Guests at a rooftop reception with umbrellas and a screen at 700 Broadway in Santa Monica — SANTA MONICA — 700 BROADWAY Rooftop reception, 700 Broadway.

Hire an event photographer

Los Angeles Event Photography

I'm Kyle Espeleta, a Los Angeles event photographer — and if you're here to hire one, here's the short version. I've been shooting events since 2010: brand activations, galas, premieres, red carpets, festivals, and private parties, plus corporate conferences on their own page. The rates are flat and public, the full gallery lands within 48 hours, and every image comes with full usage rights. The work is below; the rates and the contact form are at the bottom of this page.

Honestly, the main thing I bring is experience. I've been making good, useful event photos in LA a long time. I'm comfortable photographing presidents, heads of the CIA, A-list celebrities, dark bars, private homes, intimate dinners, and huge multi-day events with 100,000 people. There isn't much of a room I haven't walked into before.

I came up in film — that's my background — and my eye is documentary, vérité: I wait for the real moment instead of staging one. I'm personable, but I do my best to be invisible. I don't need to chat when it isn't necessary, and I don't like taking people's time. When I photographed George W. Bush at a step-and-repeat, the Secret Service thanked me for making it so efficient — they said some photographers take forever. Bush then asked me to come up for a photo with him, and one of the agents took my camera and shot it. That's basically how I try to work: cordial, quick, and outta the way.

A lot of time and work goes into making an event happen. I'm recording the success of a lot of people doing a good job. That means getting the room, the important people, the branding, and the interactions that show what the event actually felt like. More about my background →

5.0 on Google · 46 reviews · appeared in Variety, US Magazine & HELLO Magazine · $1M liability

Brand activations & launches

Brand, influencer, pop-ups & product launches

Wide view of guests following a guided stretch in front of the PopSugar Grounded stage inside a brick-walled Los Angeles venue — LOS ANGELES — POPSUGAR GROUNDEDA guided stretch at PopSugar Grounded.

A host in yellow pants on stage in front of the giant graffiti PopSugar Body Garage mural, with a seated crowd silhouetted below — LOS ANGELES — POPSUGAROn stage at PopSugar’s Body Garage.

Black-and-white wide view of guests mingling in the plaza beside the Instagram Illuminate signage at LACMA, an evening of light, photography and art in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — INSTAGRAM ILLUMINATEInstagram Illuminate at LACMA.

A guest in sunglasses checking her phone on the pink carpet beside product tables at the TikTok Beauty Unwrapped activation in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — TIKTOKA guest on the pink carpet at TikTok Beauty Unwrapped.

LOS ANGELES — POPSUGARThe PopSugar Grounded activation.

SANTA MONICA — TIKTOK × ULTA BEAUTYA guest at the TikTok and Ulta Beauty activation.

LOS ANGELES — SUNDAYSInside the Sundays pop-up.

LOS ANGELES — THE OUTNETA guest at THE OUTNET event.

A creator posing beside a Sephora director’s chair at the Sephora Squad activation backdrop — LOS ANGELES — SEPHORA SQUADSephora Squad creator activation.

Guests testing lipstick at the mirrored counter of the Almay Cosmic Collection beauty activation — LOS ANGELES — ALMAYTrying shades at the Almay activation.

Influencer Brynne Marie posing in front of a floral hashtag TikTok Beauty step-and-repeat at a TikTok beauty event in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — TIKTOK BEAUTYBrynne Marie on the #TikTokBeauty carpet.

Delegates photographing Lightning McQueen and a Slinky Dog figure at Disneyland’s Pixar Fest activation outside the Los Angeles Convention Center — LOS ANGELES — IPW 2024Disneyland’s Pixar Fest activation.

SANTA MONICA — ASHLEY BEACH RETREATA guest at the Ashley Beach Retreat activation.

A small group of guests seated to hear Melissa Soto speak at an intimate Century 21 session in a salon at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills — BEVERLY HILLS — CENTURY 21A small group gathered to hear Melissa Soto — Century 21.

