Tips On Shooting Events and Behind The Scenes Images

I visited my friends Azul and Grace's exhibition at Stadium Merdeka again and this time I brought more friends to go see it. I thought I'd make myself useful and started shooting behind the scenes images while both Azul and Grace did their short presentation sharing their shooting process for the exhibition images. I do make a bulk of my income from shooting event coverage, many behind the scenes images for my clients, and I want to share some tips on shooting effective event images. 

Establishing the location is important. 
Include several elements together - the speaker, the participants and other important subjects (the prints) within a frame to tell a larger, more complete story. 

The objective of an event coverage type of photography is primarily documentation of real-life moments that happened. The photographer should try not to be too aggressive and not disrupt the process of the event. That is the tricky part, you need to get close, but you don't want to interfere with the event flow and developing the art of moving around quietly and quickly takes experience. Here are some tips on how to capture effective event images:

1. Establish the location

It is important to include the location and have a wide-angle coverage of overall view to establish a sense of location where the event took place. The wide-angle framing should include multiple elements and subjects, in this particular case, the presenters Azul and Grace, together with the participants and also the exhibition prints inside the room. This will allow the viewers' eyes to roam around and have a sense of space. 

2. Capture Human Expressions

When documenting human events, in this case, Azul and Grace speaking about their photography project, it is critical to successfully capture some human action, expression and emotion that are shown during the event. Whether it is a smile, or some dramatic hand gestures or an explosive laughter, both on the presenter and audience side. These moments will make or break the final delivery shots. Without the human expression in your images, your series of images will look dry and flat. 

3. Go Close

Zoom in close to the presenter's presence. If you can't physically move close, then use a telephoto lens. If your photographs are not good enough, you are not close enough, this popular saying applies here in event photography as well. There is something powerful about bringing the presenter as close as you can toward your composition. 

4. Explore Different Angles

In the case of many people crowding a tight space, one way to declutter the composition is to go high angle. Move the camera above head level, you can take advantage of live view, and most modern cameras have tiltable LCD screen or articulated swivel screen to help with high angle compositions. If you capture everything just from the eye level, your images will look very ordinary, but if you move your camera away from eye level, higher or lower, your outcome will become more dynamic and interesting. Also do not be afraid to try low angle, go to waist-level for creative framing. 

5. Move

You have got to move yourself physically to be able to gather enough variety of compositions. Move nearer, go behind the crowd, go to the side, shoot from the corner, go behind the presenter. The more you move the wider creative options that you have. Also, if allowed, climb the stairs and shoot from another floor, that will give you an interesting vantage point. Moving yourself and camera physically will bring a lot more benefits than being stuck in one position and lazily zooming your lens in and out. 

6. Don't forget the audience

In many event shooting, there will be a crowd, or participants involved, do not forget that they are an integral part of the event. Without people attending an event, there is no event. Document their interaction with the speaker or host and capturing that connection can add an interesting layer to your images. 

7. Communication is key

This has to happen right from the start, even before the event begins. You have to understand the needs of whom the images will be delivered to. In this case, Azul and Grace, and understanding what these images will be used for will help you focus on your tasks more effectively. Maybe your client, or your friend has something specific that they need from your images, and make sure these things are communicated clearly. 

8. Work with smaller gear setup

I shot the entire series with Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, the smallest Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus, and I used multiple small lenses to match - Olympus 25mm F1.8, 45mm F1.8 and Panasonic 12-32mm kit lens. Having these small setups, I can fit them into a small sling bag, and I can move around without being slowed down. In tight spaces, if you carry a large backpack or messenger bag, the size and weight of your gear can work against you, as you bump into people around you. Having lighter gear allows you to be more agile, more mobile, and you can slot into spaces and gaps easier, capturing more interesting shots. Having too large of a camera and lens (imagine a large black box with a long white lens) can be distracting, something that can work against the flow of a real time event. 

These are the tips that I have practiced myself over the years as a working photographer. I hope you find them useful! Even if you don't shoot for a client or a paid job, you can start shooting for your friend and the experience can prove to be useful in shaping you to be a better photographer.

Capturing human expressions - smiles, laughter can add much needed energy to the series of images. 

Do not make the mistake of compositing your images too tight, allow your images to breathe a little, and wider composition allows your viewers' eyes to roam around exploring the location. 

Capturing action, or hand gestures 

Going in close, using a medium telephoto lens. 

Close up shot, with human emotion, this kind of image is very important for any event shoot

Having Grace, the presenter next to her photograph at the exhibition, while she was gesturing to her photo, and an audience looking on. 

Tight shot of Azul, with creative framing, as I compose this image shooting through a gap between two prints. Use smaller cameras to move quickly in a crowded, tight space. 

An example of high angle shot that is used to declutter the image. Going above head level allow the presenter (Azul) to be separated from the audience that is placed at the lower level in the frame. 

Interaction between the presenter and the participants is extremely important, without participant, there is no event. 

High angle shot to help with messy composition - the crowd is effectively separated from the presenters. 

You have to move a lot to be able to capture a diverse set of images. Go near, go far, to the front, go behind the audience, you just move and find different framing. 

This is an example of waist level shooting, low angle, which can work well in some situation. 

Don't be afraid to move behind the presenter, and capture from her perspective, seeing the audience. Here the audience makes the shot. 

Focusing on the facial expression of the crowd, as Azul was showing something on his phone. 

If the presenter is standing still, and not doing anything, it does not show him giving his talk, or making a presentation. Hence, capturing the presenter in the midst of a hand-gesture or some interesting action will show that he is doing something. 

Another example of presenter doing something - in this case Grace pointing at her photograph. 

Wide angle shots can be powerful, if composed properly. 

Move yourself as much as possible, and always remain agile and mobile. Do not get stuck in one spot and just rely on zoom. Move your feet and your shots will improve drastically. 

Slightly higher angle than normal, even so can change the perspective of the shot. 

And... the final group photograph. 

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