How to Brief Your Event Photographer (Free Shot List Template)
Short answer
To brief an event photographer, send six things at least a week before the event: what the photos are for, the run sheet with times, a VIP list with names and faces, a must-have shot list, venue and access details, and your brand and POPIA rules. Download our free shot list template below to cover all six in one file.
⬇ Download the free event photography shot list (Excel)
The most common complaint after a corporate event isn't bad photos. It's missing photos: the CEO's handshake with the sponsor, the award winner nobody pointed out, the branded wall that marketing needed for the sponsor report. Almost every one of those is a briefing problem, not a photographer problem. Here's how to fix it.
Step 1: Decide what the photos are for
Start at the end. Where will these images be used? The answer changes what the photographer shoots.
| Where photos will be used | What the photographer should focus on |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn and social media | Energy, faces, speakers mid-sentence, some vertical shots |
| Sponsor report | Every sponsor logo, busy stands, branded walls |
| Press release | Clean shots of key speakers and the headline moment, with names captured |
| Company website | Wide venue shots, team photos, horizontal hero images with space for text |
| Internal newsletter / intranet | Staff candids, awards, team groups |
| Next year's event marketing | Packed room, delegates networking, the "you should've been there" shots |
Tell the photographer your top two uses. "Sponsor report and LinkedIn" leads to a very different gallery than "internal newsletter".
Step 2: Send the run sheet (with real times)
"Event starts at 18:00" isn't a brief. The photographer needs to know when things happen so they're in the right place.
- Registration and arrivals
- Opening welcome and MC
- Each keynote and panel, with the room
- Awards, product reveals and other key moments
- The group photo slot
- Breaks and networking
- Closing and after-party
Send the final version 48 hours before. Run sheets change, and a photographer working from last week's version will miss things.
Step 3: Name your VIPs (with photos)
A photographer doesn't know what your CFO looks like. Send a short VIP list with:
- Name and role
- A headshot, or at least a description
- Why they matter ("speaking at 10:00", "must be photographed with the sponsor CEO")
Keep it to your 5–15 most important people. If everyone is a VIP, nobody is.
Step 4: Fill in the shot list
This is where the template earns its keep. Our free shot list covers the standard shots for most corporate events — conferences, gala dinners, product launches and year-end functions — grouped by the order they happen:
Before guests arrive
- Venue exterior and signage
- Room setup, décor and table details
- Stage, branding walls and sponsor logos, while the room is clean
Arrivals and registration
- Busy registration desk
- Guests arriving, welcome drinks
- Step-and-repeat or branded backdrop photos
Formal programme
- Every speaker: a wide shot and a close-up
- Audience reactions and a full room
- Award handovers: handshake, the award, the winner facing camera
- Product reveal or launch moment
Networking and social
- Candid conversations
- VIPs with sponsors and key clients
- Sponsor stands with visitors
- Team group photo
- Dance floor and entertainment
Mark each shot as Must-have or Nice-to-have. That tells the photographer what to prioritise when the evening gets busy.
Step 5: Share venue and access details
- Venue name, address and the room(s)
- Parking and supplier load-in times
- An on-the-day contact with a cell number (not the CEO's PA who'll be running around)
- Where the photographer may and may not stand
- Dress code for the photographer
Big venues have their own rules. If you're at Sandton Convention Centre, our SCC venue guide covers the levels, lighting and timing.
Step 6: Agree brand, POPIA and delivery rules
Brand
Share your brand guidelines and any photo style you like. Include a couple of example images from past events.
POPIA
Photos of identifiable people are personal information. Put up photography signage, give guests a clear opt-out (a coloured lanyard works well), and tell the photographer how to recognise people who opted out. More in our POPIA event photography guide.
Delivery
Agree how and when you'll receive the photos: gallery link, file sizes (web and print), and a deadline. We deliver an edited gallery within 24 hours as standard, so your LinkedIn recap goes out while people still care.
Common briefing mistakes
- No run sheet. The photographer guesses and is at the bar when the award is announced.
- No VIP list. Your MD appears in 3 photos, all from behind.
- The group photo is left until the end. By 22:00 half the team is gone. Schedule it early — our year-end function guide explains when.
- Too many "musts". A 60-item must-have list for a 2-hour event can't be done. Prioritise.
- No on-the-day contact. Nobody can tell the photographer the keynote moved to 11:30.
FAQ
What should an event photography brief include?
A good brief includes the purpose of the photos, the run sheet with times, a VIP list with names and roles, a must-have shot list, venue and access details, an on-the-day contact, brand guidelines, POPIA consent arrangements, and the delivery format and deadline.
How far in advance should I brief my event photographer?
Send the brief at least one week before the event and a final run sheet 48 hours before. For large conferences or events with many sponsors, send the first brief two weeks ahead so the photographer can plan coverage and decide whether a second shooter is needed.
What is an event photography shot list?
A shot list is a checklist of the specific photos you need from the event, such as the venue before guests arrive, keynote speakers, award handovers, sponsor stands, the team group photo and candid networking. It makes sure nothing important is missed.
How many photos should I expect from a corporate event?
It depends on hours of coverage. Event Photography SA delivers 80+ edited images for 2 hours, 300+ for 5 hours and 600+ for a full day with a second shooter.
Do I need to tell the photographer who not to photograph?
Yes. Under POPIA, guests who opt out of photography should not appear in published images. Use a visible opt-out method such as a coloured lanyard and brief the photographer on it before the event starts.
Get the free shot list
Four tabs: Event Brief, Shot List, VIP List and Run Sheet. Fill it in, send it to your photographer, done. Download the shot list template →
Want a photographer who reads the brief and comes back with questions? Get a quote within 2 hours →
