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Lessons learned from over a decade of covering events.

I've been photographing and filming events for well over 10 years.

It started back in 2013 learning the fundamentals on cruise ships with P&O and Cunard, where you quickly learn to work fast, adapt to unpredictable environments, and deliver under pressure.

In 2016, I moved in-house with the marketing team at JJ Foodservice, covering a number of company events and award shows throughout the years, along side my daily tasks of product photoshoots and marketing.

Around this time I also begun freelancing, shooting a variation of birthdays, private celebrations, company parties and networking meetings. Since then I've covered launch events and private corporate events around the UK.

Across all of that, the same patterns keep showing up. The events that go smoothly are the ones where the company booking me — the photographer/videographer — got a few key things right before the day even started

Here are the 5 do's and don'ts I wish more companies knew.

1:

Do

Share your event schedule in advance.

Don't

Assume they’ll know what’s important.
A run of show tells your photographer or videographer exactly when the keynote starts, when the awards are announced, and when the networking really kicks off. Without it, they're guessing — and guessing means missed moments. Even a rough timing sheet the day before makes a huge difference to the quality of coverage you get back.
2:

Do

Explain your marketing goals before the event.

Don't

Just ask for “a few photos” without a clear purpose.
Are the assets going on LinkedIn? Into a highlight reel? On the website homepage? A photographer shooting for social media content works very differently to one shooting for a press release or an internal report. The clearer the brief, the more usable — and more valuable — the final content.
3:

Do

Book someone with corporate event experience.

Don't

Choose purely on the cheapest quote.
Corporate events, product launches, and awards nights have their own rhythm — timed segments, VIPs, branding requirements, stage lighting. Someone experienced in this environment will anticipate problems before they happen. The cheapest quote rarely accounts for that experience, and it shows in the final product.
4:

Do

Agree on turnaround times before the event.

Don't

Expect ALL edited content immediately afterwards.
Curating 100s or 1000's of shots and editing takes time, and rushing it shows. Setting expectations upfront — rather than assuming content will land the next morning — avoids disappointment on both sides.
5:

Do

Choose someone who communicates well and is reliable.

Don't

Overlook professionalism, planning and backup equipment.
Reliability isn't just about turning up — it's backup cameras, backup batteries, and backup memory cards, so that a piece of failed gear never becomes your problem. Professionalism is asking the right questions before the event so you're not being pulled aside for answers on the day itself.

Why Communication and Realistic Timelines Matter Most.

If there's one thing that consistently builds client confidence, it's communication. Asking the right questions in advance — about schedule, goals, branding, and priorities — means I'm not chasing answers from a client on the day. That lets me focus entirely on capturing what actually matters, while the client can focus on running their event.
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The other lesson that's taken years to get right: never over-promise on delivery. My approach now is simple — a small set of ready-to-share assets within 48 hours, so the client has something to post or share immediately, followed by the fully edited gallery or video within two weeks. It sets realistic expectations and consistently delivers on them, which builds trust for the next booking.
Key Takeaways for Companies Booking Event Coverage

• Share your run of show in advance.

• Be clear on your marketing goals for the content.

• Prioritise experience over the lowest quote.

• Agree turnaround times before the event, not after.

• Choose a photographer or videographer known for communication, planning, and backup equipment.

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GET the most out of an event photographer

Your event photographer should feel part of the event organisation.

The better clued in they are with your ultimate goal and the purpose of the event, the better the outcome of your content will be. The content is not only to share with guests and stakeholders the days after, but to utilise for future marketing of the next event and other marketing material for years to come.

Whether it's a technology conference, an AI business networking event, an awards evening, or a product launch, the events that run smoothest are the ones where expectations are set clearly from the start.