Whether you’re capturing personal or corporate events, the moments you capture for your clients will be cherished. As a photographer, staying on top of event photography trends will help you provide the best memory-capturing experiences for your clients.
Without further ado, let’s jump into some of the top trends in event photography in 2024.
1. Sharable Photo Ops
Sharability is vital when it comes to event photography. Both companies and hosts of personal events often want to see their guests’ photos on social media, so they set their photo ops up to encourage sharing the images on social media.
As a photographer, you can help them accomplish this by setting up photo ops that are Instagrammable. Think about adding fun backdrops and props.
Another way to streamline this effort is by using technology to easily share images with the people they feature via text or email. You can take it further by including a short blurb about sharing the photos and the appropriate account to tag in their posts (i.e., the event planner or business sponsoring the event).
2. #hashtags
As an extension of sharable photo ops is the creation of event hashtags. By creating a unique hashtag and encouraging guests to use it when they post pictures from the event, hosts and other participants can see all of the images from the occasion.
While hashtags are a bit played out for personal events where the guests are likely connected on social media, they’re very valuable for corporate or public events where the participants may not follow each other.
It’s a good idea to sync with the client before the event to decide on a hashtag so you can coordinate the proper signage and instructions for using the hashtag.
3. 360-Degree Video Booths
Photobooths have been all the hype over the past decade, but recently, 360-degree video booths are making their way to the top. If you’re unfamiliar, these video booths put short clips of guests to music. Typically, these clips include silly props and poses.
Capturing this content requires a unique setup that puts the subjects in the middle and brings a camera around them in a circle to capture all the angles. This sort of media is a bit more interactive and helps guests’ personalities shine through in a much more dimensional way than static images.
Another valuable aspect of these trendy videos is that they are ultra-sharable, which is great if you want to draw attention to your event on social media, as we covered before.
4. Drone Shots
Drones have become a popular tool in modern photography. They’re great for capturing events from a bird’s eye view. Drone footage provides a wonderful way to present an event from a different perspective. You can even catch those candid moments.
Many drones can capture both still images and videos, so it’s up to the photographer to decide which to offer in their event photography packages. You’ll likely only capture a few shots or a short clip with a drone since the macro view covers a lot in a few frames, so it’s a great add-on to standard event photography services.
Adding a twist with a new documentation style is handy for brands or hosts that want some visually exciting B-roll to include in their event recap videos.
5. Balancing Formal and Fun
For many events, such as weddings and birthday parties, fun is generally the theme of the event’s photos. However, when it comes to corporate events, formal shorts are on their way out as fun makes its way into these events.
We’ve discussed some ways to make event photography more engaging and exciting. Luckily, it’s easy to incorporate some fun into your event by simply adding some silly props to a photo booth or going all out with a 360-video booth.
6. Quality is Key
Cameras have evolved by leaps and bounds in the past few years. Even smartphones can capture decent photos, so you must use a setup that surpasses that quality and creates truly professional images.
In addition to using an adequate camera, you should use optimal lighting to keep the quality high. Outdoor events are great since they often ensure optimal lighting from natural light. However, for indoor events, you may have to bring lighting equipment.
Depending on your setup, a softbox or ring light may be handy, especially if you have a photo booth. A flash attached to your camera would be more suitable if you’re walking around to document the event. If you’re offering a mix of both services, you may want to bring both types of lighting to the event.
7. Dynamic Portfolios
One trend on the business side of event photography that’s making a significant impact is integrating text-to-speech technology into photo presentations. This innovation allows photographers to create dynamic video slideshows that showcase their stunning photographs and include voiceovers generated from text.
This method opens new avenues for adding depth and context to event photography. Photos can offer viewers a more immersive experience by combining pictures with text-to-speech.
Imagine a slideshow where each image is accompanied by a narration that provides background information about the moment captured, the emotions it evokes, or even anecdotes from the event.
The goal is to enhance the storytelling aspect of event photography and make it more accessible, especially for audiences who may prefer auditory information over text.
Find Event Photography Clients
Take your event photography game to the next level with the tips and trends covered in this guide to create a better experience for your clients. By improving your customer experience, you’ll build an excellent reputation in the local event industry, which will help you connect with more clients.
Want to land more event photography gigs? Join Splento’s community of photographers to connect with more clients.
About the Author
Emily Krings is an SEO content writer and strategist with a knack for storytelling. She specializes in helping B2B businesses create blog content that connects with their audiences.
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