Dara Reneé posing between surfboard-shaped displays of Disney Stitch merchandise at Stitch’s 626 Day Beach Bash at Fashion Island in Newport Beach — NEWPORT BEACH — STITCH’S 626 DAY BEACH BASHDara Reneé at Disney’s Stitch 626 Day Beach Bash.

Guests with a rainbow float at HBO’s LGBTQ+ “Believer” pop-up in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — HBOHBO’s LGBTQ+ “Believer” pop-up.

Stylists braiding guests’ hair at the character-themed Hair Quarters activation for the Inside Out 2 premiere — HOLLYWOOD — INSIDE OUT 2The “Hair Quarters” activation for Inside Out 2.

LOS ANGELES — NISSAN × UCLANissan × UCLA Athletics game-day activation.

DC superhero cosplayers with kids at a DC event at YouTube Space Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — YOUTUBE SPACEA DC superhero kids event at YouTube Space LA.

HOLLYWOOD — BACARDIA Bacardi Mango Fusion launch in Hollywood.

Sephora and Makeup By Mario product activation event in Hollywood — HOLLYWOOD — SEPHORA × MAKEUP BY MARIOSephora × Makeup By Mario activation, Hollywood.

LOS ANGELES — SEPHORA SQUADThe Sephora Squad, class photo.

Taylor Hill and Michael Stephen Shank at a Ralph Lauren influencer event in West Hollywood — WEST HOLLYWOOD — RALPH LAURENTaylor Hill and Michael Stephen Shank at the Ralph Lauren influencer event, West Hollywood.

Vehicle under spotlight at an auto reveal

Product launches, brand activations, festival takeovers — shot for the recap deck first, the feed second.

Celebrity events, red carpets & premieres

Halle Berry on the carpet at the Moonfall premiere backdrop, with a giant moon sphere and a Lexus display, outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood — HOLLYWOOD — MOONFALL PREMIEREHalle Berry at the Moonfall premiere.

Margot Robbie photographed at the ELLE Women in Hollywood event — HOLLYWOOD — ELLE WOMEN IN HOLLYWOODELLE Women in Hollywood — Margot Robbie.

Priyanka Chopra on the red carpet at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills — BEVERLY HILLS — THE HILTONPriyanka Chopra.

Alessandra Ambrosio in a black-and-white halter gown on the Clarins Beauty Icons red carpet at the Academy Museum — LOS ANGELES — CLARINS BEAUTY ICONSAlessandra Ambrosio at Clarins Beauty Icons.

Justin Long and Kate Bosworth together on the Clarins Beauty Icons red carpet at the Academy Museum — LOS ANGELES — CLARINS BEAUTY ICONSJustin Long and Kate Bosworth at Clarins Beauty Icons.

Brooks Nader in a sheer red blouse and black skirt on the Clarins Beauty Icons red carpet at the Academy Museum — LOS ANGELES — CLARINS BEAUTY ICONSBrooks Nader at Clarins Beauty Icons.

Shanina Shaik in a black one-shoulder gown on the Clarins Beauty Icons red carpet at the Academy Museum — LOS ANGELES — CLARINS BEAUTY ICONSShanina Shaik at Clarins Beauty Icons.

John Cleese and Tim Meadows each on a microphone in conversation at a Barnes & Noble author event — LOS ANGELES — BARNES & NOBLEJohn Cleese and Tim Meadows in conversation.

Actors Tisha Campbell, Jonathan Slavin, and Dave Foley on a Peanuts-themed holiday set at the Beverly Hilton — BEVERLY HILLS — BEVERLY HILTONTisha Campbell, Jonathan Slavin, and Dave Foley at a Peanuts holiday event.

Joey Graceffa holding his memoir In Real Life at a Barnes and Noble book-signing event in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — BARNES & NOBLEJoey Graceffa with In Real Life at his book signing.

Nicolas Cage on the blue carpet at the premiere of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent — LOS ANGELES — MASSIVE TALENT PREMIERENicolas Cage at the Massive Talent premiere.

Richard Branson laughing as he pours a glass of champagne for a man in a blue suit at a Virgin event — LOS ANGELES — VIRGINRichard Branson pouring champagne with a guest.

