We’ve all done it. Taken photos at a family birthday party or holiday and then gone back to look at them and realized the photos look like something a caveman could have drawn better.

Don’t worry. It’s (mostly) not your fault. Composing the photo is one step in a giant staircase that you have to climb in order to get the perfect shot. But the composition won’t mean anything if the camera you take the photo with sub-par.

Let’s imagine you can spend some money on a new camera and lens. These two things are just a few the tools you will use to better improve your event photography. The best way, though, is to get an idea for what to buy from people in the field.

“My two Cameras that I use are the Nikon d80 and a Nikon D3000,” said Rodney Miller, the Vice President of Artsbridge in New Jersey. Artsbridge, according to their website, is “an energetic group of painters, sculptors, photographers, writers, actors, musicians and filmmakers, gathering together on a volunteer basis.”

Miller, who photographs the show openings at the Gallery at Lower Bucks Campus at Bucks County Community College, likes to go the simple route for photographing events.

“I carry two cameras to make it easier when shooting an event,” he says. “One with a 18-135 mm lens and the other with a 200 mm lens.” This way, there is more time to get photos of people and less time fidgeting around with your gear.

While posed photos are sometimes a necessity for events, Miller likes to take a different approach, stating, “I like to get as natural looking shots as I can. Always trying to avoid the posed shot unless warranted.” Candid photos often allow the images to tell the story, showing exactly how people are feeling and what they are doing.

It is “always nice when you can to show some action going on and every picture should say something,” Miller states. If you want to be more serious with your event photography, John Filo, who is the Vice President at CBS Photography Operations, suggests a Nikon D3.

“It’s heavy duty, has a big battery and can shoot a ton of photos,” he said. Filo is a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer who has previously worked for the Associated Press as a photojournalist. “It’s a good professional camera,” he said. For his work for CBS, though, he uses a Nikon D300.

Filo also suggests a Nikon D750, which is slightly more expensive than the D300. B&H Photo, Video, and Pro Audio is where Filo suggests that you purchase the camera from, because it allows you to sort by type, brand, and price along with other things.

On the other hand, self taught photographer writer Dustin Fenstermacher choice to use a Cannon came without much thought. “It was the one my girlfriend had when I was learning. I picked up the same so we could share equipment,” he said. Fenstermacher has been commissioned by the New York Times and Washington Post, along with other publications, according to his website.

“Once you pick up lenses,” he states, “you just need to upgrade the body because the lenses are still useful.” These cameras are expensive, though, and are not for the photographer who just wants to take photos on vacation and leave the camera on a shelf.

If you are looking to become more professional or just want to have a better camera, listen to the professionals. They have been doing this for a long time.

 

 

Questions Asked: What type of Camera do you use/suggest for photographing events? Why?

Intended audience: Working class photographers who want to pursue photography and what to take photography more seriously.