Any event can be photographed, whether it is a fast sporting event, festival, fundraising event, carnival, music gig or even a town fayre.  It may be covered by photojournalists or even a hobbyist photographer.  Either way, to cover an event clearly, it is important that the photographer tells the whole story with the photographs, ensuring each highlighted moments of the event are captured to the fullest.  These five tips will help you on your way to becoming better at event photography.

1.    Plan in advance – don’t just turn up on the day and hope for the best, plan early, visit the place first, get permission if needed, look for hot spot viewpoints and where the action will be happening.  Ultimately, you will need to know the starting and finishing time, and the times of the highlights of the event.  Research your event, if it is a sport then it is good to know the sport so you can aim for good action shots.

2.    Be prepared – ensure you have everything you need for your kit and yourself.  Make sure your camera is charged, and you have the appropriate lenses.  If you are using digital then take plenty of memory cards, or if you are using film take plenty of rolls with you.

3.    Position yourself well to capture shots – get to the event early so you are not fighting for a good position.  If you find a good viewpoint, stay there for a while and use different angles.  Try using a telephoto lens to zoom in on any highlighted moments.

4.    Capture the action of the event and candid shots to tell the whole story – ensure you capture not only the full highlights and action of the event, but also capture candid shots of the crowd enjoying themselves or focusing, the artists or athletes out with the action, and also the people working the event.  Use a telephoto lens for this to zoom in, and not impose.

5.    Correct settings and light – Ensure your settings are correct, use a faster ISO and shutter speed for faster sports or action shots.  Use the natural, or ambient light the best you can, don’t add flash.  If the light is low then increase the ISO, try opening up the aperture or turn setting to ‘natural’ light if your camera has this option.

Are you interested in reading more about how you can improve your photography?

Take a look at our great range of eBooks, available exclusively through acsebook.com, including

Photographic Techniques & Effects

or our exciting new range of Short Courses, including

Managing Events

If you are looking for more in-depth studying, go to acsedu.co.uk to view our range of over 600 courses available for study online or E-learning.  Courses available include:

Event Management

Introduction to Photography