Reese Witherspoon in a black lace dress against a silver Art Deco backdrop at the ELLE Women in Hollywood event — LOS ANGELES — ELLE WOMEN IN HOLLYWOODReese Witherspoon at ELLE Women in Hollywood.

Chrissy Teigen at the EEEEEATSCON food festival — LOS ANGELES — EEEEEATSCONEEEEEATSCON — Chrissy Teigen.

Cameron Diaz at the EEEEEATSCON food festival — SANTA MONICA — EEEEEATSCONCameron Diaz, EEEEEATSCON.

Actor Randall Park on a step-and-repeat at a Los Angeles film event — LOS ANGELESRandall Park on the carpet at a film event.

Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union on stage at a panel event in Century City — CENTURY CITY — PANELJessica Alba & Gabrielle Union.

Charlize Theron greeting guests at the Vanity Fair Hollywood Calling exhibition opening at the Annenberg Space for Photography — CENTURY CITY — VANITY FAIR: HOLLYWOOD CALLINGCharlize Theron at the Annenberg Space for Photography.

Snap creator Ella Moncrief holding her gold One to Watch trophy at The Snappys awards show in Santa Monica — SANTA MONICA — THE SNAPPYSElla Moncrief with the One to Watch award.

Creator Steven Clark in a belted black suit, leather beret, and patent boots on the yellow carpet at the SNAPPYS, Snapchat HQ — SANTA MONICA — THE SNAPPYSSteven Clark on the SNAPPYS yellow carpet.

Guest in a black cape dress posing on the yellow carpet under the SNAPPYS sign at Snapchat HQ — SANTA MONICA — THE SNAPPYSYellow carpet arrival at the SNAPPYS.

Creator in an oxblood velvet suit and gold pendant posing on the yellow carpet at the SNAPPYS, Snapchat HQ — SANTA MONICA — THE SNAPPYSVelvet on the yellow carpet at the SNAPPYS.

Justina Blakeney, Gwyneth Paltrow and Emma Grede posing together at the In goop Health Summit in Carlsbad, California — CARLSBAD — IN GOOP HEALTHJustina Blakeney, Gwyneth Paltrow & Emma Grede at In goop Health.

Jackie Chan presenting an oversized Hong Kong Airlines check on stage at a Los Angeles event — LOS ANGELES — HONG KONG AIRLINESJackie Chan at a Hong Kong Airlines event.

Tyra Banks, Joe Zee, Lauren Makk and Leah Ashley on the step-and-repeat at the A Charlie Brown Christmas 50th anniversary event in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS 50THTyra Banks, Joe Zee, Lauren Makk and Leah Ashley at the “A Charlie Brown Christmas” 50th.

Actor Jason Alexander speaking at a lectern on a small rug-set stage at an event — JASON ALEXANDER — SPEAKING EVENTJason Alexander at the podium.

Actors Charlie Cox and Michael Gambon with a guest at a PBS event — LOS ANGELES — PBSCharlie Cox and Michael Gambon at a PBS event.

Mark Wahlberg at a Patek Philippe watch event at the Beverly Hills Country Club — BEVERLY HILLS — PATEK PHILIPPEMark Wahlberg, Patek Philippe event.

Musician John Legend at an event at the Tuck Room Tavern in Westwood — WESTWOODJohn Legend at the Tuck Room Tavern.

CENTURY CITY — WESTFIELDYara Shahidi.

Rachel Zoe with a guest at an event — LOS ANGELES — EVENTRachel Zoe.

Jaden Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith on the carpet at a JUST Water event — LOS ANGELES — JUST WATERJaden Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith.

A group of guests on the blue carpet in front of the backdrop at the Disney Wish movie premiere in Hollywood — HOLLYWOOD — DISNEY’S WISHGuests on the blue carpet — Disney’s Wish premiere.

Galas & fundraisers

Galas, fundraisers & awards nights

Elegant tented gala dinner with round tables and string lights at an event — LOS ANGELES — GALATented gala dinner under string lights.

