To pose or not to pose, that is the question

During your next meeting or gathering…

…tell your photographer to go easy on the posed shots, okay?

Within the National Speakers Association community, I have a bit of a reputation…

…for being a pain in the ass? 

Eh, sometimes :) But that’s not what I meant.

The reputation to which I’m referring involves posed shots of participants. 

If I can be honest for a second - and since it’s my article, I am - I’m not the biggest fan of corralling a group of folks together just so they can plaster on a forced smile in front of the camera. 

It feels so contrived, static and, ughhhhhhhh. 

And it entirely misses the point of what event photos are supposed to do. 

The goal of sharing these photos online is to capture the magical moments that happened during that event in order to inspire people who missed this round to sign up for the next one. 

Association meetings. Networking events. Social events.

Recurring events that require you to put butts in seats on a consistent basis. 

The best way to pique the interest of someone who’s on the fence regarding them spending money to attend your next event is to feed them with a strong dose of FOMO. 

Feed them with candid, compelling images of:

• The host facilitating discussion and engagement 

• Participants mingling, laughing and engaged in thought provoking conversations

• Participants taking notes and asking questions

• Details of the space, including decor and giveaways

• And don't forget the hugs - hugs are the best :) 

This is not an exhaustive list, and each type of event carries its own unique wrinkles that need to be captured, but you get the point. 

Now, does this mean that all posed photos during events are a complete waste of time? 

Of course not - especially when they’re selfies taken by the participants themselves. I’m actually a huge fan of photographing people doing this - it’s very meta when there’s a photograph of people taking a photograph together!

And, truth be told, I do snap a couple posed shots here and there, too. It’s just not really a priority. 

The true objective of a professional photographer covering a live event is to create an album of diverse and compelling photos that have the juice, the energy and vibe of the event captured from shot-to-shot - always has been, always will be. 

The next time you need a photographer to capture an event you’re hosting or organizing, be sure to let them know that the goal is to capture candid, vivid and expressive photos of everyone in the room so that it motivates those who missed out to sign up for the next one. 

And yeah, throw in a couple posed ones, too, if it doesn’t detract from the real work in the room :)

Over to you…

What are your feelings on posed photos taken by a professional at an event? Love them or leave them?

Please share in the comment section below.