In a recent Facebook Live I mentioned my blog about Bad Headshots You Should Stop Submitting and I began to get DMs asking about event photos. To be more specific, how to take event photos that stand out from other submissions. I explained the concept of taking your event photos as if it was going to be used as an ad photo in a magazine. Look at the photos you have and count how many you have that could compete with a magazine ad composition-wise. What percentage of total photos do you have is the same photo everyone else is likely submitting? The idea is to go beyond the typical pose when you can. Provoke an emotion while displaying what the activation was. If it was lead generation, showcase that in your pose. If the activation is brand awareness, display that in your photo.
Here's an example of an event photo that is commonly submitted:
A few points to remember:
There's nothing wrong with this photo
It's a good photo
I'm sharing the attention of the set up with the visual of myself at an activation
The brand's name isn't cut off which is good
The person looking at this event can clearly see your face
But guess what ... everyone else is submitting photos that look like this.
Ask yourself, how many of your event photos look like this? Now ask yourself, how many photos is the staffer getting that look like this? How are you standing out from the other submissions if all of your photos are displaying you the same way?
Here's a photo from the same activation but notice the different approach taken with capturing this photo:
A few points to remember:
Not all events will be set up for you to capture photos like this every time
The energy in the photo is obvious
In this photo, the attention is on me, the promo, and the activation setup is my backdrop
The brand's name is shown in my image multiple times
Now ask yourself how many photos is the staffer getting like this? What's the likelihood that this photos makes me more memorable?
Here's a side by side of both photos, which photo do you think stands out more and ask yourself why that is?
When working events, you are promoting the brand of the activation. However, when submitting for events, you should be the main character in the photo because you're promoting yourself. In my opinion, the photo on the left makes me look like a fun person to be around whereas the photo on the right only displays me as a friendly face.
Tips If You Want Them:
Take your regular photos like normal, but after that, capture more engaging photos
Get to the activation early to take your photos so you don't feel tempted sneaking photos during your activation
It's okay if you don't feel confident at first, it takes practice for some people to get the winning shot you're looking to have and that's okay. If you stick to it, you'll find it gets easier to take great shots like this!
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Learn how to take event photos that stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression. Capture engaging shots and be the star of the show!