An event photography does more than provide a visual record of your conference, they capture moments for those who couldn’t attend. This is something that a person with a cellphone camera can’t really capture.
Checklist to help with hiring a photographer at the last minute
- Search Google for photographers in your area — a “professional photographer” is different from a guy with a camera. Professional photographers have the experience to be able to deal with mixed lighting environments.
- Check to see if their website has a portfolio — are there pictures in that portfolio that are similar to the venue you need them to shoot in? If the photographer only has pictures of outdoor settings, they may be “natural light” photographers and not able to deal with convention halls, meeting rooms and conference centers.
- Contact them to see if they are available on your date and time — Call the instead of e-mailing them. No need to spend time waiting on a return e-mail, if they are not available on your date. If you call them and they do not return your call within a short time, contact the next photographer on your list.
- Key questions for your photographer:
- Do they have backup equipment if something fails on site?
- Do they shoot with an assistant or work alone?
- Do they charge by the hour or for the day?
- Do they edit images before you get them or is it straight out of camera?
- How long before you get your images?
- When you finally decide on a photographer, you need to define your expectations. Be clear on your budget and what you absolutely need from this event. Ex. Just pictures of people receiving awards? Or, add candid shots of things happening at your event.
