Event photos are used for months: press releases, social media, sponsor reports, websites, internal newsletters and next year's promotion. On the day, though, everything happens at once, and the one photo everyone needs — the guest of honour with the CEO, the award winner with the sponsor — can be missed in seconds. A shot list ensures nothing important is missed when the day gets busy. Share this with your photographer and adjust it for your event. For a project like this, see our photography service.
Before guests arrive
- Venue exterior and entrance, with signage.
- Stage, screens and branding, lit as they will be during the event.
- Registration area, ready and staffed.
- Table settings, décor, flowers and details.
- Sponsor branding, booths and product displays.
- A team photo of the organisers before the doors open — the last calm moment of the day.
These pictures are often the ones used for sponsor reports and next year's sales materials, so they deserve time.
Arrivals and registration
- Guests arriving and being welcomed.
- Registration and badge collection.
- VIP arrivals — know in advance who is coming, when and through which entrance.
- Photo wall or backdrop pictures of guests, partners and speakers.
Programme
- Each speaker: a wide shot on stage with the branding and screen, plus close-ups while speaking.
- Audience reactions and wide room shots that show attendance.
- Panels: the full panel plus each individual.
- Moderators and hosts.
- Q&A moments, including the people asking questions.
- Signings, announcements and launches — agree the exact moment and position in advance.
Networking
- Natural conversations: small groups, genuine interactions, people laughing.
- Coffee breaks and lunch, without people eating mid-bite.
- Exhibitors and booths in use, with visitors.
- Sponsors with their guests.
Ceremonies and awards
- Each award winner receiving the award on stage.
- A posed photo with presenter and winner against the backdrop.
- Group photos of all winners at the end.
- Reaction shots from tables when winners are announced.
Ask for the running order with the names and photos of winners in advance, so the photographer is in the right place at the right time. See gala and awards night videography.
Must-have list
Ask the client for a list of key people and moments: executives, sponsors, official guests, partners. A coordinator who knows faces should stay close to the photographer and guide them, especially at large events where many guests look alike in formal dress. For official guests and dignitaries, check protocol rules for photography in advance.
People and consent
Most guests at corporate events expect to be photographed, but some prefer not to be. A note on registration, a coloured lanyard for those who opt out or simple discretion from the photographer helps. Children, prayer areas and private conversations need particular care. Read about filming people in public in the UAE.
Briefing the photographer
Send the programme, venue plan, dress code, branding guidelines and the must-have list a few days before the event. Agree where the photographer can stand during speeches, whether flash is allowed and who on the client side approves the same-day selection.
Delivery
- Same-day selection for social media and press, delivered during or right after the event.
- Full edited gallery within the agreed number of days.
- Formats: high resolution for print, web-optimised versions and vertical crops for stories.
- Organisation: folders by session or theme, and file names that make it easy to find people.
- Captions: names and titles for key images, agreed with the client.
Photo and video together
Photographer and videographer should coordinate so they do not block each other during stage moments, awards and speeches. Agree positions beforehand. Related: photo and video at one event.
Questions people ask
How many photographers does an event need?
One photographer can cover a small or medium event. Large conferences with parallel sessions, exhibitions or several halls usually need two or more.
How fast can photos be ready?
A selection of edited images can be delivered during the event or the same evening; the full gallery follows within the agreed timeline.
How we photograph events
Fat Cat Media's photographers cover conferences, launches and awards across the UAE with same-day selections when needed. We have worked at events in the Emirates since 2012. See our photography service and corporate headshots photo day.
Need help with photography?
Event, corporate, product and team photography. Send us a short brief and we will come back with an itemised quote.
