Greetings! Let me tell you a little about my work as a convention photographer in Saratoga Springs NY. And more importantly, let me help with some information about hiring a photographer for your convention, conference, meeting or corporate event.
Working as a full time professional photographer in Saratoga NY for a couple of decades, I’ve been hired to photograph all kinds of events in Saratoga Springs, Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Syracuse and Binghamton.
And these events are all very similar but may be called a convention, a conference, a meeting or a corporate event.
First, you want someone who is versatile.
Convention conference and meeting photography are a specialized subset of the photography marketplace. However you’ll need a photographer who can work in a huge range of conditions.
You might need someone who can handle studio style work as you may have displays, products or featured items from your partners that need to be documented or presented in their best light. There might be product introductions or product launches happening at your event and you need great quality photos for distribution to media or trade press.
Your event might call for someone with the skills of a photojournalist, meaning that they know how to anticipate and think ahead. Someone who knows how to look for real moments as they unfold and spontaneously happen. A photographer who knows how to unobtrusively record the things that happen at your event as they happen in real time.
Second you need someone with great people skills.
Every single event is about people. Sure you may be educating, launching products, introducing staff to new systems … But ultimately every event is about people communicating and connecting. And you need a photographer who can bring out the best in your attendees. A photographer who can blend in or seamlessly converse, both as a way of making people comfortable while keeping them acting naturally.
Or you may need a photographer who is great at arranging, directing, facilitating and managing. Someone who can take control of a large or small group in order to make a great photo quickly. Sometimes this requires creative skills in coming up with an idea. It always requires the photographer to have the ability to get “buy in” from the subjects so that a great photo can be made and the subjects can get on with their important work.
And you might need someone who knows how to disappear and not attract attention. Being the youngest in my family, I have what I believe is a genetic skill for fading into the background when needed.
Third you need someone who has a strong technical foundation.
The only thing that makes a finished product at the press of a button is a toaster. Cameras don’t make photos, photographers do. And as an event photographer I know that I’ll be working under widely variable conditions and will have to do so effortlessly and seamlessly while delivering great results. From speeches in dim ballrooms to having to light a large group photo to transitioning to harsh mid day sunlight outdoors, then back in again. You need a photographer who has all of these skills and who has the ability to use them seamlessly.
Cameras don’t magically send images. Computers don’t magically arrange them and pick out the best ones while stuffed into a corner of the “war room” where the folks running the event congregate and work. You need someone who can prep images on site quickly after an event so that you can do media or PR distribution, getting your news or information out at lightning speed.
Awards are a component of almost every event, meeting, convention or conference that I photograph. And I do make the nice image of a person receiving their award and also make a great standard posed image of the recipient with the presenter. And I do it quickly.
But this situation was different. A long time director and board member of the organization was presenting awards during this evening portion of a business conference. It was important to show him as involved and as a part of the event because he is the sort of man who I’m sure you all know. He’s the one who isn’t always right there on the front lines. Instead he’s working around the edges, pulling folks from the fringes into the center of the action. He’s the one that doesn’t talk a heck of a lot at board meetings, but when he does, it brings everything together. Or summarizes the common things in different positions that people are holding.
So it was important to get a great image of him presenting. Right there, in the middle of it all. There would be a bunch of places in the internal newsletters and communications where this image of him looking like the leader he is would be valuable.
I hope so!
But there’s more.
Working at hundreds of events ranging from small single day gatherings of a couple dozen people to multi day and intense sessions where worldwide staff is gathered for lots of important things means that I have the experience to ask the right questions. If you don’t know what you need, I can help. If you know exactly what you need, I can help make it happen. If you’ve never done this before, I can ask the right questions and provide the guidance you need to make it all come off smoothly, from the planning stage to the actual on site execution.
So give me a call today at 1 (518) 843-0414
Or Contact Me Using The Form At This Link
Either way I look forward to hearing about your upcoming event and finding out how I can help you make it a success … and make you look good in the eyes of the people who have tasked you with this.
Looking forward to speaking with you soon!
Mitch
Location: Liverpool, NY.