Fundraising Event Photography: Tips for Capturing the Moment
By Whit Hunter
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You need to tap into photography’s power if you want to level up your fundraising efforts. By taking pictures of your fundraiser and the people who attend it, you can capture the essence of your cause in a way that potential donors can see and understand.
These photos not only serve as a reminder of the event for those who were there, but they can also help spread awareness about your organization’s mission to a wider audience.
When you share the excitement and compassion of the guests through these photos, you can inspire others to connect with your cause and think about donating.
However, not all photos are the same. That's why it's important to learn how to take the perfect shot that truly captures the spirit of your event. There are many things to consider, such as how the picture is composed, the lighting, the timing, and the atmosphere.
In this article, we will guide you through taking great photos for your fundraising events so that you can engage your audience and increase the success of your nonprofit.
Best Settings for Indoor Fundraising Event Photography
One of the challenges of indoor events is the lighting. Your venue could possibly have dim lights, and that is enough to ruin the feel of your event photos if you don't have the right settings. But there’s always a solution to a problem.
Here’s what you need to do:
First, you need a tripod to keep the camera steady so you can use longer shutter speeds and low ISO to fight the dim lighting of the venue. Next, use the below camera settings for good indoor photography of your fundraiser:
- Keep the camera’s ISO low; it can be around 100. If you don’t have sufficient light, take the ISO to 800
Note: If you’re an amateur, it’s best to keep the ISO at auto because if you go at higher settings, it can increase color noise.
- It's best to use an aperture of f/4 or lower for portrait photos and f/11 for wide shots of the event.
- Always select the white balance preset or any custom setting for the specific lighting conditions inside the venue.
- Always shoot in RAW photo format so you can have a better editing quality
Best Settings for Outdoor Fundraising Event Photography
There are many versions of outdoor photography, so it's best if the photographer has a decent understanding of camera settings so they can adjust them according to the condition.
These are some best settings for outdoor event photography:
- Set an aperture or f-stop of around f/4 or even lower for single-subject photos. An f-stop of around f/11 is best for landscape shots and group photography.
- Using a fast shutter speed of over 1/100 is best for handheld photography and action shots, while a long shutter speed of under 1/100 is better for low-light situations.
- Keeping the ISO as high as 800 or above will let you use faster shutter speeds in low light settings but it can make the photos turn out grainy due to noise. Therefore, keep the ISO as low as possible with a fast shutter speed to avoid blurry images.
Tips for Successful Fundraiser Event Photography
Online users tend to spend less than a few minutes on a page before closing the tab and leaving it. Therefore, if the first picture your donors see on your social media or crowdfunding campaign page is boring, they will scroll away.
That's why it's important to post a captivating photo that immediately catches their attention; this increases the chances of them staying and learning about the mission of your organization.
#1 Plan and Scout the Venue
The venue and location are extremely important if you want to capture good pictures of the event. This is why consider your location by considering the shots you want to take of the event.
You want to find a venue that has good lighting, whether indoors or outdoors. If the event venue has low light, consider changing the venue to an outdoor one or installing more lights. You also need to keep in mind the setting of the whole event.
Plan how everyone will be positioned, for example, do you want people standing or sitting in chairs? This will allow you to make a mind map of the kind of frame shots you will take on the event day.
#2 Use a Fast Lens
Using a fast lens is crucial if you want to take lively candid photos without blurring them. A fast lens can offer a wide aperture which lets in more light, allowing you to capture a well-exposed picture even with a faster shutter speed.
Using a fast lens can be particularly advantageous when working in low-light environments. Using a lens with a wider aperture lets you effectively capture moving subjects in dimly lit settings while minimizing the risk of blurriness in your photos.
These lenses can reduce noise thanks to their faster shutter speeds.
So, when faced with low-light conditions, a fast lens becomes an invaluable tool in your photography kit, allowing you to capture crisp and clear images without compromising quality.
#3 Take Candid Photos
Candid pictures portray the most unique and genuine moments in them. Try to capture as many candid shots as you can. Constantly trying to make people say ‘cheese’ or smile at the camera can be repetitive and boring and exhaust the guests.
Posed pictures can feel fake and can’t portray the emotions captured on a whim. Ask your photographer to turn off the flash and roam around the venue to catch the natural moments happening without making the guests conscious of the camera.
Candid photography is amazing at capturing all those raw emotions and expressions that go down during a fundraising event. The moments when the audience is completely hooked on a powerful speaker, or when you catch that little crinkle around someone's eyes when they bust out a smile.
Those unplanned shots are the real deal, telling a powerful story that hits people immediately.
When you freeze those authentic moments in time, you bring a whole new level of depth and realness to your event documentation. It's like an emotional connection that makes people truly get what your fundraising efforts are all about.
