5 Event Photography Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Lighting, angles, timing and the phone that ruined the best shot of the day. An honest guide.
Edgar Ulate
General Director · Ciudad Click
We've been covering corporate events for over ten years. Inaugurations, assemblies, launches, gala dinners, training sessions, trade shows. And in all that time there are mistakes we see repeated over and over — not from lack of budget, but from lack of planning.
These are the five most common ones and, more importantly, how to avoid them.
Trusting the venue lighting without checking first
The hotel ballroom looks well-lit when you visit it in the afternoon. On the day of the event, with the stage lights on and the room lights turned off for the audiovisual show, everything changes. The photographer arrives without lighting equipment and has to shoot in conditions that completely limit the result.
The solutionAlways do a technical visit to the venue, preferably at the same time as the event. Ask the event producer which moments will be in the dark. Always bring portable lighting options.
Not having a pre-event shot list
The company wants a photo with the CEO, a photo with all employees, a photo with the main suppliers, a photo of the toast moment and a photo of the commemorative plaque. The photographer knows none of this and is capturing general moments. In the end, half of what they wanted doesn't exist.
The solutionA detailed brief before the event. A list of essential shots with names, specific moments and locations. The photographer arrives with a plan, not to improvise.
Assigning a single photographer to cover everything
An event with 200 people, three simultaneous rooms and two headline moments cannot be covered by one person. Physically and logistically impossible. When the director gives the keynote in the main room, important things are happening at the welcome cocktail.
The solutionFor events with more than 80 people or multiple simultaneous moments, always two photographers with real-time communication. The additional cost is minimal compared to the photos that get missed.
Generic editing without brand treatment
Photos come out with the default color of the editing software. The tones have nothing to do with the company's palette. They look nice in a generic way but don't feel like content from that specific brand.
The solutionColor treatment and editing must follow a brand brief. If your company is warm and approachable, the editing palette should be too. If it's technological and cool, a different treatment. Event photography is brand content.
Not delivering in time to capitalize on the momentum
The event was a success. Everyone left happy. Five days later, the photographer sends a Google Drive link with 800 unedited photos. By that point, the event's momentum has passed, nobody is talking about it and social media has moved on.
The solutionDelivery agreement from the brief: a set of 15-20 edited photos in the first 24 hours for social media. The full set in no more than 5 business days. Speed of delivery is part of the service.
"Event photography is not documentation. It's your company's official memory. What's not in the photos didn't happen."
The 5 mistakes summarized
- Not verifying the venue's lighting conditions before the event.
- Not having a shot list with specific shots defined in advance.
- Covering a large event with a single photographer.
- Editing without taking the brand's visual identity into account.
- Delivering photos after the event's momentum has already passed.
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