Guide · Planning
Event photography shot list template
Most shot lists are variations of the same basic needs. This is what I look for at nearly every event. Print it, tick what applies, and add your own.
Planning an event? Tell me about it →
| Need it | Shot | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Keynotes & speakers | The speaker, the stage, and the screen behind them. Clean expressions, not fifty versions of someone talking with their eyes closed or caught at a weird angle. | |
| Panels | Each panelist while they’re speaking, the moderator, the full stage, and the exchanges between people. | |
| Audience | The reverse angle: people listening, laughing, taking notes, or using the product. You need to show that the event landed with somebody. | |
| Candids | Real interactions that weren’t arranged for the camera. This is usually what the marketing team ends up using most. | |
| Scale & setting | Wide frames that show the turnout, the venue, and what the production team built. | |
| Setup before doors | The stage, florals, lighting, tables, and branding before guests arrive. The production team made it. They should have clean photos of it. | |
| Details | Place settings, signage, drinks, products, gifts, and the small things somebody spent a lot of time getting right. | |
| Branding | Sponsor walls, logos, event signage, and branded environments. The best sponsor photograph usually has the branding and a real attendee interaction in the same frame. | |
| Live performance | Performers, the stage, and enough of the audience to show what the show actually felt like. | |
| The product | The car, bottle, device, installation, or whatever the event was built around — plus people actually interacting with it. | |
| Team shots | Company, department, sponsor, and production-team groups. Fast enough that nobody regrets agreeing to it. | |
| Awards & grip-and-grins | The handshake, the plaque, and the walk-off. A clean photograph in a few seconds so everyone can get back to the event. |
People and moments I can’t miss
If there are people or moments I can’t miss—the CEO speaking, an award presentation, sponsor photos, specific guests—point them out. If you don’t have a formal list, that’s fine. We’ll have a quick call and I’ll figure out what I need to know.
| Who or what | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
Where the photos are going
Press, social media, an internal recap, sponsor deliverables, marketing for next year, or a gallery for attendees. It’s usually a combination. Knowing where the photos are going helps me decide what deserves the most coverage.
Pair it with the run-of-show template, then send both with the event details.
