By Daria Huxley

Many people and companies today are looking to hire a professional photographer to document their important event — be it a conference, a wedding, a birthday party or perhaps a comedy show they are performing.

Above: David Bradley Isenberg (left) and James Harvey (right) presenting their comedy show “Second Cousins Show” in Sidewalk Cafe in East Village, New York. © 2018 Daria Huxley

If you are new to hiring a professional photographer, here is some advice for choosing a photographer and setting them up for success at your event.

Choosing Your Photographer

First of all, make sure you choose a photographer you are ready to trust. It is impossible to be a producer at a large event and control every step of all your crew at the same time. You don’t want to focus on photography, you want to be present at the actual event and experience it fully.

Ask your network for recommendations first. It is always better to hire someone who has positive reference from your friends and / or colleagues. If nobody in your network has ever hired a photographer — go online and look for good portfolios.

You can start by googling the type of photographer you are looking for naming the keywords: “wedding photographer in LA”, “portrait photographer in NYC” and so on. Some of the good portfolios may come up.

You can also look on creative professional networks such as behance.net, Flickr or 500px.com. Also, Instagram or VSCO can be good places to look.

Photography associations such as American Photographic Artists (APA) or Professional Photographers Association (PPA) have vast databases of photographers in your area. You can usually do a search by the genre or the field.

For specific photography genres such as wedding photography there are many agencies that have access to many professionals and can give referrals and recommendations. When budgeting, keep in mind that specialized event photographers with a lot of experience are likely to charge top-market prices. If you are on a tight budget, broaden your horizons. For example, a photographer who has a strong street photo portfolio or is a photojournalist might take up an event photography job and do it exceptionally well.

Our company Fourwind Films works with professional photographers all the time and we would be happy to connect you with one for your specific needs. Don’t hesitate to use us as a resource as well.

Planning For The Shoot

So, you like their portfolio and the price range appears good. This is only a half of what you need to do to ensure you get the desired result. It is always helpful to send detailed shot list of the event to the photographer, to ensure they take all the shots you may need.

If you have never written a shot list before, I would suggest outlining it with the end result in mind. What sort of images you would want to to end up with and for what purpose? After you settle on an idea, try to describe this to your photographer as simply and clearly as possible. Keep the exact shots in mind. Mention the practical navigation, e.g access to stage, hallways, staff entries etc. Give them the timeline, what is going to happen and when.

Here is a sample shot list I received for a Halloween party:

Shoot both stages and two bars (inside the building and neighbor’s alleyway) — so you’ll need to roam around between the two areas;
Shoot DJs and two Music Acts, capturing the artist and audience;
Make sure you get Hanging Mural on the outside covered in drapes — capture the look from outside and line activity;
The river will have green lights and smoke, — capture that spooky essence;
Womb rooftop — great vantage point to shoot the party looking down on all everything;
Face painters;
Employees (will have yellow wristbands) — shoot individuals and group shots;
Clients/family/friends will have red wristbands, make sure to get posed photos of them as well.

The timeline looked like this:

8:00 PM Open / DJ
9:30 PM First Music Act
10:15 PM DJ
11:00 PM Second Music Act
11:45 PM DJ
2:00 AM close

Make sure you forward your photographer the event agenda with all details, break information and special requirements. If you have any references of what look in the pictures you are aiming for — make sure to let your photographer know in advance.

Photographers always appreciate it if you treat them well and provide lunch in case of a full day event. Showing that you care about the people working for you is important. Believe me, a hungry photographer won’t ever take as good shots as a full and happy one!

Happy scouting!

-Daria Huxley

Creative Director & Photographer, Fourwind Films

Fourwind Films’ blog