How many times have you been to an event and thought, "man, I wish I could shoot here!" Doesn't it just grip your gut when you see somebody walking through the crowd, loaded with gear, getting to go wherever they want, and worse--getting to take photos that you want to take?!?

I'll have to admit, it's pretty cool, being that person. But, to be fair, you need to know the rest of the story.

For the most part, shooting the "event" is only 10-15% of the shooting that gets done. There is an absolute ton of shooting that goes on, and not all of it is that glamourous.

If the venue sells any advertising, ALL of it has to be documented photographically. There are two reasons: 1) to show the advertisers that the advertising was actually produced, and 2) to provide the marketing department with examples they can use to pitch future advertisers. This means someone has to go out and photograph every single sign, banner, flag, or whatever that has a logo on it. It doesn't matter if it is a trashcan liner or a 100-foot tall banner--it has to be documented. It's not enough to simply take a photo, either. You have to take photos from every angle, and you have to take photos with and without people. If it's something that can be used, you have to take photos of it being used (like a portable ATM machine).

If a company has a booth or table where they are giving something away, that needs to be photographed, as well. It needs to be shot from the front, each side, and from behind. It needs to be shot with people. It needs to be shot so that you can tell what is happening (it doesn't matter if people are signing up for something, or getting handouts, or whatever--it has to be documented).

The overall venue has to be photographed. Guest services have to be photographed. Security and security enforcement have to be photographed. Staff and personnel have to be photographed doing their jobs (NOT posing for snapshots!).

Again, some of the photography is for the marketing department to use in their collateral, and some of it is for the venue to use in their internal documentation. This is NOT an artistic endeavor. Yes, you can be creative, but, you have to keep your mind on the end use. You are not there to pop snapshots or to create gallery pieces--you are their to produce images that will be useful beyond your portfolio. This is not to say you won't be able to take shots of things you like, but that is secondary to getting the job done.

While the event is the buzz, the setup and run-up to the event are also documented. This is where you have the opportunity to stretch yourself, looking for candids and headshots of the performers and their supporting casts. This is the place to catch people at work, as well as the tools they work with. The real challenge here is being able to get your shots without getting in anyone else's way. Regardless of the venue, it is a working environment, and everyone has a job to do. The more you do get your job done without inconveniencing anyone else, the more likely others will be willing to help you out with your job.

The toughest challenge to this part of the job is producing usable shots. Consider these parameters. On one hand, you want full-frame shots, so that little has to be cropped out (you don't want to be tossing away image data). On the other, you need to allow some room for cropping in order to have some flexibility with how an image may be used. You want to try to have backgrounds that establish the venue (as opposed to having shots that are so generic that you can't tell where they were shot). You want don't want to photograph things that clash with the marketing mission; for example, if the venue promotes "family fun," you don't want photos with people drinking, smoking, or people dressed inappropriately (yes, this stuff makes for great art, but it will never show up on a brochure, catalogue, or poster). These shots are hard to get, but they are critical. They are not automatic, by any stretch, but, with practice, you can develop an eye for seeing the end result before you press the shutter.

As for the event itself, well, it is no different than any other aspects of venue photography. Yes, the venue needs images that document the event, but, more importantly, they need images that they can use to promote the event to future audiences and future advertisers! There is a huge difference between shooting with a photojournalistic mindset and shooting with a marketing mindset. For example, at a car race, the media will easily run a photo of a single car. On the other hand, the track doesn't care for anything that doesn't show racing excitement--and what's more boring than a single car? From the track's perspective, they don't want photos of anything less than two cars (and, even then, they want them shot TIGHT!). It's also critical to pay attention to your backgrounds. While you want your images to establish the location, you also have to be careful to avoid shots that show empty seats. More than anything, it's a matter of asking, "how is the shot I'm about to take going to be useful?" before you make the click.

As you can see, shooting as a staff photographer is a lot more involved than simply showing up to shoot an event. You show up early, you stay late. The deliverables are a lot more specific than simply wandering around like a tourist. The assignments will change from one minute to the next, and the stress can eat you alive. While there are some shots that seemingly could be taken by a monkey with a point-and-shoot, there are a lot of shots that are absolutely critical, and nailing them consistently only comes with lots and lots of practice.

So, the next time you go to a show or to a race or to an event, and you start to get those pangs of jealously when you see the staff photographer, just keep in mind, there's a lot more to the picture than what you see through the viewfinder.