Guests mingling inside Walt Disney Concert Hall at an LA Philharmonic gala reception — LOS ANGELES — WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALLThe reception inside Disney Hall.

Guest in black tie posing with a Stormtrooper at an LA Philharmonic gala — LOS ANGELES — LA PHILHARMONICStar Wars night at the LA Phil gala.

Waiter in a white jacket pouring wine tableside at a gala with a live band on stage behind — LOS ANGELES — GALAWine service during the set.

Singer performing with a live band under red light at a gala — LOS ANGELES — GALAThe band, mid-set.

Singer performing in front of an American flag LED screen at a gala — LOS ANGELES — GALAThe anthem.

Randy Newman playing a grand piano on a darkened stage under blue light before a full house — LOS ANGELES — THE WONDERFUL COMPANYRandy Newman at the piano.

James Corden speaking at the podium at the Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles gala — LOS ANGELES — JEWISH FAMILY SERVICEJames Corden at the JFS gala.

Actor John Lithgow with guests at the Friends of Sheba gala — LOS ANGELES — FRIENDS OF SHEBAJohn Lithgow with guests.

Formal group portrait on a grand staircase at the Friends of Sheba gala in Beverly Hills — BEVERLY HILLS — FRIENDS OF SHEBAGroup portrait on the staircase, Friends of Sheba gala.

Speaker at a flower-dressed podium at the Women of Achievement luncheon — LOS ANGELES — WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENTAt the podium, Women of Achievement luncheon.

Honoree holding her award in front of pink drapes at the Women of Achievement luncheon — LOS ANGELES — WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENTHonoree, Women of Achievement luncheon.

Guest laughing at a gala luncheon table — LOS ANGELES — GALAMid-program.

Executive holding a City of Los Angeles certificate at the McKinsey & Company 75th-anniversary gala, band performing behind — LOS ANGELES — MCKINSEY & COMPANYMcKinsey’s 75th, City of LA certificate in hand.

Three guests with martinis at a McKinsey & Company gala — LOS ANGELES — MCKINSEY & COMPANYMartinis at the McKinsey gala.

Jeffrey Katzenberg with an honoree holding an award at a Yad Vashem gala step-and-repeat — LOS ANGELES — YAD VASHEMJeffrey Katzenberg, Yad Vashem gala.

Three executives on stage as an honoree holds a glass award trophy at a corporate awards event — CORPORATE AWARDS — HONOREEAward presentation on stage.

An honoree raising a trophy and fist on stage as a presenter applauds at the Hunter Douglas award gala at the Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood — HOLLYWOOD — HUNTER DOUGLASA top honor at the Hunter Douglas awards.

Two men in black tie on the Reed Smith “Star Success” step-and-repeat at an awards gala — LOS ANGELES — REED SMITHOn the step-and-repeat at a Reed Smith awards gala.

Three women on a purple-lit stage, one holding a glass award trophy, at a corporate awards night — CORPORATE — AWARDSAccepting an award on stage.

A row of glass award trophies for the Mindbody BOLD Awards — CORPORATE — AWARDSThe Mindbody BOLD Awards trophies.

Audience at the Global Green pre-Oscar gala

Actor Harry Hamlin on the Global Green step-and-repeat at an EARTHx gala in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELESHarry Hamlin at the Global Green pre-Oscars gala.

Real Housewives of Orange County star Vicki Gunvalson in a black gown with a guest on the red carpet in front of a floral greenery wall at the City of Hope Let’s Be Frank gala — ORANGE COUNTY — CITY OF HOPEVicki Gunvalson at the City of Hope “Let’s Be Frank” gala.

Formalwear guests on the red carpet at the SOVAS Voice Arts Awards, the voice-acting industry’s awards night — LOS ANGELES — SOVASOn the carpet at the SOVAS Voice Arts Awards.

Automotive & car events

Reveals, auto shows & brand drives

A dark concept car with copper wheels surrounded by guests at a Monterey Car Week event — MONTEREY — CAR WEEKA concept car on display during Monterey Car Week.

