What is high-volume photography?
This type of photography is when a photographer takes lots of pictures in one sitting, usually with a single background or location. High-volume photography is used for example, in sports teams or school pictures.
Are you interested to learn more about high-volume photography? Today, we will cover:
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- A beginner’s guide to high-volume photography
- High-volume photography solutions
- The benefits and drawbacks of high-volume photography
A beginner’s guide to high-volume photography
It’s important to understand that this type of photography is not for everyone. High-volume photography can be very hectic as you’ll be spending a short amount of time taking photos of hundreds of people and events. It’s vital to be on top of everything, or it can all go sideways rapidly.
Reasons to consider becoming a high-volume photographer
There are many different types of photography, and if you’re wondering why high-volume photography should be the path to follow, here are a couple of good reasons as to why.
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- You could end up earning a lot of money in a short period of time.
- Through each event, you could earn many new customers in a short amount of time that can lead to new commissions for you.
What equipment do you need to be a high-volume photographer?
Equipment is vital, and you might already know that you need a selection of great cameras, excellent lenses, a tripod and a good eye. However, you might not know that you also have to be equipped with patience – dealing with the public can be challenging at best, so you will need to have patience and a professional attitude. Being organised is crucial for this job. When it comes to a high-volume photography event, there is a lot of preparation. If a photographer is not organised, it will go all go wrong in one of many ways.
How to get a high-volume photographer job
Keep your portfolio up to date.
When applying for a job, having experience in high-volume photography is a benefit but not always necessary. Sports photography is a great place to start if you want to be a high-volume photographer for sports teams.
Although this is different to high-volume photography, it has similarities and gives you the experience of working with sports. Remember, your employee might not be as imaginative as you are, so your portfolio is a chance to show how creative you can be.
Be active in your community
Emailing your old school might be a great place to start to see if they have any events that need a photographer. It is a great way to step into the world of high-volume photography and give you the experience you need for a sporting team to contact you. Your community is an ideal area to start as you have a better chance of being picked if they know who you are.
Be accommodating
Make sure your clients know that you will adapt to their needs. This skill is vital because if a client knows that you will adjust, it will help them feel at ease about hiring you. Although it might be frustrating if, for example, your client changes their ideas during the photoshoot, showing that you can adapt does make you appear more professional.
Know your market
Researching a company before having a meeting with them is a crucial step. Showing knowledge and understanding about the business or organisation at the first meeting demonstrates your professionalism and impresses your potential client – as well as showing that you are invested in making any potential arrangements a resounding success.
Keep current
Make sure to be updating your portfolio continuously; keep your equipment insurance up to date and your equipment maintained and clean. Keep your website or social media platforms up to date as well – a rotation of fresh images goes a long way in showing that you are current and active. An unchanging online presence signals a lack of care and attention or even that you may no longer be in business!
Enjoy it
Every job can be challenging. There may even be some areas of your work that you are less keen on, nevertheless, try and find some enjoyment in the job during these occasions. Most photographers get into the business because photography is their passion; don’t allow the daily grind to get to you.
What should be included in a high-volume photographer contract?
Every client that you will meet will be different, and the same goes with the contract. This is crucial when creating a business relationship as it protects you – and the client – and makes sure you are not underpaid for your job.
What should be included:
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- The location and time.
- A different location and time, in case something that is unpreventable happens.
- How much you will be paid.
- Specify how many images a company will receive after an event and how you want them to use these pictures. For example, would you want a company to credit you? If yes, state this in the contract.
- A time frame for delivering the finished pictures. And once you have made a commitment to a deadline – stick to it.
High-volume photography solutions
This job can sometimes be stressful due to the many people a photographer has to photograph in such a short period of time. Not only that, but after the photoshoot, they then have to examine all of the photos to choose the best – this is often time-consuming.
A great solution to help cut down time and make the job less stressful is shooting tethered. Doing this allows a photographer to connect their camera to a computer, or a tablet, so as they shoot the sports teams, the photos appear on the computer screen for them to see. Not only does this save time, but it keeps a photographer’s workflow more efficient.
Using a tethered solution does help high-volume photography, as it increases working speed. This is perfect when shooting portraits for a sporting team as it moves every photo to the photographer’s computer. Seeing an image on a large screen makes sure that the photographer has taken a great shot or if more needs to be taken.
This solution also heightens a photographer’s organisational skills. As everything is sent straight away to the computer, this solution takes away some steps, simplifying the photographer’s workflow.
The tethered solution is also perfect when it is wireless as it means a high-volume photographer won’t find themselves tangled in a web of wires. This helps them move from shooting to checking their images whilst keeping their setup to a minimum.
The benefits and drawbacks of high-volume photography
There are many benefits to being this type of photographer. A high-volume photographer only usually has a single backdrop, using the same lighting and camera settings for all subjects. Setting up like this provides a high level of efficiency, resulting in a consistent stream of work.
With each event, the photographer will be building their client base. If the customer likes what they see, they are more likely to call the photographer back on the next occasion, to do another photoshoot for the sports team.
However, there are some drawbacks. As everything stays the same, it can be said that there is little room for creativity. This can affect many photographers as many love to create magic through their lenses every single time.
High-volume photography requires a high-volume space for photo storage. This means plenty of digital storage space and as much again as a backup.
If you are looking for a photographer to take high-volume photos, why not try Splento? At Splento, we will provide you with a professional photographer for a fixed rate (no hidden extras) and guaranteed delivery of your final images in just 24 hours – regardless of how many shots are taken!
Why not contact us to see how we can guide you with your photography needs.
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