| There is a common misconception that event | | | | horse - yes they like those images as well! Most |
| photography is a soft option, something that can be | | | | DSLRs these days come with a decent fps rate so |
| done part-time to earn some easy extra cash on the | | | | this is a function you will probably have to hand. |
| side. The reality, of course, is very different and | | | | On-Site |
| there is a great deal more to this sector than some | | | | Working on location you encounter what might be |
| might imagine, both in terms of the preparation that | | | | the biggest expense of all: the need to have |
| is required to deliver a quality result often under | | | | accommodation for yourself and your team plus your |
| considerable time pressure and also the investment | | | | printers and power to run everything. Essentially the |
| required, both in time and money. Walk blind into this | | | | cover issue can be solved in one of three ways; a |
| area at any level and you risk not only your own | | | | marquee, a trailer fit or a van fit. The issue with a |
| future in the event business but also that of other | | | | marquee is that all the equipment has to be set up |
| photographers, who might lose jobs on the back of | | | | each time whereas as with the van or trailer it is a |
| event organisers losing faith in the end product. | | | | simple matter of connecting to the power and |
| The purpose of this piece is not to discourage any | | | | switching on. |
| photographer from looking at the potential of event | | | | The power issue can be tackled with batteries but |
| coverage but to give them an honest guide as to | | | | this is not simple and the preferred option is a |
| what is required to make a success of event | | | | generator. Care needs to taken to select one that |
| photography. There are a number of different levels | | | | has a stable voltage (there have been a number of |
| at which you can operate and the requirements are | | | | instances where printers do not function correctly |
| different for each of them, but it is possible to move | | | | when used with generators) which normally means |
| into event photography in a fairly low key way and | | | | looking for a term like 'pure sine wave' or 'inverter |
| then build up your involvement if things are working | | | | technology'. There is a further complication that some |
| out well. This in turn ensures that it's not necessary | | | | event hosts will not let you on site with petrol |
| to make a full commitment from day one if you | | | | generators, so a good choice is to look for an LPG |
| want to take things more slowly. | | | | converted generator, with the generator of choice |
| There are 3 things that you can do to prepare | | | | being a Honda EU20i. |
| yourself for events; | | | | Moving indoors as a sports photographer you still |
| | | | need those fast lenses but now the low light levels |
| 1. You could join a reputable organisation such as the | | | | come into effect and it is here that many of the |
| Event Photographer Society | | | | lower end cameras really struggle. Imagine shooting |
| 2. You could get training from professional event | | | | an indoor equestrian event in November - you have |
| photographers | | | | mixed lighting and really need to be able to achieve |
| 3. Read this article | | | | shutter speeds of 1/640sec or faster. You are now |
| What you need | | | | looking at having to up your ISO levels to 5000 or |
| The first thing that any event photographer should | | | | maybe higher, and this is a specialised area if you are |
| have in place before walking out of their front door | | | | still looking for good, usable results. For me this |
| is insurance. It's crucial - and legally required - to | | | | meant the purchase of a Nikon D700; a big |
| protect yourself and your customers, and to make | | | | investment for sure, but it's important to buy once |
| sure that you don't become a victim of the current | | | | and to buy right, and I knew that was what I |
| litigious society you need to speak to an insurance | | | | needed. The expense doesn't stop there, and the |
| expert about the likes of Public Liability Insurance, | | | | use of very fast f/1.4 and f/1.8 lenses can help you |
| equipment cover and any other essentials. | | | | not just to get an image but also to focus in low |
| The second thing you need to think about early on is | | | | light. Using a flashgun with many indoor events such |
| a website to enable you to sell images after the | | | | as equestrian is liable to see you set upon by a group |
| event. This is by no means your only route to | | | | of pony club mums - best avoided at all costs. |
| market but it's a crucial way to maximise your sales | | | | Lighting |
| and to give your company visibility. However, in my | | | | If you're working in the social area you will probably |
| opinion the best way to sell is still to offer prints on | | | | need to invest in reliable lighting - you will never have |
| the spot, because this will be the time when people | | | | two setups that are the same and will have to learn |
| are in the mood to buy a print and they will present | | | | to work within the space available. Remember that |
| a relatively easy sell. It's also very clean and efficient, | | | | what you are providing is a mobile studio setup, so |
| with sales being dealt with on the spot and nothing | | | | you will need backgrounds and stands. As you are |
| to follow up, and the money you can take on the | | | | using electrical equipment you will also need to make |
| night is great for cash flow! | | | | sure that you have this PAT tested (look at for the |