A crowded Monterey Car Week show floor filled with guests and classic automobiles — MONTEREY — CAR WEEKA packed show floor during Monterey Car Week.

A white Porsche Taycan Turbo S driving on a wet handling track at sunset at the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles, reflected on the water — LOS ANGELES — PORSCHE EXPERIENCE CENTERA Porsche Taycan on the wet track at sunset.

A blue Maserati Grecale Modena parked by the ocean at sunset at a goop Maserati event — LOS ANGELES — MASERATIA Maserati Grecale at sunset, goop event.

A Lexus NX wrapped in Moonfall film graphics on a lit display platform beneath a giant moon sphere and MOONFALL branding at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood — HOLLYWOOD — MOONFALLThe Moonfall Lexus at the Chinese Theatre.

A row of polished 1950s Chevrolets with chrome grilles at a classic car show on the Santa Monica Pier, the Pacific Park ferris wheel behind — SANTA MONICA PIER — CLASSIC CAR SHOWA classic car show on the Santa Monica Pier.

A red and white Porsche 963 Penske race car on display in the lobby of the Porsche Experience Center — LOS ANGELES — PORSCHE EXPERIENCE CENTERThe 963 in the lobby at the Porsche Experience Center.

Guests at high-top tables by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the track and Porsche tents at the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — PORSCHE EXPERIENCE CENTERGuests at the Porsche Experience Center.

Range Rover unveiled before an audience at an auto event in Hollywood — HOLLYWOOD — RANGE ROVERA Range Rover reveal before the audience.

A presenter on stage gesturing beside the silver Fisker Ronin on a rotating platform against a red screen reading Ronin — LOS ANGELES — FISKERThe Fisker Ronin reveal.

The matte-black Fisker Ocean Force E off-road SUV with roof rack and off-road tires on a reveal stage under dramatic yellow light beams, reflected on a wet floor — LOS ANGELES — FISKERThe Fisker Ocean Force E reveal.

Guest beside a Martini racing car at an auto event

Crowd on the show floor at a Monterey Car Week automotive event — MONTEREY — CAR WEEKAuto show floor, Monterey Car Week.

Gold Ford GT40 among the crowd on the lawn at Monterey Car Week, shot for Esquire — MONTEREY — CAR WEEKFord GT40, Monterey Car Week, for Esquire.

Classic car on display at a Los Angeles-area concours

Chrome hood ornament and grille detail on a vintage automobile displayed during Monterey Car Week — MONTEREY — CAR WEEKA hood-ornament detail on the concours lawn.

A rare pale-blue Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic on a display platform at The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award, a guest admiring it on a concours lawn — THE PENINSULA CLASSICS — BEST OF THE BESTA Bugatti Atlantic at the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best.

Crowd among classic cars at a Monterey car event

Crowd at the Monterey Jet Center car event

Festivals & live experiences

Festivals, concerts & live shows

Diana Ross performing on a lit stage at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before a large IPW opening-night crowd — LOS ANGELES — IPW 2024Diana Ross opening IPW at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.

Aerial performer under purple stage lighting at an event

A crowd of Manchester United fans in red raising glasses in a toast at the Chivas House of United watch party in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — CHIVASChivas House of United, a Manchester United watch party.

Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Goofy performing on stage under confetti with a castle backdrop at the IPW travel trade show showcase in Orlando — ORLANDO — IPWDisney characters close the IPW showcase.

A vocalist in a red sequin jacket performing with arms outstretched on stage at the IPW travel trade show in Orlando — ORLANDO — IPWA Broadway performance at IPW.

Theatrical performer under blue light at an event

Theatrical performer in an elaborate Lion King-style costume under colored stage light — LOS ANGELES — THEATRICALTheatrical performer in costume.

LOS ANGELES — IPW 2024MJ the Musical performing at the Broadway lunch.

Keanu Reeves playing bass with his band Dogstar on a lit stage in front of a Los Angeles cityscape screen at IPW — LOS ANGELES — IPW 2024Keanu Reeves with Dogstar.

