5 ways to manage photography in Events and Exhibitions.

  In an exhibition or event it is very vital that you exhibition or events organizer should get right photographs. It is the most important factor in marketing for the next edition as there is a strong belief in market, what is being seen, is being sold. Right combination of snaps should be taken, most of the time photographer doesn't understand the value of your business and which combination of photographs will add more value to your business. Therefore a photographer or the team of photographer must be briefed before event, exhibition or trade show. Below are few guidelines to develop event photography plan.

1. Analyze photography need with respect to marketing material:

  It is very important to know where you require the photographs to be posted after events, in what marketing materials do we require to incorporate events photography. Such as :

• Post show report
• Social media 
• Brochure of next edition
• Events or Exhibitions website
• Magazines
• Post show news
• Blogs
• Banners, Standees and may be billboards
• Event portfolio
• Exhibitors or participants copy

  This is very important for a photographer to know where the photographs or snaps would be used, so that his perception of the photograph should be aligned with organizer's requirement. Most of the time photographers uses simple wedding photography techniques in trade-show or corporate events because photographers mostly imagine or perceive the use of photograph for creating an album or portfolio. This isn't it. But business and corporate events adds much more in the to-do list.

2. Assemble a team of professional and passionate photographers:

  Rather going for one photographer, organizer should hire a team. In an event or exhibition, hiring a professional team is very important. More than being professional I feel being passionate is also really important, young people are vital part of any team. Also I believe team leader should be experienced person. Who can guide the team effectively. I disagree with a notion that everyone who own a good camera is good photographer. In my view a good photographer is the one who has great perception, sense of lighting and other details. 

Hire a right and skilled photographer, rather being a photographer yourself or hiring any unprofessional photographer. Good photography is very important part of event, because you need to attract more and more people to your events or business.  

3. Develop a photography plan 

  Event plan should also contain a detailed photography plan which should have all the shot list, which snaps to be taken. Also assigning relevant photographer on following tasks: 

• Candid shots of all the participants in an event
• Photographs of branding material and ambiance of an event, such as banners, exhibition, stands, stage branded wall, reception, sponsored material, food etc
• Photography of special guests, key players and highlights such as awards ceremony etc in an event.  
• One person for back up and technical support should also be available.

This plan should be followed rather just taking random pictures or photographs.

4. Check the technicalities:

  Technical detailing and back up should be considered on priority base. In case of any emergency or any damaged instrument there should be a back up support. Other than that technically organizer should provide photographer the required environment for effective and efficient photography. Following is the checklist, for technical support from the organizer and also it includes items which are to be brought by photographers themselves:

• Lighting
• Charged camera
• Charged Flash batteries
• Extra charged batteries
• Extra memory sticks
• Charged Laptop where photographs can be back up immediately
• Laptop charger
• Right choice of lens.
• Tripod stand
• Lens cleaning kit
• Power point for charging
• Data cables
• Charging cables
• High speed internet

5. Maintain agility in Event Photography Plan:

  Maintaining agility in plan and communication between organizer and photography team is very important.  In an event most of the times there is a change of plan due to any circumstance or any special situation. So it must be communicated to the photographers in order to capture all the important moments and highlight all the experience colorfully. Photographer are the ones who capture moments and save them forever in a frame for the rest of our lives to remember and feel the experience. 

  For the photographer and event organizer I would like to share a detailed link for maintaining checklists for any specific event, this might be help organizers and photographer in documenting the checklists and implementing the process on site effectively and efficiently.

http://cameradojo.com/2011/06/06/photographers-checklists/

Location checklist:

http://cameradojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/location_checklist.pdf

Pre-shoot Checklist:

http://cameradojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/pre-shoot_checklist.pdf

Shoot Checklist:

http://cameradojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/shoot_checklist.pdf