olivia Warren

Remember: Communication is Key

Advice from Misty

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