Performers under stage lights at a concert

NERVO smiling behind a Pioneer DJ setup during a Virgin and Stoli event in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — VIRGIN × STOLINERVO behind the decks at the Virgin and Stoli event.

BRAND ACTIVATION — CONFETTIA confetti drop over the crowd.

Five performers mid-routine on the “Feel the Beat” dance stage as a crowd watches at KCON, Los Angeles Convention Center — LOS ANGELES — KCONThe “Feel the Beat” dance stage at KCON LA.

A roller-skating dance crew in bright green posing under the pink-lit arches of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum beneath a Los Angeles sign — LOS ANGELES — IPW 2024A roller-skate crew under the Coliseum arches.

A band in white nautical outfits performing on an outdoor stage on the Santa Monica Pier at sunset, the Pacific Park ferris wheel and roller coaster behind, at the Off the Hook seafood festival — SANTA MONICA PIER — OFF THE HOOKA band on the pier stage at Off the Hook.

Vendor tents including Santa Monica Seafood and crowds at the Off the Hook seafood festival on the Santa Monica Pier at golden hour, the Pacific Park ferris wheel and roller coaster behind — SANTA MONICA PIER — OFF THE HOOKThe Off the Hook seafood festival on the pier.

OFF THE HOOK — BRAND ACTIVATIONLong Drink activation at Off The Hook fest.

A food and drink festival filling the field of the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, rows of vendor tents across the turf with the grandstands and San Gabriel mountains behind at golden hour — PASADENA — ROSE BOWLA food festival on the Rose Bowl field.

Festival-goers seated at picnic tables under umbrellas among vendor tents on the Rose Bowl field, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses banner behind — PASADENA — ROSE BOWLFestival-goers on the Rose Bowl field.

An elevated view of a dense festival crowd among white vendor tents and umbrellas on the Rose Bowl field in Pasadena — PASADENA — ROSE BOWLThe crowd across the Rose Bowl field.

A vendor pouring a spirits tasting into cups at a tented bar at the Rose Bowl food and drink festival in Pasadena — PASADENA — ROSE BOWLA tasting pour at the festival.

A guest receiving oat-milk soft serve from the Oatly Pre-Release Tour food truck at Smorgasburg Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — SMORGASBURGThe Oatly truck at Smorgasburg.

A mermaid performer in a green tail posing in a giant seashell throne on the Santa Monica Pier at the Off the Hook seafood festival — SANTA MONICA PIER — OFF THE HOOKA mermaid performer at Off the Hook.

Well-dressed guests walking with drinks across a sunny festival lawn among tents at a Monterey Car Week event — MONTEREY — CAR WEEKGuests on the lawn at Monterey Car Week.

Corporate event on the field at SoFi Stadium

Gatorade Player of the Year honoree on stage

Performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles — DOWNTOWN LA — WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALLConcert coverage, Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Fireworks and a blue light show reflected over water at a nighttime event finale

Comedian Howie Mandel performing on stage at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood — HOLLYWOODHowie Mandel on stage at the Laugh Factory.

Chef Tom Colicchio seated on a panel in front of an EEEEEATSCON backdrop at the Infatuation food festival in Los Angeles — LOS ANGELES — EEEEEATSCONTom Colicchio on a panel at EEEEEATSCON.

Manchester City supporters watching the Arsenal match on Cosm’s immersive stadium-scale screen in Inglewood — INGLEWOOD — COSM × MANCHESTER CITYManchester City matchday on Cosm’s immersive screen.

Booking

What hiring me looks like.

Tell me about the event. Date, venue, hours, and what the photos need to do afterward — press, social, sponsor decks, or just the record that it happened. Use the form below or call or text (917) 612-4937. I'll quote it flat, all-in, the same day.

I figure out the room. If there's a lot of commotion, I find the point person and work out what needs to happen first. Usually that means clean photographs of the venue, signage, and setup before guests arrive — but not so early that I'm photographing boxes and unfinished tables. Then I get out of the way.

