Event Photography - What are we talking about?

Lately there's a lot of talk about event photography on this site. If you would ask around what does that really mean, the answers would fall into general categories.

One would be imagining the coverage of various events. Exhibitions, company meetings, congresses and so on, mainly getting paid for the covering itself with not so much depending on the final number of the pictures. I think in continental Europe this will be the main association. I use the expression on my website in the same context, and looking around a little bit I quickly find other examples like this one from Germany: www.eventfotograf.com, another one from the Czech Republic: www.fotojan.cz, and Hungary: www.eventphoto.hu.

The second one mainly appears in the UK and going west.

In this case we are talking about a money making opportunity by being at popular events with a camera, often with even heavier gear like lights, backdrops, printers etc. to exploit the participants' vanity and the fact that people are at such occasions much more easy to get in front of the camera. Some examples, UK: www.TheEventPhotographer.co.uk, America: www.eventfotos.com.

Looking around on the Internet I even discovered the Event Photographer Society a non profit organization trying to promote event photography and photographers in general, setting code of conduct, giving advices and similar useful things. Which is a good idea I think. Photographers showing up at theme parks or cruise ships or similar places are often abused, even looked down at. Looked down at even by fellow photographers who might have more respected jobs. Creating organizations like the EPS could improve the reputation and the public image of event photographers in general. At the end which other type of photographer is able to approach, generate interest and create a sellable picture in such incredibly short time. If nothing else, this skill is definitely worth acknowledging.

Event photography, or in Europe it should be called attraction photography in my opinion, is almost as old as portable cameras. Photographers hanging at scenic locations on the streets of big cities and holiday destinations were there to create the perfect souvenir. They were more respected at that time, it was enough to pass a business card over and the clients came running to them next day. Then along came Bob Harrow, invented cruise ship photography which then spread to theme parks, sporting events, holiday resorts and so on and this industry, generating millions of dollars today was born.

Last update : 28-09-2010 05:45