| This takes you into the realm of small, transportable | | | | legal requirements). |
| dye-sub printers of course and there are several to | | | | A good quality light meter will help you to get the |
| choose from which is something that I covered when | | | | light levels right, but one problem you might not |
| I wrote an article for Photo Pro in August 2009. In | | | | expect is the tendency for the lights to reflect back |
| brief you need to make a buying decision based on | | | | from walls and to potentially create colour casts. In |
| speed, reliability and weight - don't just buy a product | | | | my opinion it is essential to always carry out a |
| based on its price tag - and it's worth asking other | | | | custom white balance, and this is the second thing I |
| professionals which kit they personally use and then | | | | do after adjusting the lights. Personally I use the |
| basing a buying decision on which gear sounds best | | | | Lastolite ezybalance and it takes 30 seconds to |
| suited to your individual requirements. I will write a | | | | ensure another aspect of providing a quality image to |
| further article on this soon as there are some really | | | | the customer has been covered. A quick test shot at |
| nice new models that have appeared since then such | | | | this stage should give you a clean image at the |
| as the DNP DS40 and DNP DS80. | | | | printer and you are ready to take on your first client. |
| One of your major considerations in terms of what | | | | Two important issues for the social event |
| kit you might require will be the area of event | | | | photographer to consider are how to trigger the |
| photography that you choose to go into. Generally | | | | lights and also how to physically get the image files |
| there are two avenues you can explore: social | | | | from the camera over to the printer generating |
| events and sporting events, with some | | | | prints for sale. Both areas come with an option to |
| photographers, such as myself, working across both | | | | use cables, either to link the equipment or to tether |
| areas. Sporting events can be split down still further | | | | the camera, but in a busy situation you are then |
| into outdoor and indoor locations, while social covers | | | | introducing trip hazards and it will also restrict where |
| any event that requires a studio setup. | | | | you can actually move with the camera. I do take |
| Those looking to work in social event photography | | | | cables with me on a job but they are kept in the |
| will usually have different camera considerations, and | | | | box just in case of emergencies - as an event |
| they benefit from the fact that they don't need to | | | | photographer you do need to be covered for every |
| opt for something which is top of the range. If | | | | eventuality because as the event photographers' |
| you're regularly covering black tie events, for | | | | mantra goes 'the only image you can't sell is the one |
| example, then you should be looking to keep file | | | | you don't take'. |
| sizes down to about 1.5MB, and for this a good | | | | In terms of studio flashes, an alternative way to fire |
| quality 6 megapixel camera will deliver what is | | | | them is via an infra-red light trigger, but these can be |
| required to enable printing on-site of 12x8ins images | | | | temperamental and you do need to be able to react |
| and bigger sizes from web sales. You can always buy | | | | to a situation if things go wrong. For example, at one |
| a more powerful camera of course and shoot at | | | | Christmas event I encountered a novelty toy |
| lower than optimum resolution, but this might not be | | | | reindeer which was spinning around and bucking away |
| your most cost-effective solution. | | | | with a big red flashing nose, and this was continually |
| For sporting events you need to look at more | | | | setting off the studio flash! Some Gaffa tape to |
| specialised gear and here the most critical thing you | | | | cover the offending part did the trick but it gave me |
| will need to invest in will be good quality, fast lenses. | | | | a few hairy moments. I now use a wireless system |
| The usual starting point is going to be something like | | | | and it's proved very reliable and safe in operation. |
| a 70-200mm f/2.8 to enable you to get the desired | | | | Wireless Transfer |
| shutter speeds but also to have the wide apertures | | | | In terms of sending files back to base, you could |
| available to put the background out of focus. Other | | | | swap cards on the camera and pass them back to |
| things to look at are camera hoods (rain jackets) to | | | | the sales point but I do wonder what would happen |
| protect the camera from bad weather. | | | | if you took your camera to be repaired under |
| Many novices will try to use a burst of images to | | | | warranty because the card pins were bent, and then |
| capture the peak of the action but in reality this | | | | had to explain that it had just had some light use i.e. |
| means you are more likely to miss the shot that sells. | | | | 100 card swaps a night for a hundred nights in the |
| It is important to understand the sport you are | | | | year. There are now viable alternatives as we enter |
| covering and be able to predict when and where to | | | | the era of reliable and efficient Wi-Fi including SD |
| take the shot. Once you have mastered this you can | | | | memory cards set up to be Wi-Fi enabled to bring |
| start to understand when a burst of images may be | | | | the entry level price of this technology down to very |
| needed, such as capturing a rider falling from their | | | | manageable levels. |