Guide
How many hours of event photography do you need?
Booking too few hours is the thing I see go wrong most often. The part that gets cut is almost always the part you wanted, so here is how to work out the number before you book.
01
Work backwards from the moments, not the clock
Do not start by picking a number of hours. Start by writing down the three or four things that have to exist as photographs afterwards. The ribbon actually being cut. The cheque being handed over. The keynote on stage. The group shot while everyone is still in the building.
Then find the earliest and the latest of those on the run sheet and add a bit either side. That is your number, and it is usually more honest than a round figure picked in advance.
02
Realistic timings by event type
These are the ranges that come up most often across community and business events around the valley.
- Ribbon cutting: 30 minutes to an hour, at a flat $200 with next business day delivery. Most are over quickly and the photos are wanted fast.
- Grand opening: 1 to 2 hours. Bigger than a ribbon cutting, with a walkthrough of the space, guests arriving and usually some food and drink to cover.
- Conference or half-day summit: 4 hours. Registration, one or two sessions, the networking break where the usable candids actually happen, and headshot-style portraits of speakers if needed.
- Fundraiser or gala: 4 to 6 hours. Setup and details while the room is still clean, arrivals, dinner, the speeches, and the awards or auction.
- Community festival: 4 to 6 hours. These spread out over the day, so coverage is about hitting the busiest window rather than the whole run time.
- Corporate mixer: 2 to 3 hours. The first hour is quiet. Most of the value is in the middle.
03
The half hour before doors is worth paying for
The room is never going to look as good again as it does thirty minutes before anyone arrives. Clean table settings, untouched signage, the banner straight, the light still under control.
Sponsors and boards always want those frames, and you cannot go back for them once two hundred people have been through. If the budget is tight, this is the last half hour I would cut, not the first.
04
What actually makes coverage run long
Schedules almost never run early. If the run sheet says awards at 7:30, book as though they start at 7:50, because they usually do. A photographer packing up in the middle of a speech helps nobody.
Group photos are the other reliable overrun. A twelve person board photo takes ten minutes to get everyone in one place and two minutes to shoot. Build that in.
05
Straight talk about cost
Coverage is $200 an hour with a two hour minimum, and extra hours are the same rate. There is no premium for going long, which means the cheapest way to get what you want is to book honestly rather than book short and extend on the night.
If your event really does only have one moment that matters, two hours is the right answer and I will say so. Nobody is served by me selling you six.
If you are stuck between two numbers, send me the run of show and I will tell you honestly which one I would book.
- Steven
Questions
How many hours of event photography do you need?: common questions
What happens if the event runs longer than booked?
If I have the availability I stay, and the extra time is billed at the same $200 per hour. I will always flag it with you in the moment rather than after the fact.
How soon do I get the photos?
Edited images arrive in a private gallery within 3 to 5 business days. Rush delivery in 24 to 48 hours is available for $300, which is worth it when there is a press release or a social post waiting on them.
Do you cover multi-day events?
Yes. Multi-day coverage is quoted rather than booked by the hour, because the useful hours are rarely evenly spread. Tell me the run of show and I will suggest where the coverage should sit.
Can you photograph and also take a group photo of everyone?
Yes, and it is worth scheduling it explicitly rather than hoping for a gap. Immediately before or after the main programme, while everyone is still in the room, is the reliable window.
What areas do you cover?
The whole Coachella Valley. I shoot regularly in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, Indio, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs, and I am happy to travel anywhere in the valley at no extra charge. There is a page for each city and service below with the details for that area.
- Real Estate in Palm Springs
- Real Estate in Palm Desert
- Real Estate in La Quinta
- Real Estate in Rancho Mirage
- Real Estate in Indio
- Real Estate in Cathedral City
- Real Estate in Desert Hot Springs
- Events in Palm Springs
- Events in Palm Desert
- Events in La Quinta
- Events in Rancho Mirage
- Events in Indio
- Events in Cathedral City
- Events in Desert Hot Springs
- Headshots in Palm Springs
- Headshots in Palm Desert
- Headshots in La Quinta
- Headshots in Rancho Mirage
- Headshots in Indio
- Headshots in Cathedral City
Ready when you are
Ten years of shoots across the Coachella Valley. If you would rather talk it through than read another list, that works too.
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Let's plan your shoot
Let's get your shoot started.
Pick what you need photographed and add your name and email. That is all I need to reply, usually within one business day.