9 Reasons why a hiring a Professional Event Photographer is no-brainer
Yes. You do need A Professional Event Photographer at your next corporate event. Here's why...
You have the venue booked, the attendee list agreed, and the speakers lined up but what about the event photography? Sorely tempted to skip hiring a professional? Here are 9 reasons why your mobile phone is a non-starter and booking an event photographer is essential.
You have got more important things to get on with.
You've been planning your event for months but the hard work isn't over yet. You are going to be rushing around like a Tasmanian devil on the day, sorting everything from the guests' name badges to the microphone.
. Once you are at the event it will fly by. The last thing you want to be worrying about is taking pictures. A professional event photographer will have it all in hand, capturing the moment the guests walk through the door until the final presentation finishes and all those crucial moments between.
2. You could do it yourself but poor pictures damage your brand.
There is no denying mobile phones have gotten better but still aren't a patch on a professional event photographer's kit. Relying on a mobile phone means ending up with blurry snaps that you'll be reluctant to share at risk of damaging your brand. A professional event deserves professional photography.
3. A professional photographer elevates the event.
Having a photographer at your event makes it look important and invested in. Being snapped by a stressed event planner doesn't give the same impression.
4. An event photographer has the right kit.
A pro photographer will bring multiple camera bodies, lighting and zoom lenses to take high-quality speakers' photos from right across the room. Proper equipment is essential if you want to capture close-ups, without risking interrupting the audience's view. Zooming in from a distance also allows an event photographer to capture candid audience photos, without people noticing and feeling self-conscious. Event venues are often poorly lit and photographing an LED screen is no mean feat; a professional photographer has the experience to work around these challenges.
5. There are precious marketing materials to be captured.
Blog posts, LinkedIn articles, webpages, social media, press releases - high-quality pictures are needed everywhere and you can never have a library big enough. Yes, stock photography can help (see this blog for more: Stock Photography: What it is, How to use it, When to avoid it) but having your own images is priceless. A good event photographer will capture creative pictures with this in mind.
6. Professional photographs give you a reason to contact guests after the event.
Professional Photographers can create an online gallery of pictures that you can share directly with your attendees. After the excitement of the event, it can be a challenge to come up with an interesting and helpful reason to follow up. A gallery of photos will pique guests' curiosity (who doesn't try to spot themselves in pictures?) ensuring you get traction and those all-important Click Through Rates up.
7. Guests are more likely to share professional pictures.
Your attendees are as keen for social media content as you are. Supplying them with easily shareable, high-resolution images means they are much more likely to use pictures that paint your event and brand in the best possible light. Don't forget to encourage them to tag you, to keep track of your reach.
8. The media can use professional photographs.
Whether it's the local newspaper or industry magazines, media outlets are grateful for high-quality pictures to accompany event content. Yes - in an ideal world - they'd send their own event photographer along but this isn't the Oscars, so don't expect to see the paps turning up on their accord. Team a killer press release with an excellent selection of photographs and you'll have yourself on a double-page spread in no time at all.
9. Advertising your next event.
Nothing works better than great pictures to help guests imagine what your event will be like. Great event photography will help shift tickets, not to mention saving you countless hours scrawling through over-used stock photography.
So much planning, money and effort go into an event but they are over in a few short hours. You want the impact to continue long after the last delegates have headed home. Hiring an event photographer gives you the opportunity to make your unforgettable event just that.
This article was written by Leigh, an Exeter-based corporate photographer, specialising in personal branding shoots and business headshots. No stuffy studios, just professional, natural portraits for modern entrepreneurs.