#4 Capture Moments that Evoke Emotion
A fundraising event is the best place to evoke people’s emotions. Capture these moments and create meaningful human connections. Pictures can speak a thousand words, therefore, think about what you feel when you see a certain picture and try to capture such photos.
Ask your photographer to capture moments that showcase the vulnerability of human emotions. Pictures that hold sentiments such as empathy and happiness can evoke emotions in anyone who sees them.
These photos can include expressive faces, people who make eye contact with the camera, genuine gestures between people, or people helping each other are the real deal.
#5 Focus on Details
Photography is a powerful tool that can tell stories in ways words can't do justice. This is why it is important to focus on the little details which can make the entire picture impactful.
Take a look around the event and try to capture details that can illustrate the fundraising story in the most unique and compelling way. Think about the fundraiser’s goals and values and capture pictures with details that express them.
Photos that focus on what’s happening in the background and what the guests are participating in will make more impact than posed pictures of people in a plain backdrop.
Your photos should be the windows to your organization’s work and values because the donors and people want to see your impact on the world.
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#6 Don’t Forget to Make a Video
Apart from pictures, you also need to record the highlights of the fundraiser by making a video. Make it a priority to capture quality content for the fundraiser because you will have to share those on social media so more people can attend the next one.
Videos will offer the attendees a post-event experience as they relive their fun times. Moreover, these videos will be a glimpse of the whole event for the viewers who did not attend the event.
Sometimes pictures just aren't enough, and you need a bit of live-action to spice things up. Videos can include a live performance at the event or a heart-touching speech from a community member. Whichever way you decide to do it, ensure the video is short and does not bore the viewers.
#7 Capture Key Moments
Oftentimes photographers take pictures at the start of the event and sit idle for the rest of the event. This is the worst thing they can do. Instruct them to capture each key moment of the fundraiser from start to finish.
Imagine having only one or two photos to post on your social media campaigns to raise awareness about your fundraiser, this won't bring in any donors. Only posting a bunch of photos doesn't give the donors or viewers enough information to donate.
Moreover, it also makes the fundraiser seem less credible. Showcasing a variety of pictures from each key moment of the fundraiser will give the viewers and donors a complete idea of what your fundraiser’s values are and what it aims to do.
For instance, if your fundraiser’s goal is to provide educational opportunities for children, you can post photos that show children smiling while receiving donations.
#8 Be Respectful and Unobtrusive
As important as pictures are, you should always be respectful towards the guests. As a photographer, you should be discreet enough to not distract the guests while capturing photos.
Everyone hates photographers that take up space and stand in direct sight of the audience. Ask your photographer to move slyly around the venue to avoid disrupting the audience. Some people are not comfortable with getting their pictures taken so be mindful to respect them and stop if they say ‘no.’
However, don’t just stand still in one spot because then you will fail to cover the whole fundraiser. Try to find a balance between moving freely with the guests so you don't appear to disturb them.
You can also turn off the flash if you want to capture the guests without making them conscious of the camera's presence.
#9 Don’t Over-Edit Images
The biggest mistake that organizations make is to over-edit the photos which can make the pictures lose their essence. An overly edited photo can distract the viewer from its story and context, which portrays the fundraiser’s value.
The fundraiser photos should aim to show the donors what your nonprofit’s purpose is so they can connect with it. This is why it's important to show the real pictures of the fundraiser that are only lightly edited like enhanced color or contrast.
If the photos look heavily edited, they will seem less professional and more fake. Therefore it's best if you avoid adding novelty filters that make the image look overly altered and different from the original photo.
#10 Use Images that are Your Own
If you want to create an impact, use the photos that were taken by your designated photographer. You will get a much more positive response from your donors and viewers if you post real, genuine, and authentic photos of your fundraiser event instead of stock photos.
Moreover, your own captured pictures will have specific and precise characteristics that showcase the fundraiser’s moments. The stock images can rob you of those precise details which deliver the values of your nonprofit and thereby don't inspire the donors or viewers.
#11 Share Appropriate Photos Only
Avoid using too many photos all at once. Make a folder and shortlist all the photos you think are appropriate for your crowdfunding campaign. Too many photos of the fundraiser can overwhelm the viewers and also end up diluting the story.
Share photos that truly convey important information and the context of your fundraiser. Also, make sure to review the gallery and delete all the low-quality photos because they are not relevant.
Conclusion
Taking the best photos for your fundraiser can help donors understand and connect with your cause, motivating them to donate.
Think about the photos that have stuck with you recently. What made them special? They probably made you feel something or changed the way you saw things. Aim to capture those same kinds of details in your own photos.
Show genuine emotions, moments that make people think, and scenes that tell a powerful story. By doing this, you'll create a strong bond between your audience and your cause, inspiring them to support your mission.
Remember, those unforgettable images leave a lasting impact and drive people to take action. So, focus on creating photos that will touch the hearts and minds of your viewers and inspire them to support your fundraising efforts.
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