Have you ever wondered what’s going on in the mind of a photographer?

To help figure out this perplexing question I have created this article to explain the mindset of an event photographer. Usually before I arrive at an event I have to figure out the number of people at the event, what has the client hired me to photograph and what color presets in post processing are needed after the event to give the client something that there proud to show their friends and family.

The first question I always ask my clients, how many people do you need me to photograph during this event? This question is the most crucial when trying to calculate whether you have enough coverage for the allotted time of the event. I have been in situations where the clients has 100 people attending the event but only hired me for an hour. Being diplomatic, I always explain the math going on in my head. Example: 5 to 10 people per table = 10 tables at 2 minutes =20 minutes. The main focus of the event whether a child, adult or product receives about 20 to 30 minutes of coverage. That leaves a whopping 5 to 10 minutes for group photos. WHOA! Looks like someone arriving late won’t get their photograph taken. What happens next is clients ask for photographs of friends and family that arrived after the one hour session. As an experienced event photographer, I give clients this insight before I’m booked. This insight leads to less confusion.

Next is the question how do you visualize the event before attending?

Once I‘m contacted by a potential client I listen carefully to what the client wants photographed. Satisfying their emotional needs is of the utmost importance. Whether it’s a baby, adult or product, clients expect the photographer to capture those special moments that cannot be captured by Uncle Bob with a flip phone or cousin Kevin with a low end camera.

Photographing a child event requires photography geared towards the interactions of between family and friends with that special child. Capturing that bond is transforming. Using natural angles and positioning the family in the frame properly play a big part in capturing that oh so special moment.

On the other end of the spectrum is adult geared events. These events have dancing, adult beverages, loud music, and people dressed to impressed. Photographing these events requires energy. These events are usually in a dimly lit atmosphere, which requires constant tweaking of camera settings. Usually I have to hurry to where the action is at the event and then be pulled for that all important picture of the client with his boss or business partner at the farthest reach of the event. WHEW! I’m tired just thinking about those past events.

Have you ever wondered why the photographer made that picture black or white or created photographs with a blast of color?

My answer is because in the creative side (left side) of my brain I needed to create an emotional response to the photography. Creating an emotional response to a photograph creates attachment. This attachment helps the client remember this moment in time vividly.

After an event I have upwards of 50- 200 photographs that I have to custom tailor to the client. In post processing, a photographer has many options to choose. If I have two shots of the same pose, KABOOM! I use my artistic license as a photographer to put the second shot on fuego (fire).

As mentioned above, these are some of the things that are going on in my mind at any given time before an event. Rest assured that satisfying a client’s needs are in the right side of any photographer’s brain but sometimes they have to satisfy the left side of their brain. Imagine what’s going on in my mind during an event, that’s another blog post.

If you have any questions about an upcoming event contact me and we can start this process all over again.