5 Corporate Event Photography Tips for Overseas Assignments

Monk by the window watching us as we did our group photos at Thimphu, Bhutan

Use memory cards that have huge capacities

Using a memory card with enormous capacity means that you don't have to worry about storage midway through an assignment. Having to change memory cards on the fly could cause you to miss opportunities for extraordinary images.

Backup your photos on the fly

Higher-end cameras can store images in two cards concurrently. Having a backup is essential as you don't want to lose your pictures should your memory card get corrupt for some reason.

Bring a laptop along with external storage

Shooting in raw takes up significant storage. It's great to clear out your memory card at the end of each day to ensure that the memory card is ready for use the following day. Having a laptop allows you to start working on some images on the fly. With social media being a thing, customers may require some photos right away to provide updates to their followers.

External storage to backup the images is vital as a safety measure. A standard external USB hard disk will work fine. You could also use a product like the HyperDrive ColorSpace UDMA if you do not plan to bring a laptop.

Have a spare camera with spare lenses

Just like memory cards, cameras and lenses can fail on you. To be safe, we usually bring two cameras with at least three lenses for any event-related assignments.

Use a camera with that is capable in low light with a decent external flash on standby

It is common to have to work in venues which are not well lighted. To ensure that you can operate at all times, it's always a good idea to use a camera that performs even when using high ISO settings. You can use the external flash to add a little more light in front of the subject in backlit situations.

The following are some images taken for CIO Academy Asia at ConnectGov Leaders Summit 2016 at Thimphu, Bhutan.

Should You Shoot in RAW for Event Photography?

Event photography coverage for the 66th CFA Institute Annual Conference at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre Singapore

Configuring your camera to shoot in jpeg does have some benefits. It can shorten your entire workflow since the photos would be ready for use right out of the camera. The file size for each photo would also be smaller. As such, the photographer would require fewer memory cards to cover the event. The photographer would also require a lesser amount of time to transfer the photos to the PC and less storage required to store future use photos.

One of the biggest reasons professionals choose to shoot in raw is the ability to do non-destructive editing in post. The photographer/retoucher can make exposure and white balance adjustments to improve how each photo looks before converting it to jpeg. As such, the end product is at the highest quality before delivering to the client.

The following are some photos captured during the 66th CFA Institute Annual Conference at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, Singapore.

Photos Required Urgently! Quick Event Photography Workflow Required!

Unleashing Innovation 2013, The Wall Street Journal at Capella Hotel Singapore

There are times where photos are needed right after an event. Some higher-end cameras allow the photographers to select the images they wish to submit as they are shooting. As such, this helps speed up the workflow. Another big time saver is the use of a grey card. It helps make quick adjustments to the white balance (colour) for each image before converting it to jpeg in post. For jpeg shooters, some cameras will allow you to create custom white balance profiles before the event. Doing so allows the photographer to swap between profiles during an event quickly.

Unleashing Innovation 2013 was an event organized by The Wall Street Journal at Capella Hotel Singapore. The event was three days long, and the client needed the photos at the end of each day. It was a challenge as the event stretched from morning till night. The client provided hotel rooms to the crew to ensure we could process the photos as quickly as possible while ensuring we had enough rest for the following day.

Balancing Flash with Ambient Light for Event Photography

Launch of La Musique du Faubourg at Wine Connection, Singapore

Photographers can use an external flash to brighten up faces when doing posed group photos. When covering events in dimly lighted venues like bars, it's good also to capture the atmosphere. A good photographer will find a balance so that the mood is not lost.

We captured these photos during La Musique du Faubourg's launch by French deejay Malik Alary at Wine Connection, Singapore.

Event Photography at Lowly Lit Venues

Event photography coverage of The future of Banking and Financial Services Conference 2011 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Flash photography might not be ideal for certain types of events. Better cameras and lenses with wide apertures enable the photographer to carry on working with available light. These equipment are usually heavy, bulky and expensive. As such, these types of equipment are generally only considered by professionals.

The following are some images from The future of Banking and Financial Services Conference 2011 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. The event was made possible by FST Media.