Five clichés about photography to avoid

Equip yourself with a variety of cameras to elevate your photography game
Gone are the days of lugging around multiple cameras during a shoot. With today’s technology, one functional camera can accommodate multiple lenses, providing mixed results based on your creative vision. As a professional photographer, it’s important to assess the nature of the event and determine which equipment is necessary. From experience, carrying an excessive number of cameras proves to be unnecessary.

Your appearance does not matter as a photographer
As a professional photographer, personal grooming should not be an afterthought. Your first assessment for professionalism upon meeting clients is your appearance. Making a favorable first impression is vital to the success of a shoot. In addition, dressing appropriately and maintaining a clean appearance can lead to a positive attitude from attendees, creating opportunities for memorable photographs. While comfort is essential, wearing clean clothing and shoes is critical to ensure a professional demeanor.

Quality over quantity: capture the defining moments
Taking as many photos as possible is subjective and dependent on the event or shoot. For corporate events, capturing valuable moments is more important than taking an excess of unnecessary photographs. Before the event, inquire with the client about the intended use of the photos. Familiarise yourself with the schedule and identify where important individuals will be at specific moments to capture the defining shots. By prioritising quality over quantity, your work will hold value and efficiently utilise your time.

During an event, eat as much as you want, besides, you’ve already done your job
As a professional photographer, it’s essential to maintain high professionalism during events, including proper dining etiquette. While it’s understandable that you may want to grab a quick bite to eat during a break, it’s best to do so efficiently and in a way that doesn’t disrupt the flow of the event. Rather than indulge in a full meal during the event, take a few minutes to grab a snack and get back to work. Snacking ensures you capture all the important moments of the event while still taking care of your needs. After the event, you can then take the time to sit down and enjoy a proper meal away from the clients.

Delivery is after a week or three. You need time to edit
It’s common for photographers to inform their clients that delivery of the photos will take several weeks due to the need for editing. However, this shouldn’t be the norm. With advancements in technology, such as professional cameras with excellent settings and in-built WIFI and direct download applications on smartphones, it’s possible to deliver high-quality images promptly. In addition, dedicated photography teams produce photos, tweet, and post in real time during the event. As a result, photographers can provide a better overall experience for their clients by prioritising efficient editing and delivery.

Many other practices can contribute to excellent photography. Please share with us any tips you may have or experience working in photography, or with other great photographers.