What Should You Tell Your Photographer Before an Awards Ceremony?

This is the first point to clarify. Some ceremonies require a photograph of every recipient. Others only need coverage of selected awards. Do not leave that distinction until presentations have started.

For a large ceremony with hundreds of recipients, such as an insurance recognition event, our recommendation is to arrange two photographers when every recipient needs coverage. A long sequence puts sustained demands on a single photographer’s attention.

If only selected categories need coverage, identify those categories clearly before the event. The team can then plan around the awards that matter to your brief.

An award presentation can be photographed in different ways: a full-length view, a half-length composition or a closer view. Tell the photographer if a particular framing is important to you.

Also discuss the actions you want to preserve. Do you need the handshake between the presenter and recipient, the handover itself, or the posed photograph together? These details belong in the brief.

Having those requests agreed in advance helps the photographer focus on the right part of each presentation rather than guessing which moment you had in mind.

A photograph with the presenter does not automatically provide a separate portrait of the award recipient. If you need each winner photographed alone with their award, say so before the ceremony.

That requirement may call for a second photographer positioned in a separate area to handle the individual portraits while stage presentations continue. Discuss the portrait location and how recipients will be directed there.

This is a different task from covering the stage, so it needs to be included in the coverage plan rather than added as an assumption on the day.

A large event may have several VIPs arriving or taking turns to present awards. Tell the photographer how many people to expect and which arrivals need coverage.

Names alone may not be enough. If the photographer has never met a presenter, they may not recognise that person when they enter. Introduce or point out each person beforehand, or provide a clear visual reference and someone who can identify them on site.

Make it clear which person is which and when they are expected. This helps the team prepare for the right arrivals instead of trying to identify someone from a name alone.

Before the event, confirm four things: all recipients or selected awards; the framing and presentation moments required; any individual winner portraits; and the presenters or VIPs who need to be recognised.

Use the Shot List to record these priorities. Together with the event timetable, it gives the photography team a practical plan for the stage moments and any separate portrait or arrival coverage.