You don't need to manage me. I ask the few questions I need up front, then let you get back to it. With repeat clients, I remember who matters, what they need photographed, and which images they liked last time. I try to solve problems instead of complaining about them. You're already managing the venue, talent, guests, and other vendors. Don't add me to the list.

Get the gallery in 48 hours. Press-ready high-res files by Dropbox link, full usage rights — typically 60–200 edited images per hour of coverage. Same-day selects are available when the press cycle can't wait.

Dinner menu card and plated first course at a gala place setting — LOS ANGELES — GALAThe menu.

A row of servers in white shirts and ties holding welcome drink trays at an upscale retail boutique event — LOS ANGELES — RETAIL EVENTThe welcome line at a luxury retail event.

Hiring an event photographer in Los Angeles

If you're hiring, here's what you're actually buying: event photography services covering everything from brand launches to private celebrations. That means activations in Hollywood and Culver City, premieres along Hollywood Boulevard, galas in Beverly Hills and Pasadena, influencer and press events in West Hollywood and Santa Monica, and private celebrations from Bel-Air to Malibu — plus Ventura County and greater Southern California. Experiential agencies, publicists, non-profits, and private hosts hire me for coverage that arrives when it's still useful — a curated best-of within hours or a full edited gallery within 48 hours.

Activations, launches, and brand experiences

Trade shows, pop-ups, influencer events, and product launches, photographed to your style guide and publishable out of the box. I shoot the sponsor signage, product detail, and crowd-scale frames deliberately, because those are the images a recap deck and sponsor report actually need. I balance mixed daylight, LED, and neon activation lighting to keep brand colors accurate. Clients include Google, TikTok, Snapchat, Goop, Samsung, and Salesforce.

Attendee reacting inside a Samsung VR headset against a neon-lit activation backdrop — LOS ANGELES — SAMSUNG

Beauty, influencer, and creator events

A lot of what I shoot is beauty and lifestyle: skincare, cosmetics, and haircare launches, pop-ups and brand activations, and influencer and creator events where the guest list is the coverage. That work includes Sephora — the Squad and the Creator Lounge with Rare Beauty — plus Clarins, Almay, Paul Mitchell, goop, and Ulta, along with creator awards like the SNAPPYS at Snapchat. The job on these is specific: clean product and packaging detail, the branded set and step-and-repeat, and the creators and guests actually using the product — lit so the brand colors stay accurate and the gallery is publishable the same day the content needs to post.

Makeup artist speaking with creators at the Sephora Squad Creator Lounge with Rare Beauty gift bags — LOS ANGELES — SEPHORA SQUAD

Galas, premieres, and private events

On a red carpet, I keep the arrivals and step-and-repeats moving and sharp. At non-profit fundraisers and Beverly Hills galas, I shoot with discretion and stay out of the way. Private celebrations — birthdays, holiday parties, milestone events around LA — I cover without crowding anyone. For candids, I observe and move, keeping an eye on interactions and waiting for the smiles, hugs, and laughs. If someone hates being photographed, I usually tell them I don't like it either and I'll make it quick and painless. If they don't want a photograph at all, no sweat. I move on. My work has appeared in The New York Times, Forbes, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter, and I've photographed events for Disney, ELLE, Vanity Fair, and Politico. Every image starts as a RAW file with the camera metadata intact — verifiable, press-ready, and yours to use in full.

Sharon Stone pointing to a framed Vanity Fair photograph of Leonardo DiCaprio at the Hollywood Calling exhibition opening at the Annenberg Space for Photography — CENTURY CITY — VANITY FAIR: HOLLYWOOD CALLING

Reveals, auto shows, and collector coverage

Automotive event photography is a specialty of mine: press reveals, auto shows, and brand drives for Fisker, Range Rover, Porsche, and Genesis, plus concours and collector coverage at Monterey Car Week. Working across Los Angeles, I light and frame the vehicle the way the marketing team needs — clean product-grade hero shots of the car alongside the launch environment, guest reactions, and reveal moment. If you need automotive coverage for a launch, dealership event, or auto show in LA, that's a lane I know well. See corporate conference coverage, review rates, or tell me about your event — both are right on this page.

