How to Shoot Photos at a Political/Public Event

If you are your organization or campaign’ s primary or sole public relations/publicity person, you may be called on to cover a political speech or rally as the event’s primary photographer. If so, here are some tips to help you make the most of your new role behind the lens.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Learn the event schedule inside and out. As an event photographer, you will need to be present and prepared at every key moment from start to finish. Knowing the schedule in advance will allow you to plan ahead for any logistical and lighting issues that should arise.
2. Familiarize yourself with your equipment. Anyone from a novice photographer to a seasoned pro does a better job of capturing an event with photographic equipment he or she is comfortable with and has used before. If you are using borrowed equipment for the first time--or your own gear for the first time in awhile, make sure to try it out once before the important event. The finished test prints will allow you to make any necessary adjustments to camera settings before the actual photo shoot.
3. Plan out your positioning. Most political events feature keynote speakers and presenters with different approaches and styles. Some stand still behind the podium and talk quietly. Others pace the stage like caged lions and never stand still, while still others never look directly at the audience-- choosing instead to stare downward all evening at prepared note cards. Each of these styles provides different challenges to a photographer trying to capture the best shots of each participant. Knowing how much room you will require obtaining the proper angles for all of your necessary photos will help avoid mix-ups and missed shots.
4. Remember the crowd. Public events are held in front of crowds, some big, some small. Any size crowd however, can cause headaches for a photographer (particularly an inexperienced one with a host of other responsibilities) trying to cover a fast moving event. Try to set firm ground rules about crowd seating and open aisle ways prior to the start of any event, and plan your photography strategy accordingly.
5. Be as inconspicuous as possible in your role as photographer. Although many of the people you will be photographing may know you or at least recognize you from your various other professional responsibilities (you may very well have helped the guest speaker perfect his speech ten minutes before and assisted the master of ceremonies with his microphone audio moments before that), they still have to think of you as a photographer. In turn, you must do your best to try and do as the pros do and become invisible. The more you can meld into the background, the more you become just another head behind a camera and the easier it will be to capture your subjects in the most natural and authentic manner possible.