Event photography plays an important role in spreading news about a conference, seminar or award ceremony to those who could not attend – both members of the organisation’s immediate community and those in the wider sector. To do this successfully, whether on social media or in newsletters and the press, the photographs themselves must be visually and emotionally engaging, and the more engaging the better.
The lighting is always sh*t
Lighting is critical in making strong images of any kind. Unfortunately for event photographers, the lighting of conference venues is never designed to help them. Sometimes, theatrical lighting effects are created to enhance the spectacle for those in the room. More typically, no thought at all is given to lighting and the photographer (and the participants) must simply make the best of whatever mix of natural, fluorescent, LED and vertical halogen spot lighting the venue happens to have. These days, we also have to cope with projection or LED screens, and often both. I use on-camera flash if I absloutely have to, but in general the results are stronger if I can find a way to work with the ambient light.
Work with what you’ve got
I have developed a two-fold strategy. First, I always try to arrive at the event venue at least half an hour before I am due to start shooting. This gives me time to explore the space, find out where and when key moments will occur, and check my route to the places with interesting angles to shoot from. Just as important, though, I assess the difficulties and the opportunities presented by the lighting. Sometimes, I even suggest changes to the event organiser, who can then pass on the request to the venue manager.
Creating drama
Two recent events presented contrasting examples of the challenges I often face, and the photographs above and below show how I tried to turn the difficulties to my advantage in order to create dramatic shots that grab the viewer’s attention.
The first event was in a black-painted auditorium with no natural light at all. The overall light level was extremely low, with a few powerful spots focused on the stage area where a panel discussion would take place. I made a number of shots from behind the audience. But the best images were made from behind the panel, using the stage lighting to create dramatic contrast.
The second took place on a bright summer evening, with low sunlight streaming in through large windows along one side of a rooftop bar. I exploited the strong contrast to create strong individual and group portraits, often with the main light source behind the subjects.