Event Photographers in Singapore, 5 Tips to Impress Your Clients!
Are you an event photographer in Singapore? Do you ply your trade covering award presentations, CEO speeches, trade conferences, and spend your time photographing events like product launches and press events?
As an event photographer in Singapore, you are required by law to have a drawer full of these somewhere in your house. Or not.
I’m Zachary Lai, and I have been a professional event photographer since 2015. During this time, I could have covered over easily a thousand events and possibly learned a thing or two during this time. There’s far too much to talk about if I want to share all I’ve learnt, so to keep everything simple and readable over a lunch break, here are my 5 tips to be an excellent professional events photographer.
Event Photography and Videography for Stryker’s Town Hall event at Fairmont Singapore.
1: Dress like a Professional Event Photographer
There’s a running joke amongst photographers and videographers in Singapore. We all wear the same black polo T-shirt from Uniqlo. If you’ve been in the industry long enough you’ll notice this and have a good laugh whenever you see a fellow photographer or videographer show up in the same black polo T-shirt. There’s a good reason for it too; these shirts are cheap, comfortable, and there’s just about a Uniqlo store in every self-respectable mall in Singapore.
The “Official” Uniform for photographers and videographers in Singapore. Admit it. You have a few of these in your wardrobe.
Unfortunately that’s not what you should do to stand out from the rest. Instead of dressing simply in what’s most comfortable, dress for the event you’re covering.
People respond to the way you dress, so dress in a way that helps you build rapport with your subjects.
For formal award shows or office events, I find it’s best to wear something similar to what the attendees will be wearing. Not only does this make you look more professional, it helps you engage with the attendees better. When you dress the same way as your subjects, subconsciously they feel like you’re one of them and become more likely to respond to your requests for group photos and smile more widely for you.
Similarly, if you’re photographing a kid’s birthday party, don’t come swinging in with your Friday night club outfit. Wear something relatable for the children you’ll be interacting with. Think about wearing a cute T-shirt with cartoon characters or a shirt with Marvel characters on it.
2: Don’t arrive on time. Come earlier than you need to.
Show up for your event early!
Years ago, I used to reach the venue just before the event starts. Sometimes just 15 minutes earlier. One day I had to shoot an event with an associate photographer who came 10 minutes before the event started, and I finally understood the panic my client feels when I show up at least 30 minutes earlier. The last thing you want as an event organiser is to worry about whether your vendors show up on time, so save them from that misery and come earlier. Even if you’re just setting up, it gives them a peace of mind that you’re physically there and ready for action.
One of the biggest projects Zachary Lai Photography has managed, 19 photographers and videographers in total for a multi-national event spread across nearly 10 different venues, all at the same time.
While you’re not contractually obligated to start working earlier than the agreed time, there are multiple benefits to arriving early too. I always find it beneficial to check out the lighting at the event venue early to deal with unexpected situations. Sometimes the speaker might be positioned in an area with poor lighting, resulting in bright spots at the top of his head or weird colour casts. Scouting out the venue early will make sure that you have your flash lighting ready for situations like these.
3: Engage with your subjects
Your clients are not professional photographers, so most likely, and they may not know if you photographed with the best angles available, but there’s one thing that for sure they are able to judge, and that is how well you interact with your subjects. When you’re on the job, you’re not there to be a spectator. Don’t stand around waiting for things to happen. If there’s a photo wall, invite the guests of the event to take a photo in front of the wall. Talk to them. Pose them and guide them with tips on how to stand, how to hold the award. Encourage them to punch their fists into the air and cheer while you take the photo. You can also ask them to give a thumbs up or to make silly faces.
Moments like these don’t happen naturally. Be social and encourage your subjects to cheer, pump their fists into the air and capture that moment.
Event photography looks a lot better when your guests are excited and engaged.
A little bit of posing will go a long way in making your photos look more dynamic. Tell your subjects what you want them to do.
4: Be well versed in the program flow
Ask your client for a copy of the event schedule a few days in advance. Study it. Memorise it. On the day of the shoot, don’t forget to ask your client if there are any changes to the schedule. There’s nothing worse than being out of position when there’s something important like the Prime Minister of Singapore arriving and you’re at the other end of the ballroom changing your batteries.
Event Photography for the United Nations at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.
It’s not just about knowing what happens next. Being proficient in the event schedule also means that you have time to figure out the best angles for each moment. Plan your positions based on the event schedule and stop working reactively.
Don’t let your marketing budget go up in smoke! Hire an event photographer who’ll be in position to capture this shot for a million-dollar super car launch.
Take a moment to speak with the Dragon dance crew and you’d know which entrance they’d enter the ballroom from and be in the right position to capture this.
5: Get support from a camera brand
My final tip for this video is to find a camera brand that you love and stick with it. Be it Nikon, Canon or Sony, find out what they can do for professionals shooting their brand. Nikon Singapore offers their Nikon Professional Services members free equipment loans in their Try-Before-You-Buy program, free equipment cleaning, loans when my gear are being serviced and discounts on certain purchases. They’ve also went out of their way to lend me additional batteries for those 15 hour long shoot days and have supported every part of my journey as a professional event photographer in Singapore. Having a camera brand support your journey is like having a cheat code to success, so treasure that relationship and remember that every partnership must benefit both parties.
Nikon Z 8 Launch in Singapore
This may be the final tip for now, but there will be a Part 2 to this article where I’ll discuss more about photographing your client’s branding, best angles for event photography, how to capture the best smiles from the speaker on stage and more! Stay tuned for the next article!
So are you looking for an event photographer to cover your company’s event or your private event with your family? I’m available for hire if you’re interested in experiencing what it’s like to work with a photographer who’s been in the field for nearly a decade.
