getting Event Gigs

fredjclaus

I know there are many people here that do event photography as you were all very talkative on the "On-site printing" thread. Lets talk about how you obtain these assignments?

Are you paid by the organization to photograph the event and privde them with a CD copy of the images, or are you there on spec hoping to make your money from your on-site prints?

Snowgirl

It depends

fredjclaus wrote:

I know there are many people here that do event photography as you were all very talkative on the "On-site printing" thread. Lets talk about how you obtain these assignments?

Are you paid by the organization to photograph the event and privde them with a CD copy of the images, or are you there on spec hoping to make your money from your on-site prints?

I've done it both ways. For some events I've been the "official photog" and the only one SUPPOSED to have access to all areas and to sell my work. Sure. Make THAT happen. And any income came solely from print sales - not lucrative in any way shape or form.

At other events I've been the official photog. BUT got paid a "day rate" to be there, with display booth space provided at no cost, in exchange for which the event organizers got specified prints (e.g. award presentation photos to give to there sponsors) at no charge (more available for purchase) and participants could purchase prints from me if they wished.

In neither case have I ever made enough profit to make it worthwhile and I've basically withdrawn from that business myself. I might do it as a second shooter for someone else - for a flat hourly wage plus sales or something like that.

Rocketman766

Word of mouth... thats how I obtained all of my gigs, well, the biggest one literally landed on my doorstep.

For most, I am a vendor and have to pay a vendor fee. Therefore, if I don't sell a decent amount of prints, I don't make a single dime! At these events, I am the "official" photog, which as Snowgirl said, its hard to keep everyone from getting the same vantage point as you, but lately I have gotten the event coordinators to enforce this to a certain degree.

I also get some gigs where I am hired by the job, receive a flat rate which will include a disc of all photos and maybe a few prints of their choice, depending on the price paid. At these, there are no on-site sales, but sometimes participants approach me for future gigs.