Event Reportage and Portrait Photography are, understandably, the two most requested services of a corporate photographer. It's no surprise therefore that I am often briefed to carry out both services within the same booking. Although taking spontaneous portraits of both individual groups is a common task of an event photographer, they should not be considered an equivalent to photographs produced in a dedicated portrait shoot. If you're planning an event and are also interested in getting photographs of your employees or team members, the article should help you decide whether event portraits will suffice or whether you should invest in an additional dedicated portrait shoot.
EVENT PORTRAITS
What are Event Portraits?
Simply put, they are group and individual photographs taken spontaneously during any formal gathering.
Key Characteristics of Event Portraits
Unplanned / spontaneous or taken very quickly (e.g. a team portrait of each group of sponsors).
Minimal direction given by photographer (largely due to time restrictions).
Minimal consideration given to background (largely due to spontaneity).
Taken with available light (ambient or natural) or an on camera flash.
More limited retouch (as such portraits will be several among the high-image count of event coverage).
When Event portraits May Suffice
The portraits will only be shown within the context of an event catalogue.
You do not require portraits of specific people.
DEDICATED PORTRAITS
What is a Dedicated Portrait shoot?
A photography task in which taking professional quality portraits is the sole objective.
Key Characteristics of Portrait shoots
Planned conditions with scheduled time-slots (e.g. 10 minutes, 1 hour) entirely dedicated to the photography of individuals or groups to be photographed.
Subject fully-directed by photographer and / or art director (gesture, pose, clothing etc)
portrait-specific setting / background planned in advance. This could be:
a business premises (e.g. a workspace or office)
a photo studio set up on location (seamless studio background / studio lighting) etc
an outdoor public location (e.g. the Notre Dame area of Paris)
Taken with any combination of light: natural, ambient, strobe (studio flash) as best fits the chosen location and the desired look of the final images.
Full portrait retouch (skin, skin light correction etc).
Full consideration given to the subject's presentation in terms of clothing, hair and makeup.
When you should consider a dedicated portrait shoot
You require portraits of a guaranteed quality of specific individuals or groups.
You want a uniform look across all images in terms of lighting and background (e.g. team portraits for an enterprise).
The photographs are for formal or official presentational purposes with an emphasis on the subject (e.g. a business headshot) and appropriately pristine retouch.
You want a series of several portraits of each person to be photographed
FAQ ABOUT EVENT VS DEDICATED PORTRAITS
Can we combine a dedicated portrait shoot as part of our event?
If there is a clear break in the occasion's itinerary which would allow for this or if there is ample time before or after the event this may be possible, depending on the type of portraits required. If you provide your event itinerary and give an outline of your needs in terms of portraits, I can gladly make recommendations.
Are spontaneous portraits then unusable in formal contexts?
Not at all. Excellent portraits can be taken spontaneously however, captured as such, their quality and thereby their suitability for use as official headshots can never be guaranteed. Doing a dedicated portrait shoot means that all of the factors that go into ensuring a great portrait (movement / lighting / preparations etc) can all be controlled and modified. Event portraits don't afford this luxury.