Full Fisker electric vehicle lineup revealed under stage lighting at a Fisker product show — LOS ANGELES — FISKER

The photos were fantastic — all taken in low or colored light, which is very difficult to do — and a link to the full gallery was in our hands within 48 hours.

Jeremy TalbotOrganization holiday event

FAQ

Hiring an event photographer — FAQ

How do I hire you for an event?

Send the date, venue, and hours through the contact form on this page — or call or text (917) 612-4937 — and I'll quote it flat, all-in, the same day. The quote is the price: the edit, full usage rights, and a COI for your venue are included, and there are no travel fees in Los Angeles or Ventura counties.

What types of events do you photograph?

I photograph the full range of events in Los Angeles: brand activations and product launches, galas and fundraisers, movie premieres and red carpets, festivals and experiential activations, automotive reveals, and private parties and celebrations. Corporate conferences and summits are covered on the conferences page.

How much does event photography cost?

From the public LA rates I monitor and the quotes clients bring me, professional event photography generally lands around $150–$450 per hour. My rate is $300 per hour with a two-hour minimum, and $2,400 for a full day — all-in, including the edit and full usage rights. See the basis and full breakdown in my event photography rates guide.

Do you photograph red carpets, premieres, and celebrity events?

Yes. Red-carpet arrivals, step-and-repeats, and press lines are a core specialty — editorial-quality portraits made fast in a live press environment and delivered on the news cycle. My work has appeared in Variety, US Magazine, and HELLO Magazine, and I’m a former Getty Images contributor through their FilmMagic entertainment wire — my frames are still in Getty’s editorial archive.

Can you scale up for a large or multi-day event?

Yes, and it's tailored to what you actually need. Most events are covered well by one photographer or a small team — I'll tell you when that's enough rather than upsell. For bigger programs I build a custom quote: multiple photographers across concurrent sessions, an on-site editor delivering live edits during the event — and if the program wants a headshot station or live on-site printing, I assemble the crew for that too. That setup costs more, so you only carry it if your event calls for it.

Do you photograph beauty, influencer, and creator events?

Yes — beauty and lifestyle is a big part of the work: skincare, cosmetics, and haircare launches, pop-ups, and influencer and creator events. I've shot for Sephora, Clarins, Almay, Paul Mitchell, goop, and Ulta, plus creator awards like the SNAPPYS. See the brand activations and pop-ups section above.

Do you photograph private parties and birthdays?

Yes — milestone birthdays, holiday parties, and private celebrations across Los Angeles have their own dedicated page. There's also a guide to hiring a private party photographer.

How fast do you deliver event photos?

Standard delivery is 48 hours. Same-day Social Selects (10–15 edited images within hours) and a Next-Day Rush are available when press or social can't wait.

Do you travel outside Los Angeles?

Yes. There are no travel fees across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and I photograph events throughout Southern California and beyond.

Rates

Rates & Deliverables

Lead photographerfrom $300/hr · 2-hr min
Additional shooter$275/hr
Full day (up to 10 hrs)$2,400 flat
Overtime (past 10 hrs)$300/hr · half-hour increments
Multi-day programs$2,400/day · one quote for the run
Next-Day Rush (full gallery)$350 flat
Social Selects (10–15 same-day images)$150 flat
Travelfree in LA & Ventura · beyond, quoted by location
Insurance$1M general liability · COI on request

A full day is $2,400 flat and covers up to ten hours — cheaper than stacking hourly once you're past eight — with overtime at $300 an hour past ten, stated up front. Multi-day runs get quoted as one number on the same day rate. When the footprint is too big for one camera, a second shooter is $275/hr.

Contact

Tell me about your event.

5.0 on Google · 46 reviews · $1M liability, COI on request

Name

Event date

Venue / city

Event type

Anything else

Working from an RFP or a run-of-show? Email it across as an attachment and you'll have a flat, all-in proposal the same day. COI, W-9 and vendor forms come back same day too.

Goes straight to my inbox — I reply the same day. It isn't added to a marketing list. Privacy details. Prefer to write directly? kyle@kyleespeletaphotography.com